June 20th, 2009 Newsletter
Bardstown Road Farmers’ Market Newsletter
Sarah’s Corner
From our friend Sarah Fritschner
The personal relationship you develop with the farmers at a market has a decidedly touchy-feely aspect to it. “Building community” we call it. Like traveling to another country to learn of other cultures, shopping at the market puts rural and urban folks in close communication, building understanding, trust, and tolerance.
But are there other benefits to these relationships? Are there more quantifiable benefits to our health, or to the environment?
I would argue that the answer is yes.
As the number of farmers markets grows and farmers reach to make more of their living serving shoppers, the farmers often diversify the products they raise.
Research shows that diversified production requires fewer pesticides on plants, fewer chemical interventions with livestock. Some farmers are driven philosophically away from these inputs.
Others, out of habit and tradition, might not. Once at a market I witnessed just such a farmer in a discussion with a consumer who asked if his pigs were raised antibiotic-free. The farmer (who had recently added meat to his line-up of produce) allowed as to how they certainly could be raised anti-biotic free. From then on, the farmer raised antibiotic-free hogs, and promoted his product that way.
His choice was good for the earth, good for the consumer. No doubt also good for the hog. And good for the farmer, whose product became a tad more interesting to consumers in general.
Farmers (and farmers markets) continue to diversify as the customer base expands. Consumers are exposed to and, presumably, buy a wider range of products which, again, is good for them (a variety of whole foods is essential to a healthy diet) and good for the earth (more diversity decreases the chance of species degradation).
So shopping at farmers markets has yet another benefit. No surprise.
Spicy-sweet chicken wings (or legs)
3 large garlic cloves (about 1 tablespoon minced)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
¼ cup Major Grey’s chutney or peach or apricot preserves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 pounds chicken wings (or drumsticks)
With the motor running, drop the garlic cloves one by one into the blender. Drop in pieces of ginger one at a time. Add chutney and blend again several seconds. Add soy sauce and red pepper and blend 15 to 30 seconds.
If you have the time, pour the marinade into a plastic bag, close tightly and refrigerate several hours or overnight. (If you don’t have time, proceed as follows).
Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan or similar dish. Cut the wing joints apart, if desired (use tips to make broth). Place chicken pieces and soy sauce mixture in the pan and stir to coat wings. Set aside to heat broiler.
Put oven rack 6 inches (or so) from heat element and turn broiler to high. Allow the broiler to preheat, then broil wings for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, turn the wings and spoon sauce over them. Replace in oven and continue to broil, turn and basting several times, until cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Wings may also be grilled, but do so over direct medium or indirect high heat (sauce burns easily). Serves 4 to 6.