Bear Cuisine

Scenes from the Spring Market

Finally, there is something at the Farmer's Market that isn't a wintered over root vegetable or frozen meat. Seeing new vegetables and greens from our friends makes my heart happy and my soul sing.

In a Santa Fe Market

The Santa Fe Farmer's Market is in full swing at this time of year. It is truly one of the great joys of spring, summer and fall in this part of New Mexico. Food for the body; food for the soul.

And when you're finished shopping, tamales for breakfast.

Signs of Spring

Easter celebrations notwithstanding, it can be hard at this time of year to believe that new life will emerge again. The days blow hot and cold and not much green is showing in what passes for our garden. I'm emptying our freezer of last year's good stuff and feeling a bit despondent. Then a trip to the Santa Fe Farmer's market renewed my faith. Ok, I  admit to needing these signs from the planet to keep my spirit singing.

The photographs can't do justice to how absolutely beautiful these were to my wintery eyes.

The arugula has since been made into a beautiful salad. The radishes have made several delicious sandwiches -just a little butter on rustic bread and the sliced radishes sprinkled with a bit of flaked Maldon salt. And the asparagus was fantastic grilled and served with some hollandaise sauce. Those are grits cakes next to the asparagus. This was one of the best suppers we've had in a long time.

 

 

Santa Fe Farmers' Market 2010

The Santa Fe Farmers' Market is one of the best in the country and it represents things I consider crucial to our well being on the planet--locally grown food, small family farms, sustainable agriculture, organically produced crops and animals. "No farms, no food" is the motto of the Farmland Trust and it is absolutely true. Agribusiness is not in the business of producing food; they are in the business of making profits at any cost. After 10 years of shopping and volunteering in this market, I consider many of these vendors my friends. I know them and their families and I am grateful for their tremendous work to make it possible for us to eat healthy food, food that tastes like food, not chemicals. Here are some scenes from this years market, of my friends and heroes and their splendid wares.

In the fall, the smell of roasting chili peppers fills the air. "Earth has not anything to [offer] more fair."

Matt Romero has some of the best-tasting chilies at the market.

Poblanos, Joe Parker Milds, Alcalde Improved. Italian Peppers

A volunteer, Rosemary and Stanley Crawford

This is the first year, the market has offered celery. I hope it's not the last.

Give us this day our daily bread.

 

Find your local Farmers' Market and support their work. You won't regret eating food that tastes good and your body will thank you.

 

Perigueux

Perigueux is the largest city in the Perigord and one of the largest urban conservation areas in France.We spend a very pleasant, albeit rainy, morning wandering the narrow, winding streets near the Cathedral  perusing the outdoor markets.

Walnut Oil made from one of the region's prominent crops

Jesus might have had the French in mind when he taught the disciples to pray "Give us this day our daily bread." Every town, no matter how small, has at least one boulangerie and sometimes more than one. A meal isn't complete without bread. Another thing to like about how the French choose to live.