Market Fresh

Who needs April in Paris when you live in Danville? Spring is officially here, and every shower validates the promise of beautiful days to come. The farmers’ market is coming into bloom as well, with towering displays of plump artichokes, field-grown asparagus, sweet little beets, crunchy peas, carrots, radishes, turnips, and tender young spinach. After months of little more than juicy citrus to satisfy our craving for fresh fruit, we are now blessed with early strawberries; plus hundreds of spring flowers to lift our spirits. So come prepared to stock up! Bags are available at the market, of course, but it makes a lot more sense to carry your own insulated bag or basket. It’s also a good idea to recycle the berry baskets you took home last week, and use them to transport this week’s bounty.

Lots has been written lately about becoming a “locovore”—one who exists only foods that are grown locally, usually within 100 miles of your home. This rules out picking up a candy bar at the convenience store; loading up on boxes of mass-produced (and often chemically-enhanced) items from supermarkets and warehouse stores; and sipping that bottled water from Italy. Nada. Anything that has been shipped thousands—or even hundreds—of gas-guzzling miles is off limits.

Living here in paradise makes this exercise a lot easier than if you lived in, say, Fargo, North Dakota. Most growers at our farmers’ market travel within the 100-mile radius, which makes your purchases legit. In addition to the best seasonal fruits and vegetables, there are farm-fresh eggs, locally-made cheeses and other dairy products, artisan breads and baked goods, olive oil, vinegar, honey, juices, pasta, jam, dried fruits and nuts, and quality meats and seafood—all available in an open-air market, serenaded by live music! Is this heaven, or what? A weekly shopping trip to the Danville market will pretty much fulfill your culinary needs. Well, except for that pesky coffee and tea issue. (You may just need to drink more local wine.)

When you think about it, this is some serious stuff. Your doctor would probably be happy to hear you no longer add salt to your food…but then you may want to take advantage of the “Marco Polo Exemption” adopted by some locovores, which gives you a free pass to eat spices and other products-of-value that have been traded across continents for centuries—providing you purchase them from a local vendor. So like most things in life, there is always an angle. But if you’d like to peruse your personal consumption boundaries, check out www.100milediet.org.

I’m not suggesting it’s practical for all of us to follow this way of life, for it takes a fair amount of time and discipline to succeed; but it is definitely something that will improve our eating habits and raise our awareness of what we consume. Even if you decide to become a locavore for just one day a week, it’s something that will be good for you and good for the planet.

The following recipe (which, yes, includes salt and pepper) is suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This open-faced omelet is delish on its own, but feel free to add a couple of teaspoons of finely chopped mint or parsley (locally-grown, of course) when you want to jazz it up a bit. Serve with crusty bread from the market, along with seasonal fruit or a salad of locally-grown greens dressed with local olive oil and vinegar, and congratulations—you’ve just become a locavore!

Danville Frittata with Asparagus & Goat Cheese
8 farm-fresh eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons California olive oil
1/2 pound farm-fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup crumbled California goat cheese (about 2 ounces)

1. Break the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the salt and pepper and mix with a fork until just blended. Preheat the oven broiler.
2. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet with an oven-proof handle, tilting the skillet to coat with oil. Add the asparagus and cook over medium-high heat, stirring and tossing, until bright green, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and spread asparagus in an even layer. Pour in the eggs and cook, using a spatula to lift the edges as they firm up to let the uncooked egg flow under, until the underside is fully set (lift with the spatula to check) but the center is still slightly runny. Shake the pan now and then to make sure the frittata is loose and not sticking. Sprinkle with cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese has softened and the top is very lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the frittata onto a warm serving plate, if desired. Serve warm, cut into wedges. Serves 3 or 4.

ASPARAGUS TIPS
When buying asparagus, select firm, bright green stalks with little or no white and tight, dry tips. Asparagus breaks down quickly after harvest, losing sugar and moisture, so check the ends; if they are shriveled and dry, the stalks are old.

Choose asparagus spears that are about the same thickness—that way they’ll cook evenly.

Thick or thin? Like people, it’s all a matter of personal preference. Asparagus plants live 8 to 10 years. Young plants produce thin asparagus; mature plants produce thicker spears.

To store, wrap asparagus in a damp paper towel and refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 4 days. If the spears begin to go limp after 2 or 3 days, rehydrate by cutting off the ends and standing them in a container with about an inch of water, and then refrigerate for an hour or two.

To remove tough ends from asparagus before cooking: Hold a spear near the middle with one hand and near the bottom-end with the other hand. Gently bend the asparagus; it will snap apart at the spot where it begins to get tough. (If you’re a neat-nik, go ahead and trim the ends with a knife.) Discard the tough ends….or freeze them for stock, or throw them in the compost pile.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.