Collaboration is Market’s key ingredient

When Greenwood Lake resident, Nicole Hixon, stopped by the Lakeside Farmers Market as she was preparing for a post-luck dinner with friends that night. She chose two ingredients that underscored what this farmers market has become known for: collaborations. Her choices included fresh peaches from Locust Grove Orchards that were to be grilled and mixed with fresh burrata from Jersey Girl Cheese.

Burrata, from the southern Apulia region, is a fresh Italian cheese that features an outer shell of solid mozzarella filled with a creamy interior of stracciatella — shredded mozzarella curd mixed with thick cream.

“A burrata salad with grilled peaches is a favorite recipe of mine that I enjoy bringing to pot-luck events, depending upon the season,” she said, and that uncovered several additional unexpected collaborations from among the varied vendors at the market. Here are a few examples:

* J&A Farms offers a delicious, buttery yellow flesh Natasha potato which, when oven-roasted with sliced onions from his farm and a careful dose of seasoning with fresh rosemary herbs (plus salt & fresh-ground pepper to taste), produce one of the most satisfying preparations imaginable, particularly when added to Hillery Farms sausage selections (either Italian or Polish). The Natasha potato variety was developed by German breeders from the Solana GMBH & CO KG company in the early 21st century. The Natasha was not named after the breeder’s family member or an employee or even after the scientist who configured the variety. Instead, according to German agricultural branding traditions, names are often selected by choosing human first names for table potatoes to emphasize personality, friendliness, and consumer appeal, as opposed to the more technical codes used in early breeding lines.

* Amy Goff’s Lunch Lady Foods’ soups (either cold or hot), like her butternut & pumpkin squash - prepared by simmering with vegetable stock, and a blend of warm spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger finished with a touch of cream - pairs quite well with one of Megan Leyden’s (The Flower & Dough) loaves of fresh-baked sour dough bread. Every item from Amy’s menu is made with the freshest, most nutritious ingredients. Produce is locally sourced and predominantly organic. All menu items are freshly made when you order them and substitutions and customizations are always welcome - almost like having your own private chef. Megan’s loaves use organic flours, with long fermentation. Every sourdough loaf is naturally leavened and shaped by hand, with a chewy crust, tender crumb, and deep flavor. Her breads are made slowly and soulfully — a small ritual of joy to slice, savor and share.

* Shannon’s Eyes on the Pies, famous for her sweet and savory pies, also makes a tasty line of homemade pierogies, including filling containing potato, American cheese, sweet potato, sauerkraut, farmers cheese, mushroom, Buffalo chicken, and Reuben. But to finish the meal be sure to add a few links of Polish sausage from Hillery Farms, made from pastured pork from a local ranch which offers all-natural Kielbasa that is nitrate/nitrite-free.

The Lakeside Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through the end of October at Winstanley Park on Windermere Avenue. But this season, several of the vendors are preparing to be available in advance of Thanksgiving to provide seasonally fresh produce, fruit, and prepared foods to complement the annual celebration for family and friends’ reunion over a delicious dinner. For more about upcoming events at the market and throughout the upcoming season in the village, log on https://GWLNY.org.