As the warm weather slowly makes it’s presence known, we’ll help cool things down a bit with another addition to our cool salad selection. It seems that the salads are a hit (each week they have sold out) so we’ve added “Mediterranean White Bean Salad” to the selection. Some of the ingredients are shown below: Fresh Spinach, Feta, White Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

In addition, Bertha’s Burstin’-Loaves will include LOCAL RAMPS and Green Haven Farm’s Feta. We’ll also feature “Larkin’s Choice” – Potato Buttermilk base rolled with Mozarella Cheddar, Bacon (uncured and nitrate-free) with a touch of Green Onion.

Last Friday we got carried away with baking and we forgot to put the yeast in a batch of bread. Rather than trash the whole lot, we spread it out and made crackers out of it. In Staunton and Harrisonburg they were used for sampling and people loved them. We’ll try and remember to forget putting the yeast in the batch and have 9-Grain Crackers for sale tomorrow!

We’re excited about the press the Harrisonburg Farmers Market is receiving.  Did you know there are 49 vendors who are registered with the market?  One of the vendors, Mary Jo Swartzendruber, sells brilliant flowers that are the perfect accent for color on your Saturday evening dinner table along with Curried Lentil Salad as an appetizer, Grandma Shoonies’ Fennel Bread, and a nice glass of wine.

We will be sticking around Harrisonburg and Staunton this weekend to help make your Memorial Day menus even more healthy and hearty.  Salads like Cinnamon Toast Wheatberry Walnut and breads like our Bertha’s Burstin’ Loaves appear to resonate with many of your palates because they continue to sell out.   With the temperatures staying cool in the evenings, you may want to try our hugely popular Smok’n Cub’n soup.  Dice up a tomato, slice a bit of avocado, throw in a dollop of sour cream, and add hot sauce to taste and you have a fabulously fresh and tasty meal.

Happy Memorial Day!

On June 3, the Harrisonburg Farmers Market will be breaking ground on the new pavilion (10:30 a.m.). The implications will be significant for you the consumer, Harrisonburg, and for all of the vendors. We believe this will help make the market experience even better for all!
The local Harrisonburg Farmers Market is so cool because you can: 1) Consume less fuel; 2) Help our local economy; 3) Eat fresher and healthier; and 4) Help many local producing families and businesses by purchasing and concocting culinary delights like the one written below.

• Take a slice of bread from A Bowl of Good, Staff of Life, or the Showalters Farm Stand.
• Spread it with Wood Haven Farms delicious goat cheese.
• Lay down a bed of freshly harvested spinach leaves from either of the Hege’s farm stands.
• Top it with A Bowl of Good Bumpin’ Basil Bruschetta (Basil is from Marlin Showalter’s Farm Stand – we traded basil for soup).
• Pop it into your mouth and VOILA, you’ve just supported four to five local producer families… YUM, that was easy!

Last Sunday for our Mother’s Day celebration, I wanted something special to accompany the Purple Asparagus we grow in our backyard and came up with Groovin’ Gorgonzola Dip. Pick up some of the dip along with some fresh asparagus from one of the other vendors and you have yourself a winner of a snack or appetizer.

In addition, I’ve made a Bumpin’ Basil Bruschetta including Sun-Dried Tomato for a little extra zest.

The ever popular Fennel bread, Bursting Bertha’s Loaves (Basil & Roasted Yellow Pepper), and lots of Lentil Salad will be available.

Here’s the latest concoction available at this Saturday’s (5-10-08) markets in H-burg and Staunton.

You’ll be blown away by the taste and texture of this amazing salad! Ingredients include: Wheat Berries, Wild Rice, Mixed Dried Berries, Almonds, Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, Green Onions, Dried or Fresh Basil.

We will have Fennel Bread and Curried Lentil Salad which you will again need to be there early enough to snag before they are sold out.

See you tomorrow!

Last week Cold Lentil Salad (pictured below) sold out quicker than expected so I’ve doubled the batch for you.

Ingredients include currants, capers, and red onions, and is wonderfully spiced with India flavors. It is a fantastic accompaniment to a plate of fresh spinach.

You may want to pass by a bit earlier than normal to catch the salad and/or the Fennel Bread because I will be folding up shop around 12:00 for the Red Front Sampler Fest. Red Front is celebrating it’s 50th year this weekend with a Sample Fest (we heard someone say at Red Front, “It’ll be like Costco on steroids!”) beginning today at 3:00-7:00pm and Saturday 10:00am-3:00pm. Red Front has been very supportive of A Bowl of Good, it is making a push to promote and support local food producers, and it has been an integral part of our community for a long while. We encourage everyone to come by and join the fun!

Rachel will be at the Staunton Farmers Market selling most of A Bowl of Good items this Saturday so go by and say hey if you are in that neck of the woods.