Farmer's Market Shopping Fun!

Yesterday I had a fun time going to the Dillion Farmer's Market here in Colorado where it was a cool and sunny 66 degrees.  The only drawback was that my daughter wasn't here to come with me.  The two of us typically go to all the farmer's markets in the area, sampling the various foods and goods from the numerous vendors all over the state of Colorado.  Since she's attending summer school this summer she couldn't join me.

So to make the trip more entertaining I decided to bring my camera and take some photos of those food vendors that I liked best.  There were booths with a large assortment of food, from jams to smoked salmon, jewelry, clothing, silver platters, homemade soaps and the list goes on.  However, since I write a food blog, that's where my focus was.  Although all the vendors had wonderful items to share these were some of my favorites.

Jumpin Good Goat Dairy

Award winning handmade artisan farmstead goat cheeses that are incredibly smooth and mellow tasting.  Each one with it's own unique flavor that you don't want to miss. 

With over 360 goats that roam freely on over 46 acres in the Bueno Vista Mountains of Colorado, Jumpin Good Goat Dairy knows exactly what's it's doing when it comes to making the best goat cheese. 

Check out their catalog to view all their goat cheese varieties.  All I can say is WOW!  If you love goat cheese you'll adore Jumpin Good Goat Dairy cheeses!

Next up was Minnie Beasley's Handmade Almond Lace Cookies.

Oh my heavens, these were so buttery and light.  I could have eaten the entire tin but, of course I had to share it with my family, and better that I did, otherwise my waistline would not be happy.

Minnie Beasley's Almond Lace Cookies come in two flavors, Almond Lace and Double Chocolate and even Gluten Free!  These tasted so sensational that now I want to learn to make them.  Of course, I'm sure I won't get close to their recipe.  Plus, when all you need to do is order these perfect little lace treats in either a tin or a bag online, why bother trying to create your own.  

Don't forget to check out their specials! 

This is Bonnie & Carole of Grammys Jam. 

These two ladies were so nice and had some delightful homemade jams and marmalades.  Of course, you remember I just blogged about making jam in my previous post.  Since I've never attempted canning before, they handed me a beginners guide to canning and recipe booklet, to get me going.  I can't wait to try it! Plus, through the Ball Corporation, you can even purchase a canning kit along with tips for Fresh Preserving.  Check out this video on canning, it looks so simple. I'm definitely going to order this kit.  I love learning and mastering new kitchen techniques!  When I do, I'll be certain to share them with you.

Before I left Bonnie and Carole's booth I purchased a jar of their Strawberry Banana Jam just for my hubby.  You know how he loves Strawberry Jam.

Bonnie and Carole don't have a website yet, but you can contact them at their Minturn, Colorado location @ 970.827.5684 to get a list of all their homemade jams and marmalade's.

This is Jessica of jajaBelle's Homemade Greek Pastries.  Jessica was very eager to share with me the greek pastries her grandma YiaYia taught her to make. 

I sampled Baklava (layers of walnuts, phyllo, butter and covered with grandma YiaYia's homemade syrup).

Kourambietes ( a butter cookie but not like one you've ever tasted before)

Finikia (a date nut filled cookie, dipped in syrup and rolled in walnuts)

Spanakopita (spinach, feta and butter, wrapped in phyllo)

Although I just tasted small bites of each of these, they were fantastic and not too sweet - just right.  In fact, Goldilocks would have loved them all just as I did.

Click here to learn more about jajaBelle's.

My final stop was at Chef Neuhold's booth.  He makes smoked fish in addition to dips and soups.  I tried a sample of the Smoked Salmon that was delightful.  I grew up eating smoked salmon but what I loved about his, is the fact that it's not too salty or too smoky.  I could eat this alone, in a salad, on a bagel with cream cheese, in pasta or whatever else you can think of. 

Check here for a list of products he makes and recipes!

In spite of the fact that my daughter wasn't with me I had a very enjoyable day.  Spending the time like I did, talking with the vendors and learning about what they do, made it a far different experience than I'd had before.

As I mentioned, there were many more vendors at the Dillion Farmer's Market each having unique and wonderful items to sell.  Yet these "foodie booths" were the ones that captured my attention most.

Please check out their websites or give them a call.  It's always nice to support the local vendors in the area or wherever you may live.

Which farmer's market is your favorite to go to and why?  Maybe next time we're in that area we can check it out.

To find a Farmer's Market near you, click here.

Irradiated Foods vs. Sustainable Foods?

When I was a little girl my grandmother and I would go out into the backyard and plant orange seeds from the oranges that we ate.  A sprawling plant would grow winding it's way up the brick wall of our house.  I would get so excited and always hopeful that oranges would grow.  They never did, but the plant was pretty.

I use to do the same thing with an avocado seed and a potato, sticking toothpicks into the sides and setting them in a fresh glass of water.  In days a plant would grow.  It was so much fun to watch.

Then today, I read a New York Times article talking about using the seeds in your kitchen, right out of the refrigerator, to grow a plant.

I've never been much of a green thumb but after reading the article I've decided to order the book, "Don't Throw It, Grow It".  The book shares how to grow 68 windowsill plants from your kitchen scraps.  This will certainly be entertaining for me but thrilling to watch if you have any young children.

In reading this article they talk about irradiation and how it's used on many of our foods to "exterminate pathogens like E. coli, listeria and salmonella. The food does not become radioactive; by eating it, you will not become the Incredible Hulk. But a high enough dose will kill the living tissue in a plant or seed."

Although irradiation has been around for a while it's still a controversial topic.  For me, the thought of eating food that's been irradiated is unappealing.  We all know how the FDA approves drugs, etc., only to find out months or years later the effects that it ends up having on people and animals.

What are your thoughts on the topic?  If you know a food that you're getting at the grocery store has been irradiated, would you buy it or find another alternative?  Foods that have been irradiated have the U.S. "radura symbol" on them.  This is what it looks like:

Which, in my opinion, is all the more reason to purchase sustainable food, found from the farmers markets near you.

Think about this.  Do the cons outweigh the pros?  What are your thoughts?  I'd love to hear your comments.