Farmers Market Lunch

This time of year is such an exciting time for seasonal produce.  The market this morning was booming with early summer produce, helped by the clement weather of late.  Broad beans, fresh peas, asparagus, salad, sun ripened tomatoes, strawberries, radishes, new season carrots, baby turnips to name some were piled high.  

There's just nothing better than filling up a straw basket at the farmers market.  No packaging, plastic, labels.  You buy direct from the producer.  The queue is even a happy place, with people talking to one another.  A far cry from you know where......  

I'm sure that buying your produce closer to source does actually affect the taste.  Perhaps the feelgood factor is overwhelmingly higher.  There is no scientific way of measuring the vitality force which I'm sure gets diminished in the air conditioned warehouse, the truck crossing the country or air freight cargo and plastic shrink wrap.

In our local health food store there is an old Greek lady who buys her produce daily and when she gets to the check out she refuses to allow the cashier to scan her food, believing that it damages the food.  I laughed out loud (well quietly to myself actually) and wanted to give her a cheer.  Not having the nerve to do it myself, but secretly thinking the same.   

If one is to pull that stunt off I think being over 70 helps.  Bravo to old Greek lady!

Celebrating the joyful haul at the farmers market I made a salad, opened a tin of Cornish pilchards and some Ortiz anchovies. Everyone was very happy.

Dressing

• Hemp oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Fennel seeds
• seasoning

Salad

• Little gem washed and spun/dried
• Asparagus steamed, boiled or roasted (i wish i had roasted - much nicer)
• Spring onions sliced
• Radishes washed and sliced
• New potatoes boiled
• Tomatoes sliced
• Tin of Cornish pilchards
• Some anchovy fillets
• Boiled eggs peeled and sliced

Method

Simply combine the dressing in a bowl and add the lettuce, spring onion, radishes, potatoes, tomatoes.  Toss well and arrange of plates.  Put the pilchards on the top and arrange the boiled egg sliced with anchovy fillet on the egg.  Put the asparagus on top.