the arugula files

In Season: Tomatoes

  
A trip to Dupont Farmers Market will tell you that it's high season for tomatoes (and a lot of other gorgeous produce).  These tomatoes taste so good, there's no need for fancy recipes.  Eat them whole, unadorned, with a dash of salt or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  Make your favorite pesto and top them on pasta.  Bake them with thyme and bread crumbs.  Slice them to use as a topping on pizza.  Marry them with a sharp, nutty cheese and serve with pasta.

 Yum.  What's your favorite way to celebrate in season tomatoes?

5 Reasons to Shop at H Street Farmers Market

After visiting a friend for breakfast on the Hill this weekend, I decided to check out the H Street Farmers Market.  I filled my bags with heirloom tomatoes, peaches, kalamata olive bread, feta cheese, and a big slab of blueberry pie.  Oh my. 

Falls Church Farmers Market (+ Peaches!)

Today the farmers market in Falls Church was packed.  Waiting to pick out peaches was reminiscent of standing in the second row of the 9:30 club: it was crowded, people were acting crazy, and at times I didn't feel safe.  I suppose that's the price you have to pay for this lovely weather.

"I do" Menu: Hooch (Strawberry and Rhubarb Infused Vodka)

"I blame the hooch," said my friend, Dave, who slept until 4:00 pm the day after my wedding.  The hooch he was talking about was a special concoction I learned from my sister: infusing vodka with strawberries and rhubarb.  It goes down fast and smooth (either shaken with ice or with a splash of club soda over ice), making it the perfect signature cocktail for our wedding. It's also seasonal.

Making hooch is not a task for the instant gratification crowd (i.e., me).  It takes a minimum of two weeks, feeding the vodka oodles of strawberries and rhubarb, but it's worth it: you end up with a sweet, pink drink that tastes more like strawberry juice than strawberry vodka. That's an endorsement as much as a warning.  Remember that this sweet nectar is actually vodka, so don't drink it all at once, or else you'll end up like my friend Dave: sleeping the day away.

Food Blogger Volunteer Day at Eco Farms (Plus A Photo of Me with a "U-Bar")

Last Sunday, a handful of food bloggers traveled about ten miles outside of DC to volunteer at Eco Farms.  Eco Farms is a small family owned operation that provides fresh herbs and vegetables to some of DC's best restaurants, including Vidalia, Citronelle, Bistro Bis, Cafe Atlantico, and many more. 

Strawberry Jam (with Brandy) from Toigo Orchards

Here in DC, Sunday was a gorgeous day.  The Dupont Fresh Farm Market opened at 9:00 am for the first time this season (it used to be 10:00 am).  By 9:01 it was teeming with shoppers, all grateful for spring.  Although it's sunny outside, we'll have to be a bit patient for spring produce to arrive.  That is why this strawberry jam from Toigo Orchards was an irresistible market purchase.  Not to mention that it was a bargain at $4 bucks a jar.  The jam is sweet, but not sugary, and the brandy introduces a bit of tang and depth. I don't know about you, but I like seeds in my strawberry jam and there are plenty in this jar.  I like it so much I keep looking for an excuse to eat toast.  Toast for dinner?  Yes, please.

 

Fresh Farm Market in Dupont Open After the Blizzard of 2009

 A few intrepid farmers greeted hungry shoppers in Dupont Circle this morning.  I spotted crabcakes, pasta, meat, eggs, potatoes, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, radishes, chard, collard greens, onions, and lots more.  

Making the Most of Winter MarketsPlus: Vote for Next Test Kitchen Vegetable

 
This past Saturday, after I noticed it was snowing in DC, I got dressed for the 14th and U farmer's market.  I thought, ooh, it will be fun to go to the farmer's market in the snow.  I guess that makes me a super nerd. Then I remembered that 14th and U was closed for the season. Sigh. I would have to wait until Sunday to visit Dupont, which, by the way, is open year round. So, on Sunday, I trotted off to Dupont  long after the snow had melted, and, despite my enthusiasm for visiting the market in the morning, I left feeling down and blue.