An Apple A Day

Today was the usual Wednesday Farmers Market. Besides coming home with a handful of Swiss chard and Kale I scored on some beautiful tomatoes. There must have been over twenty different breeds of tomatoes, no lie. I have to admit I'm no tomato connoisseur but I know yellow tend to be sweeter while the zebra striped breeds are the only ones suitable to make a perfect sandwich.

I also picked up some organic grapes to use as a starter. After a lot of love the starter will begin to produce yeast which will be later used as a crucial element in producing a fine looking bread. Make sure if your starting any similar experiment that you pick up ORGANIC concord because if the grape has any trace of pesticides those chemicals will kill the yeasts development. Almost like a pet, the starter has to be fed daily; one part flour to two parts water.

Any the prettiest apples were in abundance. We've been making plenty of apple based desserts(classic apple pie, Austrian apple strussel, french apple tart, apple tart tatin) in school lately so I will share my knowledge of the world of apples:

Granny Smith: tart, firm, crisp: best for tarts

Jonathan: tart, acidic, tender: all-purpose(baking, with cheese or a salad, applesauce, snacking)

Pink Lady:(cross of a golden Delicious & McIntosh) sweet, crisp: pies, decorative

Cameo: mild, tart: all-purpose

Red Delicious: bland, mealy: just for eating

Winesap: tangy, crisp: cider

Braeburn: juicy, firm: baking

Royal Gala: sweet, crisp: sauces

Never buy bruised or punctured apples; they admit ethylene gas that will spoil any fruit close to.

I was lucky enough today to pick up some Mutsu (moot-sue) apples. Look at how big that guy is. They're considered all-purpose apples but I hope he goes to something really special cause they are my all time favorite...

Farmers Market Wednesday

Another adventure at the local Farmers Market held a little more than ten blocks from my house. I try to make it every Wednesday that it's held. Today seen the end of the fresh peaches and the cherries are now done and the blueberries look to be heading that way but on the bright side strawberries are just coming in as well as gala apples AND the most beautiful tomatoes. I picked up some concord grapes from a farmer from the Okanogan Valley. Some aforementioned tomatoes and zucchinis that I'm hoping to make muffins out of.

I can't leave this post without mentioning Bad Girl Chocolates. Kelly Boyd, sole owner and chocolate connoisseur, makes the most lovely chocolate truffles you could ever dream up. She has a both set up every Wednesday and brings a handful of goodies. Take a gander at her website to see all the unique flavors she carries: badgirlchocolates.com. Every week she also surprises us with a truffle of the week an this weeks flavour drew some funny faces; tobacco truffle. She also makes old fashioned chewy caramels that I can't leave without a handful of.

And there was unicyclers...