Special moments at the Greenmarket

The summer fruit at the Red Jacket Orchards stand was a highlight at McCarren Park yesterday, second only to spotting James Oseland making his Saturday market purchases!

Birthday Huevos

Deborah's birthday started with homemade huevos rancheros (after a brief shop at The Garden, of course). Marisa prepared the quesadillas; Deborah simmered the beans with onion and cumin; and I scrambled the Garden of Eve farm fresh eggs with some Milk Thistle milk. No better way to start the day! Wait until you see how we ended it...

Rooftop Farm Market Report

I know it's a little late, but I have to report on Rooftop Farm's Thanksgiving Market. It was a glorious day. Volunteers were bundling greens and herbs and radishes. Annie Novak was selling the ends of the harvest. And everything was gorgeous, from the pickled peppers to the freshly picked carrots.

Stewing Lentils

Over the summer, I visited Hawthorne Valley Farm and, after watching the cow parade, I purchased these beautiful French lentils from their extensive market. The lentils are beautiful and delicious and called for in many a lentil recipe, but can be hard to find. On Monday night, I made Ina Garten's Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes (recipe below), served it over rice, and topped it with feta. On the side - roasted cauliflower over wilted tat soi. Whoa.


multi-colored carrots from the farmer's market


red onions in olive oil


lentils have been stewed


rice is ready, i love those crispy edges


tatsoi wilts under just-roasted cauliflower


dinner is served...

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

2 teaspoons good olive oil
2 cups large-diced yellow and/or red onions (2 onions)
2 cups large-diced carrots (3-4 carrots)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1 cup French green lentils (7 ounces)
2 cups chicken stock and/or water
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepab. Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, place the canned plum tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse several times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. (You can also leave the tomatoes in the can, and with a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the tomatoes into coarse chunks.) Pour lentils into a sheet pan and pick over to make sure there are no stones, then rinse.

Add tomatoes, lentils, broth/water, cumin, coriander, chili powder, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pan. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Check occasionally to be sure the liquid is still simmering. Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, season to taste, and serve hot.

Thanksgiving Market at Rooftop

This Sunday, November 22 is the Thanksgiving Market at Rooftop Farm!

Go! And give thanks a little early... There will be carrots, mustards, purple broccoli, parsley and spinach (to name a few). In partnership with upstate's Liberty View Farms, there will be 100% organically grown apples. There will also be t-shirts and harvest bags. 100% of the proceeds fund next year's seed supplies.

See you there!!

Farming on the Rooftops

how often do you walk upstairs to get to a farm?

I can't believe it took me all summer to go five blocks, but I finally made it out to Greenpoint's Rooftop Farm on this particularly dazzling, sunny Sunday for the last volunteer day of the season. I've read articles and seen photos, but I was still completely blown away. It is 6,000 square feet of donated space turned functional farmland, green roof, green market, compost pile, sustainability, and community. I spent some time picking seeds from marigold plants to save for next year and then did a bit of shopping - bought green tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, and the most luscious and tangy mixed greens. You can still visit the farm (and get inspired for Thanksgiving) on their last market day of the year on Sunday, November 22, 10am-4pm when they will sell what remains of the harvest.


6,000 square feet of farmland and a stunning view


rainbow chard soaking up the sun


the market...


the produce

Picking Apples, Eating Doughnuts

We were in Hartford for the marathon (which Mike ran in 3 hours and 36 minutes!) and it happens to be prime time for apples, and apple cider doughnuts down the road at Bushy Hill Orchard in Granby. By the time we got on the truck to "pick-our-own," I had already eaten three doughnuts, deliciously crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and covered with cinnamon and sugar. They actually often sell out before noon, they are that good.









We picked 10 pounds of apples with pies in mind, on a beautiful day, among the turning leaves.

New York's Bounty

The most beautiful and unique fruits and vegetables are growing in the northeast despite the blight. These are some highlights from this past Friday's Union Square Green Market. The peaches are gorgeous, there are hot pink beans, a twisted squash, and a cheese display that makes me melt, literally.

Early Late Blight

This year, the northeast is being hit hard by an early late blight, "a plant disease that attacks potatoes and tomatoes." Chef and Owner of the Blue Hill restaurants, Dan Barber writes eloquently about the heartbreaking subject in The New York Times this Sunday. (How pretty is that accompanying illustration?!) Tomatoes in small gardens and large farms are rotting and dying. The very wet summer we are experiencing is, unfortunately, perfect for spreading blight. Also, sadly, it could be due in part to the current renewed interest in home-gardening. Firstly, home gardens dotting the area create fertile ground and easy travel between shorter distances for the disease. Additionally, a number of super-stores like Home Depot, imported infected tomato plants from the south - Without knowing what to look for (or knowing to look at all) these stores and the new home gardeners would not recognize the present blight. (Barber also makes the good point that buying imported starter plants is really not so different from buying imported tomatoes.) Barber says that in our (wonderful) renewed interest, it is vital to be vigilant. Keep gardening! But grow from seeds or buy seedlings from local growers.

My good friend Ben has done exactly that. Though some of his plants have been affected by the blight, he maintains a handsome rooftop garden with many healthy tomatoes (and he is growing the most delicious Thai Basil in Brooklyn).