Summer Smorgasbord

You’ve heard the eco-slogans: slow food, eat local, reduce your carbon footprint. We say choose to be healthy, wealthy and wise this summer.

Heathly: boost your fruit and veggie intake
Wealthy: count yourself lucky to be in the midst of such summer abundance
Wise: learn how to prepare some of our local bounty starting with BC peaches, Taber corn and backyard tomatoes

Peaches from BC are exquisite in mid-August. They are sweet, juicy and tender. While you might think of peaches as a snack or dessert item (peach cobbler, peaches and cream), fresh peaches are just tart enough to make a succulent addition to the main course.

Simply cut a peach in half with the skin on and put cut side down over a low flame on the barbeque for 2-3 minutes. The slightly smoky flavor accompanied by those professional looking grill marks scream summer. This side goes perfectly with grilled pork tenderloin.

Taber corn is world renowned (or at least it should be). Buy it by the sack off the back of a farmer’s truck every August. Eat what you can and freeze the rest (shucked) for a mid-winter treat.

For no-fail barbequed corn, parboil on the stove first. Place the corn in cold, sugared (yes, sugar, not salt) water and heat to boiling. Take it out of the pot, let dry and pour melted butter infused with fresh lime juice to taste (make sure you can taste the lime) over top. Place on a hot grill with little or no flame for a few (2-3) minutes. Serve this one by itself at lunch or beside a burger at dinner.

A fresh tomato tastes so good, there’s simply no comparison to the grocery store variety. The bonus with tomatoes of course is that you can grow them in a garden or even in a pot on your balcony. The ruby-red gems are best eaten raw with a little salt and pepper—divine.

Or try making a Caprese salad for an even more delicious alternative. Layer fresh tomato slices, fresh bocconcini cheese (baby mozzarella, available these days at most grocery stores) and fresh basil (kudos if the basil comes from your kitchen garden as well). Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Don’t forget to sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to finish it off.

A good place to find these summer treats is the Calgary Farmers’ Market. Take advantage of local availability and lower prices by buying big. Prepare and freeze corn (works well parboiled, then frozen), roast your tomatoes or preserve peaches (think jam or syrup).

You can pretend it’s summer all year long.

Calgary Farmers’ Market
www.calgaryfarmersmarket.ca
H6, 4421 Quesnay Wood Drive SW

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