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Our Apologies...

To all who came down to the market for the free Mallards tickets. Due to a miscommunication on our part, the tickets were not available when promised. The tickets will be available at the market this Sunday, Father's Day, June 21.

Give Dad a special Northside Madison Father's Day treat – take him to a Mallards game on Father's Day (or any day the Mallards are in town). Any son or daughter who comes to the Market information stand accompanied by their Dad, can receive two Mallards tickets absolutely free! That's right! Two free tickets! Supplies are limited, so hurry and get yours!

Seven Things You Probably Never Knew About Tomatoes
by Ella Wiese Moore; photo by Chris Moore

1. The Tomato has origins tracing back to the early Aztecs around 700 A.D.
    
2. Tomatoes are native to Central and South America. Cortez brought them back to Europe in 1519.
    
3. In Europe, it was originally grown only as an ornamental garden plant.
    
4. The French referred to the tomato as pommes d'amour, or love apples, as they thought them to have stimulating aphrodisiacal properties.
    
5. Up until the end of the eighteenth century, physicians warned against eating tomatoes, fearing they caused not only appendicitis but also stomach cancer from tomato skins adhering to the lining of the stomach.
    
6. Tomatoes belong to the Nightshade family (Lycopersicon esculentum).
    
7. Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson of Salem, New Jersey was the man to end the debate over whether the tomato was poisonous or not. On September 26, 1820, he stood on the steps of the Salem courthouse and bravely consumed an entire basket of tomatoes without keeling over or suffering any ill effects whatsoever. His grandstanding attracted a crowd over 2,000 people who were certain he was committing public suicide. The local firemen's band even played a mournful dirge to add to the perceived morbid display of courage.
    

Fresh Mississippi River Catfish
photo and article by Chris Moore

    

We welcome to the market a new vendor, Stram’s Fresh Mississippi River Catfish. Family operated for three generations, they are a commercial fishing operation out of Prairie du Chien and offer filets (whole, chopped), and catfish cheeks. The cheeks are a delicacy comprised of tender, white meat from the head of the fish. How fresh is fresh? Fish sold at the NFM market was caught on Saturday.

Here is a simple recipe for battered and fried catfish that they've had success with:
• Pancake Flour
• Lemon Pepper
• Salt
Mix the three ingredients together in a bowl and add catfish, a few at a time, and shake until well coated. Deep fry (425-450 degrees) until golden brown or until the fish floats.

Mystery Vegetable?

Help us give a name to the vegetable shown in the photo. Hmong people, especially older folk, boil it and eat it with no salt or other condiment. It can grow wild. In Hmong it is called Zaub Iab. We need help finding the English word to describe it, if there is one.

Blue Marble Returns to NFM!
photo and article by Chris Moore

Last Sunday we welcomed Blue Marble Dairy back to the market. Milk from Blue Marble is the very freshest possible. They pasteurize and bottle their milk at the farm in glass bottles, which keeps milk colder and tastier. They offer whole milk, 2%, buttermilk, and skim. Ask Perry or Bob for a taste of their Raspberry smoothie! More information about Blue Marble Farms can be found at their website (link).

This week at Artisans Row...
The Hefty Family - Windswimmers fish art
Greg & Linda Halom - watercolors, cards
Muriel Simms - cards, bookmarks
Youa Lor -handmade bags, purses, clothing
Mary Becker - jewelry
Vicki Lane - Funky Bracelets (link)
Jean Mani - Soap, lotion, candles (link)

Market Report for June 14
article by Chris Moore; photos by Chris Moore and Joey Johannsen

Have you ever wondered how to grow tomatoes without pesticides? Ask Liz the tomato farmer from Wyman Produce – she will tell you how she does it. She also has cucumbers and watercress. All her produce is picked fresh the morning of the market so you can enjoy the best food possible. Many of our vendors may not be officially organic, but have a 'no spray' policy - come enjoy pesticide free food!

Rudy from J&R Farms (Spring Green) predict that in 7-15 days they will have baby red potatoes. I also saw wonderful looking shell peas, snap peas, baby dill, and espazote. A new sighting at the market was Yo choy (looks like small bok choy) which when they flower are especially delicious. A recipe is in the works.

Also at the market, due to cool weather, were home grown shitake mushrooms (normally a fall product). On the baked side, there was strawberries 'n' cream streusel bread, pepperoni pizza scone, chocolate cherry bar, dutch chocolate mint bar, toasted pecan chocolate, chewy triple chocolate – need I go on?

  

  Thanks for all of you for making NFM a great market!
  

Strawberry Cream Cheese
by Lynette Jandl

Ingredients
1 cup hulled strawberries
3 tbsp powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened

Directions
1. Either pulse the ingredients in a blender or first mash the berries with a fork.

2. Mash berries in with the sugar and cream cheese until thoroughly blended.

Can be used immediately or refrigerated for later.

Excellent on fresh bread, bagels, Ritz crackers, almost any cookie or cupcake you can think of.