Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Adirondack Blue Potatoes

Today was Farmers' Market day again. I wish I could tell you that I go just about every week because I can get a lot of inexpensive locally grown produce, but that simply isn't true.

I'm addicted to the cinnamon rolls I can buy there.

That and I do like the whole grain breads that I can buy.

As for the produce, well...
Yes, it is locally grown and to sell at this market you have to grow it yourself on your land. No buying produce and reselling it. I like that.
What I don't like is the price. The prices seem to be set very high by one particular Amish seller, and then almost everyone else follows. I'm not basing my price expectations on what I see in the grocery store. Although they are sometimes higher than what the grocery store is selling the local produce that they buy at local auctions and then mark up to resell. I'm basing this on the prices other Amish families charge at their veggie stands where my parents live. I should probably note that the Amish at our county's Farmers' Market don't live in our county. They live in my parents' county. Anyway, it annoys me because I will pay a fair price, but I don't think I should have to pay at least 50% more than what is normally charged.

Anyway, rant aside...

I can find some really great things that are unique.

I was really excited today because I saw some potatoes that caught my eye. They are blue!



I thought just the skins would be blue, but no, as you can see they are actually completely blue.

So when I got home I did a quick google search and came up with this. As you can see below, there was a lot of color in our meal tonight! It was also very "local." The tomatoes and green beans are actually from my parents garden, as were the onions in the potatoes. I didn't have any leeks, but the garlic I used I bought at the market last week. The basil and parsley in the potatoes I grew myself. Oh, and we also had yellow watermelon for dessert that we bought from the Amish growers who charge an arm and a leg. But it was a very sweet seedless yellow watermelon so it was worth paying a little more for.