My new love - Bobolink RyeLet's talk a little bit about farmer's markets...green markets and the like. I think this is a good time to say that it's really not a mindless free-for-all in the "I'm eating safely" department. 

The other day I brought home a package of turkey burgers from the farmer's market. I thought, "Easy breezy.  Already formed. Why are they formed? Who cares? It's from the farmer's market, the turkeys are free-range and without hormones. Bingo."

 

The women running the stand asked me if I had had the turkey burgers before.  I said no.

She said, "You'll love them. They're delicious."

I got suspicious but was in a rush to get home.

I looked at the package when I got into the train to find a label that said it contained sugar.

Sugar.

Why?  Turkey burgers are great by themselves.  

 

I'm glad there was a label. Though I would have been suspicious when I cooked it. It had a slighty crispy crust on it when I cooked them.  Taste?  Yup, slightly sweet. You never know. Needless to say, I did serve them at home. If there is sugar to be had, I'd rather my daughter recognize it as something special. Ice cream, cookies.  She's going to want them anyway. She likes turkey as it is. 

 

Question is, if you glam up a food for a child with sugar, something healthy-- doesn't it cancel out the health?

 

On to another piece of farmer's market info:

 

If your concern lays with pesticides the farmers use, ask.

 

I have issue with it.  It's just a thing for me.   And just because farmers are at the market doesn't mean they are pesticide free. Also, this is an important fact, if they are certified organic (which is a government certification) farmers can use certain pesticides. It's always best to ask. Especially if you or your family have allergies.  Many farmers don't get their organic certification because as organic farmers, it lowers the quality of their work.  So much to consider.

 

Communication is really key here.  Just like going to the supermarket, be it Walmart or Whole Foods, you gotta ask.

 

Next up:

 

Massa Organics. 

Brown rice and almonds and almond paste. The almonds are really fantastic.  I haven't broken into the rice yet, but I must say it looks great even dry.

 

Had the whole wheat papardelle from Flour City Pasta this evening.

Not as Earth shattering as the Lemon Parsley malafate, but not bad.

 

Difficult part of the project up to now is really making sure that I go to the farmer's market on schedule.  In Manhattan, there are always markets but not all have everything I might need. I missed the one on Wednesday, which does have everything.  I'm also missing the one on Friday and the market that is today, doesn't have much in the way of chicken and fish. I slid a bit this week shopping-wise.  I'll try to get a leg up again on Saturday.

 

Jeez, it shouldn't be this hard to know where my food comes from.

(and yes I know I'm spoiled with internet ordering....)