Recent Posts

Sunday's spring bounty

Despite yesterday's downpour, it was a wonderful day at the market. Aside from loving what I do there, baking and selling cakes, a big part of the attraction is bringing home fantastic produce every week.  Now that the growing season is getting into full swing, yesterday my shopping basket was positively groaning with fresh spring produce.

It was the last day for the apple man, he's run out til the first early croppers appear in late February.  But he's swiftly replaced by a grower selling the most delicious strawberries imaginable, their fragrance wafted over to our stall until they sold out.  Other spring produce included tiny broad beans, rosy rhubarb stalks, artichokes and little sweet golden turnips that children were eating like apples. 

My family reckon I'm a bit strange, coming home and immediately photographing artichokes in the  soft afternoon light.  But I couldn't help it, they're irresistible.  Not only to look at but to eat.  The question was, do I leave them on the counter to look beautiful all week, or eat them while they're still super fresh?  Naturally greed won the day and I cut them in half, rubbed them with lemon juice, tossed with olive oil and roasted for about ten minutes. Messy to eat but finger licking good.
Sunday night is our one weekend family meal together, a feast usually made up of bounty from the market.

Then it's bathtime for the kids before settling down to watch Jr Masterchef.  I cried last night.  I'm going for Jack and Hugo and Elsa are going for Isabella.  Jack comes to our stall and buys cakes.  I asked him if our chocolate cake was as good as Donna Hay's.  He said "Better!"  Such a lovely young man.  And that's another reason why I love the markets.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Michelle, You've written my thoughts! I adore going home and feasting on the spoils of the market. So I copied you, well a bit... here is my version of a post-market feast! http://provenancegrowers.blogspot.com/2010/11/to-market-to-market.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. crumbs (ha!) you've been busy...love the new kitchen! what issue of that mag are you featured in? want tomake sure i buy it. am still trying to wrangle a trip to tassie to visit...readign your blog makes me want to visit TOMORROW. xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. My family are watching & cheering for jack right now as he attempts the dessert challenge.
    I remember being impressed by the beautiful fresh produce when I was in Tassie.
    Glad you enjoy your baking , I bet it brings happiness to many tummies.

    ReplyDelete
  4. lovely photos michelle. it is fun to hunt & gather at markets, we headed to judbury for the 1st time. we picked up the most beautiful purple sage and mint, which are lovely in a vase. the valley was quite beautiful in the rain.

    ReplyDelete