A Secret SO Big

I brought Sour Fiddlehead Pickles to the Kennebunk Farmers Market this past Saturday.  The market was a big success, and I met a ton of awesome people.  A lot of people asked what a fiddlehead is and where you can pick them.  Truth be told, I needed help finding some fiddleheads myself, and in  differentiating them from their unedible neighbors, so I reached out to family, begged and pleaded until I got answers (and used some blackmailing techniques), until I finally got what I wanted:  Fiddlehead foraging with the family.

No, I will not let you in on the location of the fiddleheads found below.  I will be banned from all future family happy hours if I divulge any information on the whereabouts of local fiddleheads.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, a fiddlehead is a fern just like all other ferns, except it's a specific fern.  Confuse you enough?  It's officially called an "ostrich fern," and you can tell it apart from other ferns by the "v" shape of its stem and the papery stuff  on the outside of the head.  I won't go into more detail.  More detail is all over the internet.  (Thanks Keith and Ed for not making me look all over the internet.)

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?

Chocolate Raspberry Jam

How do you eat it?  On a scone (or good old toast), atop vanilla ice cream, as the "J" in your PB&J, or right out of the jar with a spoon.  It is what it is.  Chocolate and Raspberries.  Maybe a little sugar.  Yum.

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!

Pickled Eggs

We only have 5 egg-laying chickens at the moment, but with them all laying an egg a day on average, we've got plenty of eggs for our family.  So, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to cook up some pickled eggs.

Have at this funky old-school favorite.  It's the easiest little canning project you'll ever do:

Hard boil a dozen or so eggs.  It's best if they're not right out of the coop, as they tend to be difficult to peel when they're super-fresh.  Let the eggs cool completely before mixing together the following ingredients in a medium sauce  pan:

• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf

Peel and place all the eggs in a quart jar.  Boil mixture for one minute, then pour over the eggs into the jar.  Seal tightly with a regular canning lid or plastic lid.  Key point on this one:  Pickled eggs MUST be refrigerated.    I can't wait to give these to my brother Matt as part of his birthday present on the 4th.  This is a guy who drinks Clamato juice straight out of the bottle, so I'm guessing he'll at least be open to trying the eggs.  

Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure the Easter Bunny's going to hook us up with some new baby chicks again this year.  It's something the girls have been talking about since last Easter.  You gotta love that bunny!

Maine Maple Syrup Season

My grandfather used to collect sap on the farm and make maple syrup.  Since he passed away, and since my brother Ed and his wife Sarah took over the farm, they have taken charge of the sap-collecting in what is now our neighborhood.  The old sap house still stands at the bottom of our hill, and our community of siblings and cousins still all take part in celebrating spring by hanging around the sap house on what is now known to be "Redneck Saturday."  I think Ed and Sarah decided to formally name their not-so-formal celebration day in lieu of what is more popularly known to be Maple Syrup Weekend in New England.  Our little festival entails gathering around the sap house, bringing the kids along on the 4-wheeler to collect sap, taking turns putting wood in the fire, and having a beer or two.  It's a terrific family and friends event, and everyone goes home with syrup.  The boiling continues beyond Redneck Saturday of course, and you can pick up your own Anderson Farms syrup at their farm stands in the summer.

Gathering sap on the back of "The Flame," Ed's 4-wheeler, is a highlight of the day for our kids. 

The Sap House:  Where the Magic Happens

Ed and I watching the sap boil.  He's probably actually doing something productive while I stand there and get warm.

This really is what it looks like in the house when sap's-a-boiling.  And it smells SO good.

Ed filtering sap from the boiling pans.

We miss you, Uncle Brian.  Don't worry-- the boiling continues!

Sam takes his dad's seat in the sap house.

YUM.

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!