I have a couple words....

stop being gloomy and start being happy, doc.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Foodies Heaven

Sorry, folks. I was distracted by the luscious tomatoes...admiring them, frying them, and then feeding them to my friends. Fried Red Tomatoes. That's where it's at. We're heading into the late harvest season (pumpkin! my fav) and I've been busy attempting use all the wonderful goodies from my CSA share every week, as well as learning how to make blueberry jam and freeze fresh strawberries. It doesn't take a genius, but there is definitely a learning curve to wasting as little as possible during the bountiful summer months.

And food is important. Luckily for us all, Central New York is a magnificent region for fresh and delicious foods. Let's start with where to get fresh veggies, organic/free range meat & eggs, handmade cheeses, flowers, and ripe, seasonal fruit everyweek. The source for the best info on this kinda thing is Cookin' in Da Cuse. I'll see if she wants to link with this blog. Here is another great reference: The NY Farmer's Market Federation.

One great resource for fresh, seasonal food news is the Edible Finger Lakes Guide. Check it out here. And pick up your free copy at almost any independent coffee shop in town.

the CNY Regional Market, near the Train/Bus Station and Carousel Mall
2100 Park St # 3
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-422-8647
open Saturdays only. Make sure to ask the people you're buying from where their produce is from to make sure you're buying fresh picked and supporting our region's farmers.
Hint- they'll likely say some town you've never heard of with NY just after the town name. They might however say they're from Mexico. Unless the person you're speaking with swears in Spanish every 3rd word, they're refering to Mexico, NY. And you're golden.

The Downtown Farmer's Market is open on Tuesdays 7am-4pm in downtown Syracuse, in a parking lot at the corner of S. Salina and E. Washington Streets. It operates from mid-June until mid-October. And it's a great lunchtime destination; like a weekly carnival actually. It's wonderful.

The Loguen Park Farmer's Market on the green at the intersection of E. Genesee Street and Lexington Ave. Open on Thursdays from 2pm-7pm, mid-June through October. A small but determined bunch of farmers. The produce is fresh and delicious. Come on down and support this growing effort!

Apparently, there are several other markets that I never even knew about in Manlius, Camillus, and Skaneateles. See the NY Farmer's Market Federation link above for more details. The most surprising was the one mentioned in Cookin' in da Cuse about a Farmer's Market happening on the Syracuse University Hill in the parking lot at the corner of Waverly and Crouse Streets. Highly intriguing.

There is much more to say on this topic, and there will be many more posts- have no fear.