Taste of the Weekend: Celebrating PA Produce Month

Watermelon, herbed goat cheese, and ciabatta make a perfect summer sandwich!

Even in winter, there’s never a dull moment at the Bloomfield Saturday Market. Something new is always growing, piling up on the tables of farmers, makers, and cooks, drawing in the curious – and hungry – neighborhood shoppers.

The excitement, however, is in full swing during summer, when farmers hit peak season and Pennsylvanians, in August, celebrate PA Produce Month. The market swims in giant, yellow squashes, quarts of juicy, red tomatoes, and huge, leafy greens sold from stacks so high it’s a miracle they don’t tumble right into the hands of those passing by.

Head out to the Bloomfield Market this Saturday and celebrate PA Produce Month by filling your basket with squash, tomatoes, kale – whatever you can get your hands on. We’ve got a long list of peak season recipes just waiting to be made!

Watermelon

Nothing feels more like summer than watermelon. While the flavor – juicy, sweet, and refreshing – would be enough, for most of us, slivers of the melon are tied to nostalgic memories of picnics, family gatherings, and summer cookouts.

It’s hard to argue that there are better ways to eat watermelon than freshly cut, but we’ve got an idea for you: try the melon in a sandwich! A smear of goat cheese mixed with fresh chopped mint and a nit of freshly chopped garlic on soft, open-textured, crusty ciabatta with a few slices of watermelon make a luxurious summer handheld. Our perfect pairing? A sammie and a glass of Threadbare’s rosé cider.

Kale

One of the many brassicas to take over harvests in summer – we’ve seen piles of greens on the table at be.wild.er farm – there are uses for kale that go beyond a salad. (Though, we won’t deny that this recipe for a strawberry kale salad is delicious.)

Try the leafy green in this recipe for a Greek-Style Greens Galette. It’s all the vegetables you need for the day, wrapped up in a delicious dough, kicking with the flavors of fresh herbs. Pair it with your favorite summer beer!

Summer Squash

I’ll never forget my first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box. It seemed as if the farm had a never-ending supply of cabbage, and receiving at least one head a week, I was forced into kitchen creativity, making everything I could think of: cabbage rolls, kimchi, sauerkraut. Anything with the word cabbage in it, I made.

This year, it’s summer squash. There’s been no week without a variety of the thin-skinned, mild, slightly sweet squashes in my box, so once again, I’ve been forced to become creative. This summer squash galette uses – in total – six summer squashes. The Italian sausage gives the mellow vegetables a hint of spice, making for an easy, delicious summer dinner.

Carrots

Though they are rarely the subject of praise, we’re giving carrots the recognition they deserve this summer. Think beyond the typical orange; at the Bloomfield Market, you’ll find purple, white, and even yellow carrots.

Add a little booze to your vegetables with this recipe for a spicy, savory Carrot Bloody Mary or combine traditional Pittsburgh comfort food with Asian flavors in this recipe for Carrot Pierogies from chef Jamilka Borges.

Tomatoes

Juicy and sweet, summer tomatoes are something worth winter dreams, adding the perfect, ripe touch to toasted bread or a ball of fresh mozzarella – they’re even delicious by themselves, dusted with salt and pepper.

Thankfully, there’s no shortage of them at the Bloomfield Market. Grab a pint of multi-colored cherry tomatoes or try the massive heirloom varieties, coming in all colors, from deep purple to bright orange. Eat your summer tomatoes scalloped, put them in a cheese-studded quickbread, or smash them into a delicious pasta sauce.