how 'bout these apples

H and I went to the farmer's market at McCarren Park yesterday and I was immediately drawn to these gorgeous Ginger Gold apples, apparently so was our friend Sveta because we bumped into her paying for two enormous bags of the beauties. Two big bags may seem excessive, but according to Sveta these specific apples are only available for two brief weeks of the summer (this being the first week).

Sveta and I ate apples and discussed our strategies for attacking the various tents of produce, actually, more accurately we discussed the fact that a strategy of some sort is needed. If you have been to this particular farmer's market then you know that, like some of the neighborhood dogs, it is small, but aggressive and somehow overwhelming. Though there aren't too many vendors, the tents are all placed very close together. And then there are the crowds and the dogs and the strollers (both of which I am guilty of bringing to the market on a regular basis).

The market attracts some serious foodies, lots of Polish Grandmas, hungover hipsters, bewildered winos and sugared up toddlers, so you need to square your shoulders and put on your game face. Still, if you can maneuver through the crowds and squeeze through the tightly arranged tables and tents, it is totally worth it. These are the peak weeks for fresh local produce. The tables are absolutely teaming with treats. Which leads to the psychological part of my strategy. Um, I tend to over buy. Everything looks so good that I just go nuts, then bunches of carrots (because, honestly, there are only so many things you can make with carrots no matter how good they look) or organic snap peas or New Jersey peaches rot in my fridge, so, all this summer I have been exercising restraint.

My rule: Unless you are a really great cook (me, I just get by) or need to feed a family of five then you should have a dish or a use in mind for each bit of produce that you buy. Oh, and be realistic, the peaches may look fantastic, but you know you are not making that cobbler, so...

On that note, I got some tomatoes and basil (caprese salad) and some zucchini (my mom's delicious zucchini appetizer bread) and some cucumbers (um, cucumber slices?) then I forced myself to stop. It was hard, but I am proud of myself. I didn't even buy any of those yummy apples because I already had apples from my last trip to the farmer's market.



My Mom's Delicious Zucchini Appetizer Bread (it's like a yummy, savory, quichey, warmy, cheesy, softy, bready sort of thing):

3 cups of thinly sliced, unpeeled zuchini
1 cup Bisquick*
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
2 tsp choped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano**
dash of pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
4 eggs slightly beaten

-preheat oven to 350 (325 if using a glass baking pan)***
-mix all ingredients by hand
-spread in 13X9 greased pan
-bake until golden brown or about 30-35 mins.

* I didn't have Bisquick (for some reason my Mom loves this stuff and it was a staple in our household, although, oddly we never had biscuits) so I used a cup of all purpose, unbleached flour and added about a tsp. of baking powder and it came out just fine.

** I used thyme because I had some fresh, on hand, and it was delicious.

*** I used a slightly smaller, oval shaped, terra cotta baking pan at 350 and no problemos.