Attack of the 'Killer' Tomatoes
Theyre here! Run, dont walk to your nearest Greenmarket to enjoy delectable tomatoes at their all-time seasonal peak. With a dizzying array of varieties (Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, and hundreds more!), tomatoes are one of the most beloved ingredients in a cooks summer kitchen. Plus, they're rich in vitamin C (for a healthy immune system) and lycopene (a powerful antioxidant).
Tomatoes (which are a fruit, not a vegetable) can be used to create countless culinary delights.
Slap em on a BLT. Slice them into your favorite salad. Roast them and make tasty tartlets. Pair a quick tomato chutney with grilled fish. Be daring and churn up some tomato gelato. Or try the simple recipe below. And remember, tomatoes are best stored at room temperature not in the fridge.
Recipe: Chilled Tomato Soup
from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters
4 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons salt
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into a fine dice
2 stalks celery, cut into a fine dice
3 shallots, cut into a fine dice
white wine or balsamic vinegar to taste
Place tomatoes in a bowl, add salt, mix well, and set aside for 30 minutes. Place shallots in a small bowl, add vinegar just to cover and set aside.
Once the salt has softened the tomatoes, mash them and work through a food mill to obtain a thick tomato juice. Add in the shallot-vinegar mixture, celery, and cucumber. Season to taste with salt and vinegar (balsamic vinegar will add sweetness if the tomatoes need it). Serve well chilled.
If you use different colored tomatoes, prepare them in separate batches and pour carefully into the same bowl for a tri-color soup that will allow you to appreciate the distinctive flavor of each type of tomato.
Add olive and mashed garlic to the tomato base for a spicier soup and garnish with hot and bell peppers.
Greenspeak Word of the Week: 'Tree-ripened / Vine-ripened'
Fruit that has been allowed to ripen on the tree or vine before harvest. Many fruits that are shipped long distances are picked green and unripe to withstand machine harvest and transportation, then treated with ethylene gas to "ripen," color, and soften. By contrast, fruits that have been allowed to fully ripen on the tree or vine have superior taste and nutrition.
Insider's Guide to the Greenmarket:
"Talk to strangers and make a morning of your trip to the Greenmarket. The farmers market is a great place to meet your neighbors and community. Sociology studies have shown that people are ten times as likely to talk to strangers at farmers markets as at supermarkets. Bring your dog, bring your kids, and enjoy your time."
Labor Day Marks the Start of School ... But Not the End of Summer
Kids may be donning backpacks, but when you get your groceries at the Greenmarket, summer goes straight through September. You can enjoy fresh watermelon, green beans, summer squash, blackberries, raspberries, hot peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, and the sweetest corn of the season for weeks to come. Visit any of our markets to create a fun Labor Day feast -- and continue to come by and savor the flavors of summer in the weeks ahead. (Fall officially begins September 23rd)
Click here to find a Greenmarket near you.
Featured Farmer: Keith Stewart of Keith's Farm
Keith Stewart grew up in New Zealand before making his home in NYC. He thought farming would be a simpler life; it turned out to be more complicated, but he likes it better. Keith says, "Farming allows me to use my mind and body together in a fruitful way. It is a good life." When he's not working his land, Keith writes a column about farm life for the Valley Table and he's published the book Its a Long Road to a Tomato. Keith's Farm, located in Westtown, New York, is certified organic and right now hes got his famous heirloom rocambole garlic, sumptuous heirloom tomatoes, aromatic herbs, spicy peppers, and a whole lot more. Stop by his stand at Union Square on Wednesdays & Saturdays.
Click here to learn more about our farmers.
Paper or Plastic: 'Charge It' at Greenmarket
While cash is still king at the Greenmarket, we are pleased to announce that farmers at four different markets now accept credit cards -- and even more accept food stamps! Wireless battery-operated terminals (think 1980s cell phones) enable farmers to swipe both credit cards and EBT cards. Enjoy this new way to pay while you go green at the Greenmarket.
Click here for more information EBT/Food Stamps and Credit Cards at Greenmarket
Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival
Join us in welcoming Farm Aid to New York City on September 9th at Randall's Island! Come celebrate family farmers, good food and music with Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Mathews and Tim Reynolds, The Allman Brothers Band, and many more.
The day before the concert (Sept 8), Farm Aid, NYC Parks Department and CENYC are hosting a "Homegrown Fair" at Union Square South from 10am to 4pm. Join us for this fun and festive event featuring live music, food demos, a corn roast, cider press, and much, much more. All at the doorstep of the Union Square Greenmarket.
Click here for details and tickets!
Volunteer at Farm Aid
This years Farm Aid concert will be greener than ever thanks to two CENYC programs: Greenmarket and the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education. Concessions will feature fresh, local, organic and family-farmed refreshments and the concert site will be dotted with 100 stations for recycling and composting.
This is a rewarding Volunteer Opportunity! Volunteers are needed to assist concert goers as they sort their waste materials into recycling and compost bins and to educate them about the extensive recylcing efforts at the concert.
Individuals and groups welcome!
Harvest in the Square
Help make New Yorks best tasting neighborhood even better. Attend the 12th annual "Harvest in the Square," Manhattans premier food and wine tasting event. More than 50 of Union Squares top-rated restaurants will be offering signature dishes prepared with the Greenmarkets farm-fresh produce. Proceeds from the event fund Union Square Partnerships improvement projects.
Click here for event and ticket information.
Get Involved: Become a Greenmarket Tour Guide!
Go back to school this fall by joining the Greenmarket Guides Program. If youre passionate about food, eating locally, and inspiring children, become a volunteer tour guide. Youll receive training to lead one-hour tours at Greenmarkets for schools (including the AIWF Days of Taste program), tourists, and locals. Help participants discover the abundance of delicious and nutritious delights as they see, touch, smell, and taste locally grown foods.
Raise Your Voice: 2007 Farm Bill
Do your part to support sustainable food systems, family farmers, and farmers markets. Call your congressional representatives today and let them know you want a Farm Bill that supports building strong, sustainable, local, and regional food systems.
Say no to agri-business interests -- and yes to eating locally with just one phone call!
Click here to find your Congressional contacts.
Click here to find your Senatorial contacts.
Click here to learn more about the 2007 Farm Bill.