Eating Floyd...: High Summer at the Market

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

High Summer at the Market

The produce keeps rolling in as we move into high summer. I've noticed when making labels that I'm canning many products a month ahead of when they were canned last year. I don't know if the produce is ripening ahead of schedule or if I'm getting to it faster than I did last year. I know I'm offering more products because the crate set-up keeps expanding.

I'm also putting up double the amounts of product from last year thinking that would get me through to the end of the market season. So far that hasn't been the case. Nearly all the spring fruits are gone but for a few jars. The various classic pickles (Bread & Butters, Asparagus, Garlic Dills, Senfgurken) are still holding on but the pickled fruits I added this year (Cherry Bombs and Pickled Blueberries) are gone except for what I reserved for my own pantry. Apparently the cocktail drinkers are the ones snapping these up although one patron said the Cherry Bombs were "da bomb!" when dipped in chocolate!

Even the labor-intensive, thus more expensive, handmade Maraschino Cherries were all gone except for these 3 jars

when the head bartender of a restaurant in Richmond came by and swooped up two of them, then asked if I would be willing to make them for her bar. Wow! Oh, yeah! Oh wait... cherry season is over... sad Becca... No problem says she, I'll order in season next spring!

Peaches are hitting stride right now and there's a full slate of those on the table at the moment. Now I'm turning my attention to tomatoes, corn and beans.

And of course, the ongoing demand for peanut butters...