5/9/15

A Day for Produce

This morning I headed down to the Portland Farmer's Market with two of my favorite kiddos in the whole wide world.


We haven't been down to the Portland Farmer's Market for quite some time. The last several times we've gone, it has been to the one held in Beaverton, a little closer to home. Today, I told the kids I was Jonesing for my breakfast of huevos rancheros, and so Portland was the better choice.


It's held in Portland's Park Blocks which extend north to south in downtown Portland, and specifically where they run through the campus of my alma mater, Portland State University.


There was lots of great produce at the market today. Awesome asparagus:


Pretty Peonies:


Lovely lettuce:


Red radishes:


Keen kohlrabi:


and colorful cauliflower.


(Awesome alliteration.) 

But that's not all. There were plenty of other things in bottles, jars, bags, etc. I was on the hunt for some pepper jellies from Rose City Pepperheads. They make about a dozen different flavors of jelly, and all of them are available for sampling. Some are mild, and some are wild. I chose some of the spicier varieties today. The tomato is a new flavor this year, and it was so good!


By the way, if you're not local, you can find Rose City Pepperheads online. I can highly recommend their products. They also publish recipes.

The find of the day were the first Oregon strawberries I've seen this year. Yay! These are Albion berries. I liked the looks of these because they're fairly large berries. I cut the seeds off so that Mike can eat them.


I throw the seeded sides into a bowl for me, and throw the seedless cores into a bowl for him. That way we can BOTH enjoy the berry bounty.

On the way home, I stopped and picked up some whole milk and heavy whipping cream to use with the strawberries. Any guesses what I have in store for them? If you guessed strawberry ice cream, then you guessed correctamente! (I tell you, feed the woman some huevos rancheros for breakfast and she goes all Spanish-speaking on ya'.)

That's what I'm off to do next. Matthew is coming over this afternoon to help Mike hack up a downed tree in our field. If I don't spend all afternoon on the strawberries (a distinct possibility), then I'm going to get some sewing done.

7 comments:

Brown Family said...

Great produce. The little farmers market that has local produce has changed from last year. It was in the parking lot of a mall on the weekends. Now they have moved them inside and added boutiques.. jewelry, pampered chef, art,and such. There was only one booth of produce and no one manning it. We were really disappointed.

gpc said...

Jealous. Yet again. My little Farmer's Market doesn't even open for two more weeks. And I predict slim produce this early -- although please lord, hopefully asparagus and maybe rhubarb. We have a guy with a hot dog grill but no fancy schmancy breakfast extravaganzas for us sturdy mid-westerners. You west coasters are just so dang cool.

Kate said...

Beautiful produce, I'm so jealous. Oklahoma doesn't have many options for pretty stuff like that.

Rina Mason said...

If we had a farmers market with produce like that I would eat myself to death. It's 60 miles to the Farmers Market in Kansas City and most produce isn't ready until next month. Those strawberries are amazing and I'd be working overtime making jam and jelly.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I love our local farmers' markets - it will be a while for them. Now spicy, hot jelly - pepper jelly - have not heard of or seen. Bookmarked the site as I have a brother who just loves this kind of stuff.

gibbygoo56 said...

Beautiful veggies!

quiltzyx said...

Astonishing Alliteration!!
Although they were not Oregon berries, I did have some delicious ones last night with my friends - strawberries, blackberries, blueberries & raspberries over angel food cake with pineapple cream "frosting". Mmmm. I have some pepper jelly one of my guild members made & gifted to me - enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. :)