Tour of the Farmer's Market

   One of the things I look forward to every summer,is the opening of the local farmer's market.The taste of fresh picked fruits & veggies cannot be beat.Not only does our local farmer offer delicious produce,it also offers an array of products from goat cheese,to olive oils,baked goods and more.I took a few pictures this morning to share with you so you can see why I enjoy visiting each week(okay,maybe even twice a week)!

    One of my favorite stops is the bread stand.They have an amazing variety(I am only showing one side of the stand in this photo),and the bread is always fresh and delicious.They hail from Manhattan,and we are fortunate enough to be able to sample their products each week.

   Another fun stop is the olive oil stand. This stand always has a variety of different flavored oils and balsamic vinegars ,complete with bread cubes to sample.Flavors such as peach or fig balsamic,and basil,rosemary,and garlic infused olive oil.Perfect for marinating all of your grilling items,or to use to change the flavor of your favorite salads...yum!Visit them at http://www.arlottafood.com/ .

   Of course, most farmer's markets have a flower section,and you cannot help but smile when you pass by these gorgeous sunflowers!

   Every weekend,my hubby and son Chris look forward to roasted vegetable sandwiches.The bread comes from the bread stand,and the delicious pesto,roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella come from the italian food stand.They also offer arancini(rice balls),fried artichokes,a variety of flavored ravioli ,pastas,stuffed breads and olives.

   One of my favorite new additions to the market this year is the spice truck....oh how I love this stand!Not only does he offer spices,nuts,and dried fruit of every variety, the man has sprinkles!!! As a baking fanatic,I look forward to adding to my sprinkle assortment each week....today,my son Timmy picked blue!Visit them at http://www.marshallscreekspices.com/  .

   Other stands we love are the goat cheese stand,which offers cheese & yogurts,the coffee stand,and our favorite pound cake stand!Polkadot Pound Cakes offers a variety of delicious flavors,such as almond(my favorite),plain,chocolate(another favorite),and in the fall,one of our absolute favorites,apple pound cake! Fortunately,they ship from their online store,so if you would like to try some visit http://www.polkadotpoundcake.com/  .

    Another sweet addition to the market this week is that of Butterscotch's....a place to stop for sweet treats such as tarts,lemon cookies and brownie bites,which we tried and loved!There is also a wonderful cupcake stand,which we do not have a picture of,but will add next week!

    Of course,I am forever faithful to my fruit and vegetable stands,which offer delicious,seasonal produce,that cannot be matched by our local supermarket.Above is just a glimpse of their offerings...from Terry's Farm and The Orchards of Concklin .

  There are other stands offering fresh seafood(caught in the wee morning hours),pickles,crumb cakes,and a delectable crumb cookie which I will share with you later in the week(it can also be ordered online),and other sweets and homemade soaps.Now,can you see why I am addicted to this place?
   I hope you are able to visit one of your local farmer's markets and enjoy all that they have to offer....feel free to post pics to our facebook page and share some of your delicious seasonal finds.I would love to see them!For more information on a local market near you(if you live on Long Island),visit http://www.longislandgrowersmarket.com/  Have a great day!