ASAP's Weekly Farmers Market Report - May 29, 2020

Fresh at Farmers Markets

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Local bamboo shoots might not be an item you would expect to find on farmers market tables, but they’re available now, either fresh or pickled, from Lee’s One Fortune Farm : [link removed], at ASAP Farmers Market : [link removed] (both Thursday and Saturday), Black Mountain Tailgate Market : [link removed], West Asheville Tailgate Market : [link removed], and River Arts District Farmers Market : [link removed].
 

Fresh, these spring vegetables look a little like giant asparagus and can be green or purple. The tough outer leaves need to be removed before cooking, which the Lees will do for you at market. But if you’re not planning to cook it right away, you may want to wait and clean your shoot at home, as the flesh will discolor once it is peeled. Peel the shoot slicing down the sides with a sharp chef’s knife to reveal the tender, pale yellow interior. Cut off the firm top and bottom.
 

To eat, boil bamboo shoots for 20 minutes to remove bitterness, then slice it up to add to curries, salads, soups, stir-frys, or whatever other dish you’d like to experiment with. It tastes a little like artichoke heart with more crunch. Once cooked, bamboo shoots will only last a day or so in your refrigerator, but you can pickle or freeze them to have them available for future dishes. (The Lees also have pickled bamboo shoots available by the jar as well, if you want to save yourself the trouble of preparing it.)
 

If pandemic life still has you feeling enthusiastic about tackling time-consuming home cooking projects, farmers market ramen might be a good vehicle for your bamboo shoots. Traditionally, ramen is served with dried and fermented bamboo shoots (menma), but go ahead and try it with fresh shoots. Gather other ramen toppings like bok choy, spring onions or leeks, daikon radish, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, and pork loin or shoulder from the market. For the all-important ramen broth, start with a rich bone broth base by asking meat vendors about beef or pork bones, short ribs, or chicken wings. Hickory Nut Gap : [link removed](North Asheville Tailgate Market : [link removed]) also offers beef or chicken bone broth by the quart. Combine this with a dashi, soy sauce, mirin, miso, ginger, or other seasonings.
 

At farmers markets right now you’ll also find an ever-growing assortment of lettuces and salad greens, dark greens like kale, swiss chard, and collards, plus carrots, turnips, snap peas, strawberries, and much more. Markets also have cheese, bread, honey, beverages, ferments, prepared foods, and plant starts.
 

For a full list of markets open throughout the region, visit asapconnections.org : [link removed]. Find contact information and more details about the region’s farms and farmers markets in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide : [link removed].

Connect with Us

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appalachiangrown.org : [link removed] | fromhere.org : [link removed]
asapconnections.org : [link removed] | growing- : [link removed] : [link removed]
 
Donate to support local food, strong farms, and healthy communities today! : [link removed]
 
ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.

Upcoming Events

Information below may have been submitted to ASAP prior to COVID-19. Please check with event organizers directly to confirm.
 
6/2
Making Fish Sauce, Fish Fertilizer, and Garums : [link removed]
 

6/4
Sierra Club Webinar: Electric Vehicles – The Future is Now : [link removed]
 
View the full calendar : [link removed] of events.

ASAP on the Air

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Hear how chefs and farmers are finding new ways to collaborate and feed people in need as North Carolina restaurants operate in limited capacities on this week's Growing Local : [link removed].
 

You can listen to all
Growing Local episodes on SoundCloud : [link removed], iTunes : [link removed], or on ASAP's website : [link removed].

Local Food & Farm News

The Mountain Xpress's cover story : [link removed] this week looked at how farmers are pivoting in the age of COVID-19. 
 

ASAP's Molly Nicholie was on WLOS : [link removed] talking about ASAP's Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program.
 

Grocery costs are at their highest in nearly 50 years, reported The Asheville Citizen-Times : [link removed].



ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) - 306 W. Haywood Street - Asheville - NC - 28801

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