Last Sunday, a cruel tease was perpetrated upon the Olney Farmers and Artists Market patrons. The Brownies of Scout Troop 77 from Olney, working with the foster program Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW), brought two adorable kittens and two grown cats to the Market. The (irresistibly cute) kittens were already spoken for!
Amazingly Cute Kittens
They did what they were meant to do, though – attracted a crowd to their booth and to their cause.
Our chef, John Melfi, and his sous-chef Emily winged their way up north from the Blue Duck Tavern. They prepared Tempura Fried Squash Blossoms with Goat Cheese, Piquillo Pepper Romesco Sauce, and Basil. The recipe can be found here. Homestead Gardens and Penn Farms had squash blossoms on offer, so Market patrons could take some home to try.
John And Emily On Camera
Chef John Setting Up
Emily Stuffing Squash Blossoms
Frying and Salting
Chef John brought his charming family: his wife Laura and 8-month old daughter Arya.
Laura and Arya in the Audience
The dish was a hit! One hundred blossoms were stuffed, fried and consumed.
The Sampling Line - Emily Keeps Up
The Finished Product
And one more culinary highlight (for me, anyway) – Pleitez Produce had Romanesco cauliflower, my favorite. This stuff looks wonderful and tastes that way, too – milder than broccoli but not as bland as white cauliflower.
Romanesco Cauliflower
They had purple and gold cauliflower as well, but for me it’s chartreuse every time.
