Farmer’s Market Fresh: This Summer’s Salad Recipe

    Happy May to all my food forward readers! Now that it is the month of May, I can finally say that Spring has sprung and Summer is approaching! SJU has been beautiful lately; the campus is filled with flowers and beautiful shades of green. When I think about Spring and Summer, there is one thing that comes to my mind, and that is Farm Fresh Produce and Cheese! Being a Pennsylvania girl, I have been blessed with the ability to visit farmers markets and farms to get the sweetest, most delicious, summer produce as well as fresh, farmer’s cheeses. Being that SJU is so close to Philadelphia and The Main Line, we too, have the ability to get great produce right here at school! Because I want everyone to have the opportunity to eat locally grown, farm fresh foods, I want to share all of the Farmer’s Markets that are close by to our campus! Here are some of my favorites:

– Bala Cynwyd Farmers’ Market (opening day May 16) 
Hours: 2:30 to 6:30 pm
Location: GSB building parking lot, on Belmont Ave. near St. Asaph’s Rd
Products: chemical-free & IPM vegetables – IPM fruit – cows’-milk cheese – European-style bread and sweet baked goods – artisan chocolate.

– Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market

Location: 18th & Walnut Streets, both on south sidewalk of Walnut St and west sidewalk of 18th St

Products: certified organic, chemical-free and IPM vegetables – IPM fruits – mushrooms – cows’-milk and goats’-milk cheeses – meat and eggs from pastured animals – sustainably-caught fish – European-style and gluten-free bread – honey – wine from Lehigh County – artisan chocolate – cut flowers, potted annuals and succulents – pickles and lemonade

Vendors: Beechwood Orchards, Down to Earth Harvest, Fahnestock Fruit Farm, Rineer Family Farms, Hilltop Gardens, Z Food Farm, Triple Tree Flowers

– University Square Farmers’ Market (opening day TBD) 
Hours: 10 am to 3 pm 
Location: 36th St at Walnut Street
Products: conventional vegetables – IPM fruit & berries – Amish canned & baked goods – artisan chocolates Suburban Square Farmers Market

Location: Anderson & Coulter Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003

Hours: M-F 8-7, Weekends 8-6

Products: Meat, Seafood, Produce, Bakery items, DiBruno Brothers, Lancaster’s finest products.

–Reading Terminal Market

Location: 12 & Arch St. Philadelphia

Hours:  Monday through Saturday: 8-6 Sunday: 9-5

Products: Over 80 vendors selling bakery items, fresh produce, cheese, honey, prepared foods, fish, meat, poultry.

When shopping at these farmers markets, you will have the chance to feel as if you are on a farm in the city, which is one of my favorite aspects of Philadelphia Farmers Markets. If you are heading to one of these markets, be sure to bring your reusable totes, and look for these deliciously fresh seasonal products and keep reading for a recipe to make the perfect summer salad!

Apples, Apricots, Peaches, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Basil, Peppers, Beets,  Cherries, Corn, Chard, Carrots, Eggplant, Figs, Fennel, Grapes, Green Beans, Lettuce, Melons, Fresh Cheese, Eggs, Poultry, Fish and Meat!

The Perfect Summer Salad:

Now that you have shopped the farmer’s markets, get your in-season ingredients ready and make this simple and delicious farm fresh salad! (1 Serving)

 –  3 cups of Baby Arugula Spring Mix

 –  Thinly sliced Red Onion (to your liking)

 –  ½ cup Sliced Beets

 –  4 large Strawberries

 –  ½ cup thinly sliced Fennel

 –  ½ Gala Apple thinly sliced

 –  2 Tbs. Slivered Almonds

–  2 Tbs. Farm Fresh Goat Cheese

 – Cracked black pepper to taste

– Dress with White Balsamic Dressing

I hope you enjoy spending time at the great, local Farmer’s Markets Philadelphia has to offer as well as this simple and delicious farm fresh salad!

Forks up to eating local!

All my food love,

Lauren :)