At local farmers markets
Cooking demos:
6 p.m. Friday: Chef Stacy Maple of Local Bounty Chef. Lilburn Farmers Market, Lilburn. http://www.lilburnfarmersmarket.org/
9 a.m. Saturday: Chef Matt Basford of Canoe, working with melons. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
10 a.m. Saturday: Chef Suzanne Vizethann of Buttermilk Kitchen. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
Chef demos are held at many farmers markets. Check your local market’s Facebook page or website for information.
For sale
Just coming to the markets: celery, ginger, ground cherries, radicchio, sweet potato greens, winter squash such as butternut and delicata
Vegetables, fruit and nuts: arugula, Asian greens, Asian pears, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, carrots, celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, field peas, garlic, ground cherries, herbs, kale, lamb’s quarters, lettuce, Malabar spinach, melons, mushrooms, okra, onions, peaches, pecans, peppers, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, shallots, spaghetti squash, spinach, squash blossoms, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
From local reports
Watercress is a salad favorite for its crisp leaves and peppery flavor. In its native habitat, it grows at the edge of streams. There was a time when access to this perishable vegetable was restricted to those who lived within a day’s travel of the right bit of running water.
Watercress is now grown commercially year round in prepared beds with a controlled water flow or hydroponically.
If you want locally grown watercress, you’re likely to be buying upland cress. Sweetwater Growers in Canton and Bowersville grows upland cress year round and produces eight different types of potted herbs including basil, cilantro, dill, mint and oregano.
They sell their herbs and upland cress at local farmers markets in Alpharetta, Canton, Woodstock and Marietta. The plants can also be found at local grocers.
Scott Dault, one of the owners of Sweetwater Growers, says they grow about 1,000 upland cress plants a week. Whole Foods Market is their biggest customer for upland cress, with much of the rest of their production going to fine restaurants.
You could plant the cress when you get it home, Dault says, but most customers simply refrigerate it, making sure the soil stays moist. The plants will stay fresh for up to two weeks when stored this way.
He finds the cress spruces up a salad with a taste similar to arugula, and can be used in any of the ways you might use that peppery green. The bite is a little more pronounced, somewhat akin to the flavor of horseradish.
Upland cress has a long Southern history, once widely foraged in the foothills of the Appalachians and served as “creasy greens” or “creasies.” Like watercress, which topped the list of “powerhouse fruits and vegetables” in a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, upland cress is a nutrient-dense food with impressive amounts of vitamins A and C and calcium.
Lynne Sawicki’s Grilled Watermelon and Watercress Salad
Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Serves: 4
Use watercress or upland cress in this recipe. Cojita is a hard Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s often used as a topping for burritos, tostados and tacos.
Vegetable oil for oiling grates
1/3 cup olive oil
3 leaves fresh basil
4 1 1/2-inch thick slices seedless watermelon, rind removed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper
2 bunches upland cress or watercress, stems removed
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shaved Cojita
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Preheat grill to medium high. When internal temperature is 375 degrees, the grill is ready. Lightly oil the grates.
While grill is heating, in a small saucepan, combine olive oil and basil. Warm over medium heat until basil begins to bubble. Remove from heat, let cool and discard basil. Set flavored oil aside.
Lay watermelon on a medium hot grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Only turn watermelon one time. Remove from grill.
In a large bowl, whisk together flavored oil, lime juice, and honey in a bowl. Season to taste. Add watercress and toss to coat.
Cut each watermelon slice into quarters. Arrange watermelon on serving platter and top with watercress salad. Garnish with radishes, Cojita and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 348 calories (percent of calories from fat, 61), 7 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 25 grams fat (6 grams saturated), 15 milligrams cholesterol, 136 milligrams sodium.
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