Fresh Local Turkeys Still Available from Smart Markets

This Week at Our Fairfax Corner Market
Tuesday noon–3 p.m.
11901 Grand Commons Ave.
Map

Heritage Farm and Kitchen is still accepting orders for fresh, not frozen, turkeys for your Thanksgiving feast. Heritage breed Red Bourbons are in limited supply, but there are plenty of the white, broad-breasted turkeys in all sizes. If you are interested, you can order in person at this week’s market or visit our website to learn what you need to know and order via email. You may choose to pick up your turkey this Saturday at our Oakton market, next Tuesday at Fairfax Corner or even at our Reston market on Wednesday the 23rd.

Rashmi Deshpande of Peachtree Street Sweets has sent us her “menu” for this week, which will include pumpkin bread, organic banana nut bread, rich chocolate brownies, chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate cookies, and biscotti. Rashmi is a wonderful baker, and you should let her know what you would like to see at the market.

This stuffing recipe from our Demo Diva Annie Sidley was a hit at a cooking demonstration at the Vale School last week, and I am working on having cornbread at the markets on all three of the turkey pick-up days to save you a step and to guarantee that you have cornbread that will work for the stuffing.

And while I do not have his menu for you tomorrow, I can promise that Nyall Meredith of Celtic Pasties will have his usual array of Britain’s ancient answer to the lunchbox/afternoon snack question. His pasties have sold out early two weeks running now at our Oakton market, and he brought many more the second week. Don’t miss out on these British calzones — no tomato sauce, but lots of other good ingredients in a handy half-moon pastry.

One last thing: That great Trickling Springs Egg Nog is back — stop by for a sample and order ahead if you really fall in love with it. You can pick it up next week with your turkey. Of you want one of their famous pumpkin rolls for your feast, you might want to order ahead for that too.

From the Market Master

As promised last week, I am going to write more over the winter about putting to good and healthful use the limited supply of winter vegetables that are available at this time at the local farmers’ markets. Today I’m back with another luscious local dinner recipe that was also healthy, filling and reasonably priced. Nothing like beating you over the head with a wet noodle to get the word out!

Last week at the Gainesville market I stocked up on Lothar Erbe’s expertly carved meats and authentic and original sausages — some of all three. One of the sausages was a German-style bratwurst infused with Dogfish Indian Brown Ale. While browning the sausages in a little bacon grease and oil, I thinly sliced 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a medium fennel bulb and 1/2 a small head of cabbage. I also diced about 1/4 cup of country ham from a package of “bits and pieces” — another one of those indispensable staples in my winter pantry.

When the sausages were done and set aside to drain after about 15 minutes over medium heat, I added the sliced onion and fennel and sauteed those over medium heat for about 10 minutes, then added the country ham and let that cook for about another five minutes and then added the cabbage. Here you will need to lower the heat a little and let the cabbage simmer until it wilts and softens, about 10-15 minutes. Once the cabbage had softened, I sprinkled about 3 tablespoons of flour over it, stirred it in well and cooked it for about 5 minutes, then added 1 1/2 cups of my own chicken stock made from the spare parts of local chickens. This thickened quickly over medium-low heat, so I stirred it constantly, lowered the heat further and let it simmer for about 5 more minutes to blend the flavors.

I seasoned the mixture to taste at this point with salt, lots of pepper and some caraway seed. While all of this was going on, I cooked up about 1/2 package of Cavanna Fettucine that I had broken into smaller pieces before dropping it into the water. Once cooked and drained, I added it to the mixture and tasted once more for seasoning, and it was done. From start to finish, it took me about 45 minutes and I used one package of sausage, 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a fennel bulb, 1/2 a head of cabbage and 1/2 a package of pasta. Total cost: less than $15, and I fed four for dinner. You cannot buy at any restaurant a meal that healthy, that hearty, that delicious or that cheap. Or that fast either.

See you at the market!

Jean