Basil-Infused Strawberry Jam

In the past, I've made Strawberry Basil Jam, which includes chopped bits of basil within the jam.  While I love the taste of it, I personally didn't always appreciate the texture of the pieces.  So this time around I opted to infuse the basil in the jam, removing it before pouring the jam into jars.

Looking for the recipe?

Follow the directions exactly for strawberry jam on your powdered pectin box.  However, after you pour the sugar into your pot, once your jam starts to boil again, place 1 oz (about 1/2 cup) whole basil leaves into the pot, stirring it in as you stir your jam for exactly one minute.  When you go to skim the foam from your finished jam, remove the basil as well.  Process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Important Note:  So that the basil wouldn't be floating around in separate pieces, I bound it in a bunch with a small twisty tie.  This made it easy to remove in the end.

So far I've sampled the jam mixed directly in with softened cream cheese as a cracker spread, added it to a bit of vinegar as a salad dressing, and marinated chicken near the end of a fiery grilling.  This I loved the best.  YUM.

Kennebunk Farmers Market in June

The Kennebunk market is well underway, and I'm having a wonderful time of it.  It's terrific to be so close to so many great farmers and other vendors.  Pop by for a visit any Saturday morning from 8:00 to 1:00 in the middle of town for awesome seedlings and new veggies, a wide variety of dairy items, all kinds of meats, baked goods, and other yummy and creative stuff.  Here's just a glimpse at our end of the market-- next time I'll run down and grab some pics from the entrance.  Hope to see you there!

Groundwork Farm

The Sweet Specialist

Chick Farm

Trailside Farm Herbs:  This stuff really works.  Our whole family is using it this summer.

Barn Swallow Farm

Tracy and her girls from Maple Ridge Farm

Kennebunk Farmers Market

It's a sure sign of the season when the summer farmers markets start posting their "Open" flags all over Maine.  I myself am a newbee in the market world and am SO excited to head down to Kennebunk with a whole boat load-- well, Fiesta-load really, of jam and pickles this Saturday.  I'm thrilled to be outside (hopefully it will be beautiful), and equally as psyched to be a part of something that was voted Maine's Favorite Small Farmers Market by the American Farmland Trust.  If you'd like a glimpse into the Kennebunk Market, check out their web site or facebook page for a list of vendors and upcoming events.    Oh, and look forward to Saturday's Kennebunk May Day Festival, including a parade and face-painting, among other fun stuff for kids!  See you on Saturday from 8:00-1:00.

This is what I'll have to offer on opening day:

Strawberry, Strawberry-Rhubarb, Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Low-Sugar Triple Better (also known as Dam Fruity), Maple (no-sugar) Apple Pie, Peach Habanero (best seller), Dam Hot Pepper, Chocolate and Raspberry, Strawberry Basil, among other specialty jams.  Oh, and Bread & Butter Pickles.  How could I forget them???

No-sugar varieties are SO beautiful.  Do you think Crayola would consider creating a new color called No-sugar Raspberry Jam?

Spring Things and other Stuff

It feels like forever since I've written.  I used to feel this way about writing letters, but thankfully we have e-mail now, and I can sort of keep up with that.  Anyway, since the pickled eggs (NOT an April Fools joke), a lot has happened.  The Biddeford Market has gotten busier, the kids are wilder, and spring is popping up all over the place.  Here's a glimpse at what we've seen of spring so far.  Oh, and yes, next up- I'll change my banner up there from winter to spring.  I promise.

Can you guess what this is?  Auntie, you are exempt from guessing, you cheater.

How about this?  Hopefully I can keep this one alive.

Introducing... Rock, Movie Star, Lipstick, Holly-Egg-Mama, Tia, and Dave.  I prefer Dave to Tia, which is why one chick has two names.  Obviously, the Easter Bunny arrived early in the form of us driving to Andy's Agway and picking out our new little ones.

And back to "Can you guess what this is?"  I won't make you guess.  It's parsnips we found at the Biddeford Farmer's Market, brought home, and cooked up in some olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and sugar.  The girls loved these little apples of the earth.  I know, I know.  That's what the french (or is it French) call potatoes, but these actually taste a bit like apples, so I'm going with it.

And lastly, I can not get enough looks at these incredible bracelets Anne made from bicycle parts.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up with the purple one before the market sees its winter end.  Actually, did you know we're going to give a shot at pulling off a spring market in the same parking lot where the market currently exists?  Thursday afternoons, 3-6.  Check it out!

March at the Market

It doesn't seem to be getting any warmer outside, but things are heating up quite a bit at this winter's first-ever Biddeford Winter Farmers Market.  This week, we had a full house with 15 vendors reaching around the Pepperell Mill, also a make-shift museum of old mill photos, tools, and other items.  The locals still seem to be loving the Saturday morning event, we're getting to know some "regulars," and as vendors, we're having a good time too.   Here's just a bit of what you'll see if you decide to make your way to the market next weekend.

 Everyone loves local greens and other veggies, even mid-winter.  Sunset Farm Organics.

Have you ever seen such a beautiful stool?  Lovely people too.  

When this customer left her jars of jam at the market by accident, we set them aside with a note that said "The Mayor" since we couldn't decide in the cold moment whether there was an "e" in Twomey.  Thanks for the business, Mrs. Mayor!  Note Chef Gilley and Lisa trying to keep their table stocked with their awesome Zucchini Relish and her jewelry.  They've been wonderfully helpful to me as a new vendor as well!

What a great time of year to market Alpaca socks and mittens!

Buck's Nuts.  Need I say more? 

I look forward to moving a bit farther away from my own table to get some shots of more vendors.  These photos do not give due credit to the incredible dairy, meat, and other local artisan vendors who've been to the Biddeford market this winter.  More to come!

Biddeford Winter Farmers Market

It was preceded by quite a bit of local publicity.  All the Southern Maine newspapers covered the story, and the locals were abuzz about the upcoming event.  It would be Biddeford's first farmers' market, and in the middle of February at that.  The donated mill space is part of the old Pepperell building where we used to go to get factory sale blankets with my mom when we were kids.  It's right over the bridge from Main Street in Saco, on the Biddeford side of the river, of course.

 I walked in around 8:10 on Saturday morning to find my ample 10x10 space taped off by Deanna Weaver, the market's organizer and owner of Biddeford's Sweet Specialist.  While D. and many of the rest of the vendors (including me) appeared apprehensive and nervous about how the day would go, we were all relieved by 9:30 when storms of locals appeared at the mill to welcome our presence.  It was a terrific first day.  I sold tons of jam, and I'm pretty sure everyone who had food for sale sold out before we closed up at 1:00.  Hopefully the trend will continue.  More info and feedback in the weeks to come. Thanks, Southern Maine, and hope to see you there next Saturday!