To Market, To Market at SIck KIds, July 27

Oh, Tide pen, where are you when I need you.  I arrived at work wearing a stained shirt.  But what's a little stain caused by peach juice dripping off my chin from the free sample at Loffredo's stand at the Sick Kids farmers' market?  Even though still slightly under ripe, these were really sweet and juicy--so different from last year's disappointing crop.

This was one glorious morning at the market.  To begin with, it was sunny but not oppressively hot.  On Saturday at the Withrow market berries appeared to be on their way out.  Here, between them, Andrews Scenic Acres and O.K. farms had golden, red, and black raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries,blackberries, and I believe there were still currants, and plums.  O.K. had a rare treat --harvest apples, aka yellow transparents.  An old variety, it has zilch shelf life so is almost never seen commercially but is a wonderful apple for sauce and pies. Well, it is great once the pie is made but its small size means a whole lot of peeling between apple and pie.  Early in its short season, it is a good eating apple if you like really sour apples.  As the season goes on the fruit tends to become mushy--still fine for sauce but unpleasant to consume out of hand.

Bosco Farms had their usual wide range of vegetables greens, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, baby zucchini, and baskets of mixed heirloom tomatoes in shades from brownish red to pale yellow.  Down at the north end of the market Haystrom Farms had purple potatoes.  Although there were no  zucchini blossoms at the stand, call or email in advance(www.my-market.ca)and Jim Hayward will bring an order to market specially for you.

Caroll Collins now has baskets of baby artichokes along with her herbs and root vegetables.

If you missed them Tuesday, Collins, O.K., and Bosco are at Borden Street on Wednesday afternoon while Andrews are at City Hall in the morning.