Farmers Market Weekly Update: Market Crowd Mayhem, Bike Racks, Plum Chutney Pork Tenderloin, Rainbow Nutrition

~My last post I said we’d had our busiest day at the Farmers Market this season, well this past Saturday definitely topped it!  It was so packed that I saw a woman try to push her bike through the market in which the crowd boldly rejected her efforts. 

Though it is annoying when people bring their bikes through the market, the real problem is the lack of bike racks near this entrance to the park! I’ve been reaching out to the DOT as much as I can but really the community has to unite to put in requests for more bike racks.  Every week I hear the community mutter complaints about the lack of racks, so I propose we all put in our requests!

*Please Fill out this Request Form to add more Bike Racks by the South Entrance of Fort Greene Park (Dekalb Avenue & Cumberland Street/Washington Park):

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/cityrack-suggest.shtml

Tidbits from Saturday:

Check out the action at the Farmers Market!

·      Wilklow Orchards had truck issues and didn’t arrive at the market until 11 a.m., which put people in quite the frenzy being that they have the largest presence at the South entrance. It was remarkable to see how many dedicated customers waited until their arrival and then waited in a very very long line to purchase.  During their wait, my volunteer Jemma and I chopped up a Greenmarket Rainbow Salad (basically a multi-colored nutritious salad with a mix of vegetables and fruits from the market) to satiate the crowd with a colorful boost.  A lot of people in line were merely waiting for their weekly Apple Cider Donut fix! They’re definitely worth the wait.

·      Nutrition Facts: Greenmarket Rainbow Salad
-Red – According to the USDA, red fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants (lycopene and anthocyanins)
-Orange/Yellow – Vitamin A: Skin, Teeth, and Bone health!
-Green – Vitamin K: Blood health, eyes, teeth, bones
-Blue/Purple – Antioxidants: fights and prevents cancer of esophagus and colon
-White – High in Dietary Fiber: fights cholesterol, lowers risk of stroke
*Jemma prepared a Rainbow salad with Radishes, Mustard Greens, Plums, Corn, and Apples

I leave you with a brilliant recipe to enjoy the last days of plum season:

Pork Tenderloin with Plum Chutney (Bon Appetit)

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pork-tenderloin-with-plum-chutney

INGREDIENTS:

PLUM CHUTNEY

·    4 red or black plums

·    1 tablespoon olive oil

·    1 large shallot, sliced lengthwise

·    1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

·    1/4 cup Sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar

·    1 tablespoon chopped garlic

·    1 tablespoon mustard seeds

·    2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger

·    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·    1 bay leaf

·    Kosher salt

PORK

·    2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

·    4 teaspoons herbes de Provence

·    4 teaspoons olive oil

·    2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lb.)

·    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·    16 thin slices pancetta (Italian bacon; about 8 oz.) or prosciutto

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

5 servings, 1 serving contains: Calories (kcal) 520 Fat (g) 22 Saturated Fat (g) 6 Cholesterol (mg) 145 Carbohydrates (g) 30 Dietary Fiber (g) 1 Total Sugars (g) 26 Protein (g) 47 Sodium (mg) 560

Fort Greene Greenmarket Shoppers!

*Want to see a certain vegetable or recipe demonstration at the market?

*Got any food wisdom to share with your Fort Greene community? Sign up to lead a cooking demonstration!

E-mail me at: lramirez@grownyc.org

See you at the market!