Nothing brings about the joys of warmer weather quite like a stroll around your local farmers’ market. With its abundance of fresh produce and new choices every week, it’s easy to get overwhelmed without a tour guide.
However, once you have your bearings, you can save yourself a few trips to the supermarket and swap your grocery store staples for farmer’s market finds. Some don’t even need to be cooked to make delicious, fresh meals.
Here's the bounty of produce options you’ll see at the market this season and unique ways to use them in your everyday meals.
Asparagus
Select: Colors can range from white to green to purple, but no matter what hue you choose, look for tightly closed tips and stalks with no sliminess or dryness. The roots should be green, not brown.
Store: Keep the stalks moist by wrapping them in a damp paper towel or standing upright in a few inches of water. Store in the fridge and wash just before eating.
Cook: Phyllo-Wrapped Asparagus with Prosciutto
Basil
Select: Look for leaves that show no signs of wilting. Colors vary from shades of green to purple.
Store: Store basil in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or in a vase with about 2 inches of water. You can also freeze the leaves to keep them fresh through the summer months.
Cook: Chicken Panang Casserole
Beets
Select: Whether you’re choosing golden, red, or striped, pick out bulbs that feel heavy for their size and have few surface cracks. If the greens are attached, they should be vibrant rather than wilted.
Store: Stored correctly, beets can have a shelf-life of up to 3 months. Remove the stems from the bulbs (but don’t throw out the greens, you can eat those too!) and keep the bulbs in a sealed plastic bag in your crisper drawer. Leave them unwashed until ready to use.
Cook: Hasselback Beets with Tangy Dill Sauce and Caraway
Blackberries
Select: Select plump, well-colored berries with hulls detached. If hulls are still intact, the berries were picked too early.
Store: Fresh blackberries are best stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Choose a wide, shallow bowl to store berries, and cover with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Make sure to use them up before they go bad!
Cook: Blackberry Turnovers
Blueberries
Select: Pick plump, juicy berries with blooms that have no trace of mold or discoloration. Look for firm, uniformly sized berries with a deep color and no hulls or stems.
Store: If eating blueberries within 24 hours of picking, store them at room temperature; otherwise, keep them refrigerated in a sealed container up to 3 days. Wash right before eating to keep the berries fresher longer.
Cook: Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins
Get the full list on myrecipes.com
Related Links
Gen-Zers Are Indeed Buying Houses in the City Predicted to Be Most Popular in 2022
The housing market just slid into a full-blown correction, says economists
If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.
