A few announcements and some armchair philosophy:
Kate Stillman wrote to us to say that they’re going to keep selling, farmers’ market style, in Jamaica Plain all winter (in the Bank of America parking lot, off Centre Street). Finally! Thank you Stillman’s Farm! We’ve been absolutely mystified as to why this year-round farmers’ market concept has so little traction here in Boston. Here’s what she says:
“Our farm is hoping to make a go of it all winter at the Jamaica Plain Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from noon-3pm. We’ll be there with seasonal produce until it runs out and then we’ll be there with our meats and poultry as well as eggs. Also, joining us are some folks with great local honey. We always stay at the market until Thanksgiving, but the demand from folks has been so strong that we thought we would give it a try, especially since we have to be there anyways distributing our meat CSA shares (still taking memberships for Jan if any one is interested). The hope is that it catches on and we can slowly start to create some winter or year round markets!”
I’ve heard that the mark of a great idea is that it seems so obvious when someone takes off with it. Like the chocolate chip cookie. Or the guy at In Season who is taking orders, picking up food from farms and delivering it to people like me and Kristi in Cambridge (just this morning we woke up to fig burrata, handmade raviolis, eggs and milk on our doorstep - all local).
Stillman’s farm produce is lovely, of course, but if there is a reason to shake off a hangover on a Saturday morning this winter and drag yourself to JP before 3 p.m. it’s this: beef. This is the pinnacle of the grass-fed beef-maker’s craft. I defy any of you to buy some of their ground beef (on election night we ate burgers on brioche buns; highly recommended) and not find yourself in a conversation with your checkbook a few days later, justifying another $9/lb beef-a-palooza. Also, go for the eggs. Buy several dozen at a time, if you can’t get there every week. Fresh eggs will keep for a long time and together — yes we can!– we will bring the egg industrial complex to its knees. (Picture businessmen in suits with genetically modified breast meat so heavy they topple and break their own legs. That’s how I want to see them get to their knees).
Also, Wednesday night is an event hosted by Somerville Local First. We’ll be there. The invite says a lot about Kickass Cupcakes and local beer. It also says you need to RSVP to get in, so if you’re hot to trot, maybe write to Joe, the organizer: somervillelocalfirst@gmail.com.
Lastly, we have a TON of celeriac. How do you all prepare it? I saw something nice in Saveur about mashing and whipping it with potatoes. Ideas? Suggestions?