Curiousfarmer

Dane County Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

The Dane County Farmer’s Market, (DCFM), is a big part of our life.  And I realized, for many of our regular customers, it’s also a big part of their life.

Because just as regular vendors make a market, so do regular customers.  It’s a community. 

So we are going to celebrate this community with an ongoing series.

——-

I’m happy I started this series as I’m learning so much more about DCFM customers. 

Terese is editing the 50th anniversary DCFM cookbook.  I didn’t know she was formerly a professional chef.

She upped the game on these questions by including a recipe.  Thank you, Terese!

Name: Terese

How long have you been attending DCFM?

1974…that was when I first lived in Madison, but it was only for a summer. When I moved here again, in 1977, I started going to the market more regularly. I feel like a fixture now!

DCFM memory:

When I was chef at the Ovens of Brittany East, back in the mid-1980s, I’d go to the market before the restaurant opened on Saturdays, to get whatever looked good to me for the weekend menu specials. Very few vendors sold many fresh herbs at that time, but I could get big bagfuls of thyme springs, rosemary branches, sage leaves and such from one of them. We used them in our soups and entrees and garnished each of the finished plates with them. People loved that they got something other than the regular old parsley sprig, and many tucked theirs into a lapel or a purse to bring home and use in their own kitchens.

Curiousfarmer Favorite: 

It’s too hard to pick one! Can I pick three? Chorizo links, uncured bacon and ground pork are the ones I use the most.

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This is what I’m going to make if I get lucky and find morels this season: 

Spaghetti with Morels, Curious Farmer Bacon, Green Onions and Cream

8-10 ounces spaghetti

6-8 ounces bacon 

1/2 pound fresh morels (or other mushrooms, like crimini), cleaned, halved and dried between paper towels

1 bunch green onions, sliced in half lengthwise and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, garlic chives or green garlic, divided

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but about 2-3 tablespoons of the bacon fat.  Use a fairly high flame to saute the morels in the hot fat in batches (don’t crowd the pan!) until tender. Add the green onions, rosemary and about half of the chives. Stir and cook about 1 minute. Remove to a bowl.

Boil pasta until tender. Meanwhile, add heavy cream to the hot skillet and boil to reduce it by about 3/4. Stir in the bacon and morel mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Drain pasta when it is tender, saving some of the pasta water to use if needed. Toss pasta with the sauce; if it’s too thick, thin it with some of the pasta water. Sprinkle pasta with remaining chives and serve immediately.

Dane County Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

The Dane County Farmer’s Market, (DCFM), is a big part of our life.  And I realized, for many of our regular customers, it’s also a big part of their life.

Because just as regular vendors make a market, so do regular customers.  It’s a community. 

So we are going to celebrate this community with an ongoing series.

——-

Emily is one of our carless patrons.  When we we started our Madison meat drops during Covid, Emily suggested a downtown location so that she and others wouldn’t miss out.  It’s been a hit, and many walking customers have enjoyed the last couple of years.  Thank you, Emily!

Name: Emily Reynolds

How long have you been attending DCFM? Over a decade

DCFM memory: Maybe not a memory, but DCFM is the only thing that can regularly drag me out of bed before 7am! (clearly not meant to be a farmer) 

Curiousfarmer Favorite: Cottage bacon is a recent favorite! My favorite standby is ground beef. I always pick up a pound or two!

Go to meal: I love breakfast hash: ground beef, plantain, black beans, and red peppers fried up and topped with fried eggs. Also great mixed into rice or on tacos. 

Dane County Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

The Dane County Farmer’s Market, (DCFM), is a big part of our life.  And I realized, for many of our regular customers, it’s also a big part of their life.

Because just as regular vendors make a market, so do regular customers.  It’s a community. 

So we are going to celebrate this community with an ongoing series.

Even though I’ve never met Lisa’s son, I feel like I know him as I receive regular updates from Lisa. Thank you, Lisa!

