3/15/14

Opening Day at the Portland Farmer's Market

Yahoo!!!!! Erik, Mae and I have been looking forward to this day for a full month, and what a lovely day we had for it. In March, one can never, ever, ever count on the weather, but we sure lucked out today. It was perfect, and even relatively warm.

We started the day with a breakfast of our favorite huevos rancheros from one of the vendors. We didn't spy them in their usual place, but Mae found them at the opposite end of the aisle from where they usually set up. Here you can see them grilling up all the goodies for the dozen or so items on their menu.


We almost always get the huevos rancheros. They put a couple of fried eggs over home-made tortillas and then smother it in those yummy veggies you see on the right. Nothing ever tasted so good on a chilly morning, and it's the BEST way to start our hunting and gathering when we go to the farmer's market.

With the weather so nice, the market was busy, and there were a surprising number of items to select from. Of course, there were lots of winter veggies and fruits.


Beautiful baby lettuces and other starts for home gardens.


Delicious baked goods including breads, pies, and other sweet treats.


Amazing flowers.


Those ones on the lower right came home for my table. They'll be pretty for when Matthew and Valerie come for dinner tomorrow.


Also home with me was some fresh clover honey, some sausage, two kinds of kimchi (which I love), and a dozen fresh oysters for Oysters Rockaway tonight. We made them when we were in Rockaway, Oregon last summer. It was our own little take on Oysters Rockefeller, and you can see how we did them if you read this post right here. I can't believe I didn't post a recipe somewhere, so here you go:

Oysters Rockaway
Recipe By: Mike and Barbara Stanbro

1 Dozen Fresh Oysters in the Shell
1 Large Roma Tomato -- coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon Drained Capers
2 Tablespoons Sliced Green Onions
1 Clove Garlic -- minced
1 Tablespoon Shredded Fresh Basil (or ½ tablespoon dried basil
 Tabasco Sauce
3 Tablespoons Butter -- cut into small cubes
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Clean and shuck oysters to prepare oysters on the half shell.
In a small bowl mix Roma tomato, capers, green onions, garlic, and basil.  Mix well.
Top oysters with tomato mixture.  Then drip 2-3 drops of Tabasco on each oyster.
Top oysters with cube of butter and then grated Parmesan Cheese
Grill until oysters are bubbly and cheese has melted.

Also, I picked up four pounds of clams, and we'll be steaming them tonight while Mike grills the oysters. I took the recipe for the clams off the internet. Now I'm looking forward to dinner, but then, that's nothing new.

When I got home today, I discovered that the one remaining tulip (the one the squirrels left behind) had bloomed.


And the first daffodils have opened up. I had a heck of a time getting a picture of this one since I had a certain photobomber on hand. If he wasn't bumping my hand with his nose, he was rubbing against the flower.


See what I mean?


And then when I actually did get a decent picture of it, I discovered a bug photobomber. Sheesh. Daffodils are popular, I guess.


Also, lucky me! My March doll quilt arrived from my partner, Sher. The theme for this month was "Keen on Green". Sher made a quilt from the same Rocky Road to Dublin block we made for our guild. Look at how cute this is!


Sher's piecing is just perfect! I didn't notice it at first, but the white is a tone-on-tone with little shamrocks. I'm hoping you can see it in the image below.


And look at this back. Kitties!!!!


Thank you so much, Sher. It is perfect and beautiful, and it is going to make a perfect little table topper for my St. Patrick's Day dinner when Matthew and Valerie tomorrow.

Speaking of dinner tomorrow, I'm making the same corned beef and cabbage I made last year. I never really thought I would be much of a fan of corned beef, but our neighbor made it two years ago, and it was surprisingly good. Last year, I decided to give it a try, and I used this recipe for Irish Corned Beef and Vegetables from Fine Cooking. It was so good, and the sauces that go with it really made the meal. Also on the menu, I'm trying a new no-knead Irish Soda Bread that is baked in the Dutch oven. It's from the book, My Bread, by Jim Lahey


I've tried a couple of the other recipes in this book, and they are soooo good. I love the nice crust they get from being baked in the Dutch oven. For dessert, I'm trying a new recipe for individual bruleed Key Lime Tarts, made from some frozen Key lime juice I still have leftover from the Key Lime Smackdown . Thanks again to my friend, Dana, for the Key limes both then and now. We sure have enjoyed them. Anyway...the little individual tarts are made very similar to the larger Key Lime Tart I made back then, but these have an Oreo cookie crust, and then they are burned on the top to make that nice candy crunch like Creme Brulee. Doesn't that sound yummy? I'll be sure to keep you posted on both recipes and let you know how they turn out.

So, a busy weekend is just getting started. I'm going now to try to get in a little sewing before day's end.

14 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Love seeing your flowers even if photobombed. Very sweet doll quilt you received. Enjoy your weekend of cooking and eating.

gpc said...

I am swooning with envy -- it will be a long time before our farmer's market is open, and an even longer time before there are flowers there. Sigh. I love seeing them here, though! I might try a new skillet soda bread recipe tomorrow, if I stop being lazy. Or I might just eat crackers and cheese. Again. :-P

WoolenSails said...

I wish we had a market like that, would be nice to get fresh produce but nothing yet in the north states. Love the kitty fabric, that is so fun. We did get a nice day today so hopefully we will have spring soon.

Debbie

Karen said...

Your Farmer's market has a great range of produce. Love the idea of having a favourite breakfast place to start the day.
The flowers are lovely.
Great photos of the tulip and daffodil despite all the "assistance".
I enjoy corned beef so I checked out your recipe. I may have to try that one. And good luck with the soda bread.

Donna said...

I'm jealous. That farmers market looks so great and your flowers are lovely! It is snowing here and falling right on top of our 4 plus feet of snow in the yard. I can only dream of going out in the yard with my kitties and looking at my flowers.

Dana Gaffney said...

We used to have farmer's markets on the mainland which was mostly farms and ranches, but "they paved paradise" and put up houses, no more markets.

Celtic Thistle said...

Sweet doll quilt Barbara, your partner did good :)

The St Patrick's day menu sounds delicious.

Michele said...

So jealous here. It all looks so wonderful.

Bonny said...

Oh what a fun day you had! It rates right up there to going to a quilt show! Your breakfast sounded delicious!

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

What a great day you had with the family and the food looks delectable. I bet it tastes even better. Our blooming flowers are so pretty and the promise of what's to follow thrills me" apple blossoms, cherry blossoms, flowers on strawberry plants, blueberries already forming fruit... must be Springtime in NorCal. Best Spring of anywhere I have ever lived.

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh! I forgot to go to the opening yesterday, and that after looking forward to it since February. Oh well, next Saturday will get here.

Chuckled at the photo bombers.

Brown Family said...

I wish we had a farmers market like that!

quiltzyx said...

A lovely day in the neighborhood! Everything does look so good at the Farmer's mkt too. How was your brulee'd tart?

Cute quilt from Sher! You both did a great job with Keen for Green!

Funny Smitty the photobomber!

Kate said...

Our mini farmers market won't start up for a couple of months yet, your's looks wonderful!

Hope you had a wonderful St. Pats day.