So long, Shenandoah!
Today's blog will be a bit different than your usual newsletter fare, since I'll be stepping away as market manager effective this week. It has been such a joy to be involved in the community I grew up in and to experience the care that each of you puts into making the market such a special place. I am grateful to have been a part of it and to have made such beautiful memories (and to keep making more in a different capacity!) with our farmers, vendors, volunteers, customers, and, really, everyone who swings by. Rest assured that I will return to the market to play music, kick back, and stay awhile!
That said, I'll share some more of my favorite summer recipes here. Special shoutout to vendors I love dearly but who do not sell vegan things! You rock and I'm sorry to have never patronized your business! And that includes Gigi at Bien Cuit Bakery, who has been calling me Shenandoah instead of Sierra since my first day.
I love it when Halal Pastures Farms starts selling huge arrays of summer herbs, and a handful of basil goes a long way to making a flavor-packed pesto for an easy summer pasta. Pesto is a go-to for me when I haven't planned out the week's meals and want to throw something familiar together quickly. It's made that much better with high quality olive oil from Agape Premium. I love to serve it with blistered cherry tomatoes and whatever greens you have on hand to sauteé, which you can get at Madura Farm or Titusville Farm. This dish comes together quickly, and you can substitute zucchini ribbons for your favorite pasta if you're feeling especially righteous and green.
Buddha bowls are also some of my favorite dishes to make because they involve only two steps: cooking rice and roasting veggies - and you can add market fish or feta or pastured meats, as you choose. Plus, they're endlessly customizable based on what's in season. I love the challenge of making mine as hyper-seasonal as possible, week to week. Recently, I made one with beets from Madura Farm roasted with maple syrup from Maplebrook Farm, broccoli roasted with lemons and oil, and sweet potatoes with chickpeas and cumin. I highly recommend you follow suit.
And I'll seal the deal with a classic cherry pie. If it's good enough for Dale Cooper, it's good enough for me.
It's difficult to put into words how enriched I am from spending time at the market. I wanted to mention everyone by name who has made the past few years so fulfilling, but I figure that would be a much longer email than anyone cares to read. I also can't wait for everyone to get to know Celia, pictured here with me at the market tent, who will be stepping into my shoes after I leave. Stay tuned for her first newsletter next week!
I'm sure this is not the last I'll see of you all, but for now, thank you again for chatting with me on Sundays, reading these newsletters, and making our community a little bit brighter every day.
