It’s August already!  The summer is flying by, but it’s peak season for some of my favorite vegetables.  And they’re especially great when grown locally.  I’ve been hitting farmer’s markets here and there this summer, including my visit to Allandale Farm.  Last week I made a special trip to the Brookline Farmer’s Market, accompanied by my friends Sarah and Vanessa.  The market is on Thursday afternoons right in Coolidge Corner.

Just look at all the fresh produce, like the familiar Swiss chard, corn, and lettuce:

 

 

And some (new to me) items, like purple peppers, white currants, and two toned squash:

 

 

Farmer’s markets are often a great chance to try new produce.  (Remember the watermelon radish from the winter market?) We decided we had to try these guys, lemon cucumbers:

My friend Marsha was working at the market, and told us they they had a light taste, with just a hint of lemon.  She was right, and here’s what they look like on the inside.

It was tough to decide what to buy – I wanted it all.  I ended up taking home lettuce, carrots, Swiss chard, lemon cucumbers, zucchini, and beets.  They have a wide variety of items at this market including turkey, beef, bread, goat cheese, fresh pasta, and ice cream.  Next time I will come to the market with some cold packs, and I am not leaving without trying the ice cream. 

My first order of business that night was a fresh and local salad, topped with my favorite Honey Mustard dressing. 

Every day this week, I’ll feature a dish I made with my local produce.  It may already be August, but there’s still plenty of time to scope our your local farmer’s market and load up on fresh fruits and vegetables.  Thanks to Sarah and Vanessa for prompting this trip, I had a great time!

 

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