Santa Rosa Farmer's Market March 4

The Wednesday Santa Rosa Market was fun. I asked Ken what was new and different and he pointed to the sprouting purple broccoli. Ken the owner of Orchard Farms, Sebastopol said it's the best flavor of the broccoli. It takes a year to come to harvest and the season is short, about six weeks. It is a lovely color.

The Wednesday Market is filled with friendly vendors and staff. I got a picture of the Samosa lady visiting with the volunteer handing out coupons for seniors. If you are over 60, the Santa Rosa Farmers Market gives you $2.00 in market dollars on Wednesdays only.

The hummus guy is a Wednesday market regular with lots of samples and discounts if you are buying more than one item. He had a wide variety of flavored hummus, olives, marinated tofu, and whole wheat and white bread pitas.
707 855 5372 Hummus Guy

Salsify really really really good.....

Food of the Week: Salsify
Although, uncommon to most Americans,
salsify has been a popular root among wellknown
characters. In 1982, John A.
Freeman called salsify [the] very special
survival vegetable . In addition, the root was
one of the favorite items in Thomas
Jefferson's garden. Today the root is
popular in France, Russia, and Italy but is
fairly uncommon on the U.S. market. In rare
occasions it could be found on a local
farmer's market, or in a specialty store.
Salsify Facts
The Latin name of salsify is solsequium,
which means the flower that followed the
course of the sun. Salsify is a white to
tanned color root with a tender and mild
taste. The flavor has been described as
anywhere from asparagus and creamy
coconut to an oyster-like flavor.
Salsify grows for approximately 120 days to
a height of 3 feet and is either harvested in
October or kept in the ground until spring.
The root can be stored similar to carrots in a
cool environment with the green tops
removed to preserve the moisture of the
root. The greens can then be used in
salads.
The root is easy to prepare and can either
be roasted, baked, boiled, steamed, or
served au gratin.
Nutrition information (1/2 cup boiled):
Calories: 46, Carbohydrates: 11 g, Fiber: 2
g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg,
Sodium: 11 mg, Potassium: 192 mg,
Calcium: 32 mg

Because of its nutritional value, salsify is included as a "Very Special Survival Vegetable" by John A. Freeman in his 1982 classic, "Survival Gardening".


Orchard Farms of Sebastopol sells salsify at the Santa Rosa Farmers Market.

It said to have a slight oyster taste and is often called the oyster plant. Others say it is a combination of asparagus and artichoke and that may be closer to the truth. It is really good and easy to prepare. It has a very thin skin which easily scrapes away. I boiled it and made a puree with butter and a bit of sour cream. It was delicious and I will definitely purchase salsify again.

wine recommendation: Korbel California Champagne "Rouge"

Some additional recipes from foodDownunder

Burdock Root

I'm trying to add new vegetables to my diet. So far Orchard Farms does the best job of bringing unusual and not widely available items to the Santa Rosa Farmers Market. Last week purple kohlrabi and this week burdock root. Looks pretty homely but it actually fairly easy to prepare. The skin is thin and scrapes right off. Raw it tastes like raw turnip or a very mild radish. Cooked it is sweet kind of like a parsnip.

I diced the burdock root and used it in a stir fry with brussel sprouts flavored with soy, thai fish sauce and sour orange juice. Pretty darn good. I shredded some and added it to a cole slaw --tangy. I also used the shreds in a simple pickle -water and vinegar boiled and then poured over the shreds. Wine Recommendations: Sancerre or Reisling


Nutritional Highlights
Burdock can be termed a health food simply by virtue of its high fiber and low calorie content. It is also a very good source of potassium and a moderate source of iron and calcium. (In 1/2 cup of the fresh root there are 180 mg of phosphorus, 50 mg of calcium, 58 mg of phosphorus, 1.4 mg of iron, 0.03 mg of thiamine and 0.05 mg of riboflavin.) But perhaps the most unique aspect of the root is its very high amount of inulin, a naturally occuring phytochemical that mimics the actions of insulin. According to one source, from 27% to 45% of the root is inulin and some people have found it an effective food to control hypo-glycemia and pre-diabetes conditions.


Medicinal Value
Burdock is a root that is found in Europe in Asia. It has many medicinal qualities and has been used in many herbal remedies. The root is sweet to the taste and has a gummy consistency. Traditionally, burdock has been used as a remedy for measles, arthritis, tonsillitis, viruses like colds, throat pain, and as a diuretic. In modern times, burdock is also used in oncology and to treat many other serious health problems


Two recipes
burdock pickle

Kimpira Gobo

February Santa Rosa Farmers Market

Besides Kohlrabi, the Santa Rosa Farmers Market has mushrooms, lots of citrus, hardy greens, apples, sweet potatoes and turnips.