Summer is the sweetest of all the seasons. Fruit and sweet vegetable varieties are becoming more abundant at area farmers tailgate markets as the weeks march towards the solstice. This week, as strawberries made their exit, cherries and peaches take center stage.
Cherries and peaches are the very first of the stone fruit to be available at market. It’s easy for stone fruits to make us feel nostalgia for summers of our past – eating peaches and plums while taking a break from a swim on a hot summer day. Get ready to delight in some cherry or peach pies, or eat them raw with yogurt or whipped cream. Stop by McConnell Farms’ table (at Asheville City Market, West Asheville Tailgate Market, Asheville City Market – South, and North Asheville Tailgate Market) for cherries and Whisperholler Farms at Oakley Farmers Market for peaches.
Though not as sweet, you may find cauliflower’s recent appearance at market just as exciting as that of stone fruit. Why is it as exciting? Cauliflower is only around for a few weeks at a time — one appearance in the spring and one in the fall; for the hotter months of summer, it temporarily disappears. There are some particularly flavorful and amazing things you can do with cauliflower: frying it in buffalo sauce and eating with blue cheese dressing similarly to chicken wings, roasting it whole covered in mayonnaise and cheese (though rich, this is phenomenal!), or snack on it raw with your favorite party dip! Find cauliflower from farms such as Aardvark Farm (Yancey County Farmers Market and Asheville City Market) and Second Spring Market Garden (French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market and Asheville City Market).
Ten Mile Farm (River Arts District Farmers Market and Asheville City Market), a returning vendor from a couple of years ago, started at Asheville City Market this past week, bringing with them the first patty pan squash and green beans of the season! Though the patty pan are small, they will get bigger in the coming weeks. The smaller squash are tender and flavorful in spite of their size.
Also exciting: Gaining Ground Farm (River Arts District Farmers Market, Asheville City Market, and North Asheville Tailgate Market) has gorgeous and flavorful multi-colored carrots right now. Perfect for making any dish snazzier!
For a complete list of Appalachian Grown™ certified tailgate markets browse our online Local Food Guide or online farmers market calendar.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This week
