Market Day

I've told you before about our local farmer's market where they sell the most beautiful produce and lots of delicacies like the pure, mild buffalo mozzarella and the wonderful organic breads and pastries. It's such a joy to have a place like this so close by, especially for a foodie like me. A trip there on Saturday always turns into more than just a bit of shopping. There is lots to see and do. Yesterday for example, we walked around the newly built playground where everything is made of all- natural materials. No paint or chemicals so very environmentally friendly and kid-friendly. Of course, we always have to stop by the animals and pet them. I read that piggies had just been born but unfortunately, we did not get to see them yesterday.

Anyhow, back to the market. Aside from the usual huge bag filled with produce, cheese and some products for the pantry like grains, teas, jams, tomato puree, dried fruit and seeds, I also got some more of that stunning tableware from Maison d'Etre. This time I couldn't resist some cream and beige colored salad bowls. I just love the fancy edges and country look of these plates and for some reason I always think food tastes better when eaten from a pretty plate.

A trip to the market usually ends up with a fresher than fresh lunch made with the ingredients purchased that day and yesterday I was in the mood for a simple Caprese my way; some buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, a little spring onion and a drizzle of balsamic and a very mild, flavorful olive oil which is supposedly the Beaujolais Primeur of olive oils. I also added a few big, juice kalamata olives, which although not very traditional, still very delicious with this salad. The salad was served with slices of a wonderful bread which we discovered yesterday- Kamut bread. Kamut is an ancient Egyptian grain which is very nutritious, even more so than whole-wheat for example. It is higher in protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and it has a low glycemic index. Kirstie and I are not huge bread eaters but we really loved the mild, almost buttery taste of the bread and the soft, fine crumb.

I'm getting hungry just writing this and seeing it's lunchtime around these parts, I'm off to make some lunch!