Farmers Markets vital to the health of a nation

Published 5:30 pm Saturday, October 22, 2011

By Heidi Harrabi

Austin Farmers Market

Recently, I picked up a new cookbook called “Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers Markets.”

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It is a wonderful cookbook full of delicious recipes using in-season products, but also, more than that, it is filled with the history and love of our farmers markets.

One quote states, “The farmers market is about much more than farmers selling produce, it’s about protecting our farmland and water, it’s about keeping the farming traditions and cultures and it’s about providing our communities with good food.”

Farmers markets are vital to our national health in the deepest sense of the word. They not only supply food that is alive and truly nutritious, but are good for our state of mind too. Today, there are nearly 3,000 farmers markets across the United States. We are proud to be one of those markets.

Our market’s outdoor season is nearly up, with Thursday being our last outdoor market. Available now are apples, tomatoes, radishes, garlic, winter squash, pumpkins, gourds, onions, potatoes and more.

We have decided to extend our season and go indoors.

We will be at the Oak Park Mall every Thursday, with the revised hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Market is open from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays at the Oak Park Mall, 3:30 to 6 p.m. Thursdays downtown, First St. NE, just east of the Law Enforcement Center, and 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays at the Oak Park Mall.  All major credit cards and EBT accepted.

EBT users, take advantage of our Blue Cross/Blue Shield matching bucks program.  For the first $5 you spend, we will match it with an additional $5.

AUTUMN FRUIT CRISP

Topping:

2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

2 c. rolled oats

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

Fruit Mixture:

8 to 10 apples, peeled and cut into thin wedges

1-1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries

1 c. sugar

3 T. unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Butter a 3 quart baking dish. To make the topping: in a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, and cloves.  Using your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are about the size of peas.

To make the fruit mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cut up fruit, cranberries, and sugar. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Cut the butter into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over the fruit mixture.

Crumble the oat topping over the fruit.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the fruit is soft and the topping is lightly browned.