Name: Lisa

How long have you been attending DCFM? 27 years 

DCFM memory: buying food and flowers for my wedding. My friends and I cooked the meal. 

Curiousfarmer Favorite: pork tenderloin for grilling, brisket for smoking 

Go to meal: market salad or vegetables, roasted potatoes, grilled steak or pork, fruit crisp. 

Dane County Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

The Dane County Farmer’s Market, (DCFM), is a big part of our life.  And I realized, for many of our regular customers, it’s also a big part of their life.

Because just as regular vendors make a market, so do regular customers.  It’s a community. 

So we are going to celebrate this community with an ongoing series.

—–

You will usually see Anne and Terry at least a couple of times on Market Saturdays as they make it a whole morning. When I’m shorthanded they step behind the booth so I can make a pit stop. They claim they’re bad for business, but they’ve usually got someone waiting when I return. Thank you, Anne and Terry!

—–

We have been attending DCFM since the early 80s.  

DCFM Memory: Making our purchases and coming home to make a great omelette with all the eggs and veggies we purchased.  Cows on the Concourse!  Meeting the great farmers that feed us and seeing them each year. All DCFM memories are amazing. DCFM memories should be a PBS special. 

Curiousfarmer favorite:   Tie between ground beef and Canadian bacon. Matt is  great too!

Go to meal:  Meatballs whether they are Italian, stroganoff, Swedish etc with CF beef.  Healthy and delish. 

Dane County Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

The Dane County Farmer’s Market, (DCFM), is a big part of our life.  And I realized, for many of our regular customers, it’s also a big part of their life.

Because just as regular vendors make a market, so do regular customers.  It’s a community. 

So we are going to celebrate this community with an ongoing series.

---

Saturday April 16, 2022 was the first April DCFM in 3 years! And it was a cold one, 20s to start, finishing in the 40s with a stiff breeze. I wore long underwear and had to put on my insulated bibs over top of everything to keep from freezing, but this is Wisconsin, so of course I saw a couple people wearing shorts!

We saw many familiar faces, including Pamela and Michael who were dressed appropriately. Thank you, Pamela and Michael!

Name: Pamela and Michael

How long have you been attending DCFM?

Since 1974!

DCFM memory:

I saw ground cherries for the first time at farmers market. Michael thinks he saw cheese curds for the first time there, must have been a while ago.

Curiousfarmer Favorite:

Currently we are focusing on pork ribs but we have many favorites.

Go to meal:

I always make different things but a current easy favorite is instant pot ground pork risotto.

Dane County Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!

The Dane County Farmer’s Market, (DCFM), is a big part of our life.  And I realized, for many of our regular customers, it’s also a big part of their life.

Because just as regular vendors make a market, so do regular customers.  It’s a community. 

So we are going to celebrate this community with an ongoing series.

———

Mary and Charlie have allowed Curiousfarmer to use their driveway during our winter meat drops and all during the pandemic.  They are my last stop and Mary always gives my coffee thermos a much needed refill.

They have been a fixture of local markets and local food since the beginning.  You can often see Mary biking to or from a Saturday market laden with her goodies.  We really appreciate Mary and Charlie.  Thank you!

Name: Mary and Charlie Mussey

How long have you been attending DCFM? 

 When did it start? That’s when:)

A DCFM memory: 

 We had a lovely pussy willow tree at our first house on the southside in 1982. I was able to get a spot at the first 2 DCFM of the spring to sell cuttings. I had some rooted and some dried. I sold them as “Mussey’ Fuzzies” and sold out the at the first market!

How long have you been enjoying Curiousfarmer? 

Since we picked up our turkey when Eric left the market. We saw how happy your animals were out in the sunshine with fresh food and sunshine. We’ve been eating “happy meat” ever since.

Favorite CF product: Brisket

A go to meal for your family: Corned beef made with irish ginger beer and German pilsner beer. That reflects my maternal grandparents, Josephine Schmidt and Thomas O’Brien. You can guess who ruled the roost of 8 kids!

Thank you!