Feelin’ Gourd | October 14, 2019

Fresh & Local:

Feelin’ Gourd

Words cannot express how thankful we are to the 25+ restaurants, bars, CCFM vendors, silent auction and raffle donors that made this event possible.

And our very small, but mighty Market Umbrella staff and rock star volunteers.

The sun was shining (gently), the Saints won their match and the second Crescent City Farmers Market BBQ was a rollicking success! New this year attendees had the opportunity to vote on their favorite dish with Luvi and their Mala popcorn chicken taking home top honors. Cochon Butcher’s bbq lamb with charred eggplant and chilies and Gabrielle’s shrimp and butternut bisque impressed palettes beyond more than the simple description of these dishes can express. Del Fuego Taqueria brought it with both an excellent seasonal cocktail and their summer squash dish featuring sikil pak - a pumpkin seed based salsa also available at the Tuesday market’s Green Plate Special for October. The list of excellent dishes goes on and on.

Thanks to Imperial Woodpecker Snowballs with their nectar cream, grapefruit basil and chicory coffee cream flavors as well as Molly’s Rise and Shine apple cake and some standout bread pudding from Frencheeze for dessert.

Special thanks to Central City BBQ for generously hosting (and the whole bbq’d pig!) and to Dave Jordan and the Neighborhood Improvement Association for the music that set the tone for the whole lovely Sunday event.

Picks of the Week:

I live for Satsuma Season

Ain’t that the truth! It is officially our favorite time of year - satsuma season. Cousin to the tangerine and clementine, this citrus variety has been grown in Japan for over 700 years! In the 1800s, the satsuma made its voyage to the New World and has been cultivated in southeastern Louisiana parishes ever since. This loose-skinned citrus is easy to peel and makes a great on-the-go snack for kids and adults alike. Sweet, juicy and a vitamin C powerhouse, its day-glo juice is like a cup of liquid sunshine and New Orleans’ first taste of fall. Great for juicing, mimosas, glazes and much more these orange globes can be stored for up to a month in the fridge so stop by Star Nursery or Major Acre’s tent and stock up!

October is National Farm to School Month!

Join us and thousands of schools, early care and education sites, farms, communities and organizations across the country as we celebrate food education, school gardens and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients. Everyone can celebrate the triple win of farm to school where school kids, small farmers and the local economy all benefit! If you’d like to participate in our Meet Me at the Market program, where Market Umbrella staff visit classrooms to share lessons on nutrition, local seasonality and provide samples, and then the class pays a visit to the farmers market for interactive educational activities where students can meet farmers, fishers, ranchers, please contact cristina@marketumbrella.org.

And if you are a farmer, teacher, distributor, student, child nutrition director, school administrator, ag professional or non-profit working in farm to school, or if you are curious about what the whole thing is about, join us at the 2019 Louisiana Farm to School Conference, a two-day event which will take place on October 22-23 in Baton Rouge. Tuesday afternoon is a grower/buyer meet up from 4-7pm and Wednesday hosts traditional conference activities with tracks on sourcing, growing and learning for practitioners in any of the three walks of farm to school. Keynote speaker Poppy Tooker should not be missed. Hope to see you there!

A Bywater Haiku

The Rusty Rainbow
Patrons patiently await
Be back soon-- stay tuned!

Vendor of the Week:

Star Nursery

Welcome back to the market Star Nursery, a fifth generation family farm from Belle Chasse, LA. The Ranatza’s started a truck farm in New Orleans after immigrating from Italy in the 1920s, but moved to Belle Chasse in the 40s and added citrus and a tree nursery to the repertoire. Now they not only attend CCFM markets but also work with us in our farm to school efforts, bringing fresh local fruit to New Orleans schools. You can currently find satsumas and persimmons, but lemons and navels are on their way! Catch one of the Ranatzas, Carmadelles, or your favorite farmer and veggie slinger Dennis at the Uptown, Mid-City, Bucktown, and CBD markets through the season.

Tuesday’s Green Plate Special:

Del Fuego Taqueria

Del Fuego Taqueria, the Magazine Street taqueria serving Mexican street food is heating things up at the Green Plate Special tent in October. Come see and taste how they use Crescent City Farmers Market produce in their dishes. This week you’ll find grab and go fresh-made salsas, dips, and tostadas, wraps and salads to order with market greens, roasted veggies, Gulf shrimp & more! Swing by for breakfast or lunch Tuesdays in October from 9-1pm.

Recipe of the Week:

Shrimp with Satsumas

Nothing says fall like football and here in Southeastern Louisiana nothing says fall like sweet, juicy satsumas! A quick and healthy snack, these edible orbs of sunshine are packed with vitamin C bolstering the immune system, brightening the skin and protecting our cells against free radicals. Satsumas are also a great source of fiber, keeping you full longer, helping to regulate blood sugar and promoting digestive health. More than mimosa makers, satsumas are great in savory dishes. Check out this recipe from New Orleans Chef Justin Devillier combining two quintessential Louisiana ingredients, Gulf shrimp and satsumas.

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook or even Twitter and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!