Arugula and SMOK'D chicken

Back in my food writing days, I once took a ten-day tour of Italy with a (slightly mad) chef from Puglia. There were many highlights from that trip (including peeling fava beans with his 90-year-old mother who spoke no English and eating cuttlefish raw right off the boat) but one of my favorite moments was him coming to a screeching halt on a highway because he’d spied some wild ruchetta on the side of the road he absolutely needed to have for lunch. Was it worth risking life and limb for? Truthfully, the way he prepared it, it was.

I mention this story only because the arugula at the market has been particularly fetching of late. You can find some at Great Joy Farm and the Madura Farms tent which is bringing a little extra produce along with their culinary mushrooms this winter. 

A vervy, lemony arugula salad is the perfect counterpoint to some of the heavier stews you might be preparing these days. And nothing could be simpler to make. Try this arugula with mint, lemon and parmesan salad which is very similar to the way my Puglian chef made it.

Half of the fun is massaging the unctuous Kontoulis Olive Oil into the greens with your hands. The trick to this salad is dressing it at the last minute possible. Arugula balances sweet ingredients (like figs, raisins, dried tomatoes, pomegranates) beautifully. In addition to parmesan, arugula also pairs perfectly with goat cheese and sharp blue cheese in salads or atop pizzas or in sandwiches. 

Another great way to balance hearty stew? Root-vegetable mash with punctuating parsnip, or this absolutely gorgeous gratin, which would also make a perfect vegetarian entree. 

We could not be more excited to welcome back a longtime vendor to the HFM fold this week: Teagevity returns with their organic loose teas and hot tea by the cup. Tea Master Preston Powell is also a martial arts master and he learned about the powers and pleasures of tea in Asian cultures through his martial arts training. Preston always said he'd return to the HFM when his kids were old enough to run the stand for him. Well, guess what?

Of course, Food is Med will also be here with Muru’s heart-warming Golden Honey Milk Tea which I highly recommend. Muru’s tent space is a feast for the senses. In addition to his medicinal teas, Indian spice blends and tinctures, check out his extremely popular Kichari mix - the Indian meal known to heal, cleanse, detox, and rejuvenate. Who doesn’t need that in January?

Also new: we are thrilled to have a guest vendor, SMOK’D, at the market this week. Jeremy James will be cooking up rotisserie Cornish game hens along with smoked ribs with sides of Puerto Rican arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas) and mac n' cheese. Come and get it! 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of our favorite and most dedicated shoppers. Erika Estis of Hastings passed away at home on Jan. 14, at age 100. She always cut such a stylish figure at the market, chatting up the vendors at her daughter Denise’s arm, expressing delight with every purchase. She and her grand-daughter Sami, (one of nine great grandchildren!) sometimes put together videos of their market “taste tests.” Our deepest condolences go out to the Rosenberg family. 

Our knife sharpener will be taking a day off this week but will be at the Irvington Farmers Market on Feb. 12th. and back in Hastings on Feb. 18th.