Soaking up what's left of summer!

The other day a shopper came to the market tent to donate $5 to our food pantry efforts. If you’re new to the newsletter, you may not know that each week we are open, the HFM  donates dozens and dozens of eggs and apples to the Hastings Food Pantry and has been doing this for at least15 years. 

The woman explained she had recently made a pact with herself: “Every week I give myself a budget to shop at the market and if I have any money left over I will donate it to the food pantry,” she told us, happily handing over her $5 bill.

If you prefer to donate in kind, this is your week. We’ll have our Glean on Me baskets out on Saturday so you can buy a bunch of carrots or crisp celery for yourself and then donate one for the Food Pantry. Our market volunteers and board members carry the brimming baskets to the Pantry after the market. 

This week the pantry would love to see some ears of corn in that basket, late-summer tomatoes and of course, zucchini so abundant at our markets right now. Slice it thin, grill it up and serve with fresh ricotta and basil and a drizzle of Agape Premium EVOO for an easy summer side or meal with some grilled chicken thighs. 

Danielle Lutzky of Plantidote was marveling at all the tomatoes at the market last week. She bought lots to make Ina Garten’s gazpacho recipe—her favorite. I’ll trust Danielle's palate over anyone’s given how amazing her plant-based burgers are. 

So I’ll be trying this recipe this week, (especially since it’s topped with goat cheese croutons and Painted Goat is here) and I might even add some of Bloody Good Mud’s bloody Mary mix instead of straight tomato juice for some extra zing. Being the contrarian that I am, I usally gravitate toward yellow gazpachos, like this one from Brooklynsupper.com

p.s. how cute was Danielle’s baby last week? Hard to believe she’s been coming to the market since she was three weeks old. 

If you plan on having lunch at the market, head straight to Villa Emilia Empanadas (her spinach is my fave). SMOK’D is also in the house.

Missing images of Paris and France now that the Olympics are “finis”? Gaelle’s French Pastries and she has started bringing classically buttery Gateaux Bretons, just the thing to dip into your coffee or tea...or red wine as my mom does. And of course, Thierry of Escargot Voyageur will heat up any of his quiches (leek and goat cheese?) for you to eat on the spot and makes his crepes to order. 

(p.s. If you are looking to adopt a rescue dog, talk to chef Thierry about the latest batch of puppies that arrived at the rescue/rehab he runs with his wife). 

The knife sharpener is here this week so get your knives and pruning shears all together now. 

Oh, and The Altogether Band will be joining us in the music tent this week.
Looking forward to being all together on Saturday.