As market manager of a year-round indoor farmers market, it amazes me to see how many farmers are now venturing out from the norm to provide customers with new varieties of produce.
Consumers have more choices than ever before thanks to our local farming community. Now the question is, what type of tomato: Garden Peach, Green Zebra or perhaps a Cherokee Purple?
For that matter the choice isn't limited to just tomatoes. Many of us are familiar with squash and pumpkins, but you may not know there are so many wonderful squash/pumpkin varieties to choose from. Blue Hubbard, Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Banana Squash, Delicata and many more.
Ah, so many decisions. It can be difficult to venture into unknown produce territory if you aren't the adventurous type.
Recently, a customer saw one of our displays featuring winter squash along with recipes on how to use them. The customer asked, "Do you mean that big, blue, gourd-like thing is edible? How about the orange one that looks like it could weigh close to 10 pounds? Don't tell me the warty one is edible, too? Seriously? I thought those were purely decorative." She wanted to know what they tasted like. I tried to do each squash justice by describing my thoughts on their taste, but I don't believe that the customer was convinced - as she left the market without purchasing any. Seems a shame for the farmer growing these unique vegetables.
Trying new foods can be fun, but many of us don't quite know how to introduce unfamiliar foods into our everyday cooking. More often than not we only find ourselves trying something new when we eat out at a restaurant. Even then, we need a little coaxing from the waiter or waitress.
In 2015 The Wild Ramp received an Implementation Grant of the Livable Communities program to update the existing kitchen in our building. With this grant we were able to purchase large equipment such as a convection oven, a freezer and refrigerator, a griddle and hood, and update the electrical system. The updated kitchen will help us to promote our farmers and help move their product (familiar and not-so-familiar squash and tomatoes) through food tastings, cooking demonstrations and possibly even a ready made take home CSM (Community-supported meal) of sorts.
This kitchen has been a dream of ours since opening in 2012, and we look forward to sharing this with our customers. While the grant did help renovate and pay for large equipment, we are still in need of smaller kitchen items such as mixing bowls, a food processor, vacuum sealer and much more. We are reaching out to the community for monetary help and have a "Kitchen Wish Tree" on display inside our market. Anyone wishing to donate can pick a vegetable or fruit off of the "Kitchen Wish Tree." The plan is for the kitchen to be ready by the middle of February. Just in time for a romantic Valentine's cooking class featuring uncommon, delicious vegetables.
Shelly Keeney is the market manager for The Wild Ramp farmers market, a nonprofit, year-round indoor market in Huntington open six days a week. The Wild Ramp is at 555 14th St. W., Huntington. For more information, visit wildramp.org/, call 304-523-RAMP (7267) or email info@wildramp.com.
Blue hubbard squash soup
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 dried bay leaf
2 fresh sage leaves
1/2 stick of butter
3 chopped carrots
2 chopped celery stalks
1 chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups (1/2 of a) Blue Hubbard Squash puree
2 oz brandy
1/4 cup flour
32 oz chicken stock
salt & pepper
Quarter, seed and roast the squash at 350 for an hour. When cool, scoop out the flesh and puree in a food processor. Should yield roughly four cups. (As you only need half a squash for this recipe, freeze and save the rest for later in winter).
Steep bay and sage leaves in the cream by bringing to a boil, then reducing heat to low - leave it on a back burner while you prep other ingredients. In a soup pot, melt butter and cook onions, carrots and celery until softened.
Add nutmeg and cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the brandy and stir in squash and flour. Add chicken stock, cook for 30 minutes and blend. Pull out the herbs (discard) and incorporate the cream. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.
This recipe was taken from Jillian and Malcom Bedell's website "From Away."