Yesterday I went to the Central Sq farmers’ market, one of my favorites, and stopped by Farmer Al’s stand, because I had something to give him. For the first time and perhaps the only time this year, his callaloo was being upstaged by another crop: his blueberries. There was literally a trash barrel-size container in the back of his van full of them, and he was pushing them, in his singsongy, jovial + passively aggressive way, on people by the bucket load. ($17 for just the berries, $19 if you wanted to take the cute little blue pail home.) He also had instructions posted on how to freeze these babies for the winter. Super simple.
1) wash them by the bowl-full in ice cold water
2) strain
3) line a cookie sheet with wax paper, spread the berries out so none are touching
4) pop the whole thing in the freezer for about 1 hour
5) if the berries are hard, toss them into a freezer bag
We now have 5 or 6 quarts of berries frozen which I will try my best to ignore until February or so, when it is so dark and there is nothing living, they will give me the strength to go on….
Al is at the Davis Sq market tomorrow, Wednesday, probably with the last of his bulk berries. Go!
…and speaking of farmers markets: the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets, aka the Feds, or the people who make the six biggest markets in the Boston/Cambridge/Somerville area happen — the organization is turning 30 this year. And that’s OK! to celebrate, Henrietta’s Table is hosting a fancy ($$$) dinner of all local fare on July 29. Tickets are $150 and available by calling (781) 893-8222. Most of the money, or so I gather, goes back to the Feds and the good work they do.
What a pleasure to find a group of localvores in Boston! We’re trying to become localvores up here in Lawrence and I’m very gratefull for all the sources for local foods/drinks you have listed so we can benefit from your research!
hey missy, in lawrence? that’s the coolest! please, keep us updated on what kind of stuff you find and where you source your food. i’d love to know.