Photo Courtesy of Barnhouse Kitchen
As we inch closer to March, to spring, and to the return of abundant produce we so eagerly await, evening meals may still be challenging with the limited daylight, energy, and options. Soon, we will see the return and increased plethora of cherished spring crops like beets, carrots, peas, asparagus, strawberries and a huge variety of spring greens—hang tight and until then find salad greens, cheeses, freshly baked breads, and ready-to-eat meals at Buncombe County farmers tailgate markets now. While longer days are ahead to grant us more capacity and produce options for more elaborate dinner recipes, try out these quick and easy meals ideas you can pick up this week.
If you're short on time or just looking for an uncomplicated meal option, pick up some pre-prepared meals that you can just heat-and-eat, or as Barnhouse Kitchen calls it, “take and bake.” Find a variety of savory pies, strübuns, strudels, and quiches made from seasonal and locally sourced ingredients from Barnhouse at the North Asheville Tailgate Market. Each savory pastry can each feed two to four people depending on what you pick and are delicious for not only dinner, but both breakfast and lunch too. Try out The Dancing Goat strübun made vegetarian with sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, roasted red peppers, onions, cilantro, and goat cheese. Pair your “take and bake” with a fresh, late winter market salad. Find greens from vendors like Thatchmore Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market), Olivette Farm (Asheville City Market), Highgate Farm (River Arts District), and Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville City, River Arts District, and occasionally Weaverville markets) and find handmade salad dressings from Ali Rae Foods (North Asheville and River Arts District markets).
Find another vendor with ready to eat meals—New Stock Pantry—at the River Arts District Market. Their main courses and soup flavors change regularly, keeping your options new and exciting. Pick up a seasonal soup flavor along with bread and cheese for a classic soup and grilled cheese combo. Find whole, freshly baked sourdough loaves from vendors like Heater House Bread (River Arts District and rotationally North Asheville markets), Simple Bread (Asheville City and rotationally North Asheville markets), High Top Bread Co. (Asheville City, North Asheville, and Weaverville markets) and find gluten-free loaves from Urban Peasants Bakery. Along with whole loaves, Hominy Farm (North Asheville and River Arts District markets) bakes delicious and little ready-to-eat breads topped with seasonal veggies and Lebanese spices like sumac, which pair wonderfully with soups too. Find a handful of meltable cheeses like aged cheddar from Looking Glass Creamery (Asheville City Market) and Lane in the Woods (Weaverville Tailgate market) or try a pimento grilled cheese with pimento from Ali Rae Foods. Want to fancy your grilled cheese up even more? Add some caramelized onions, bacon, or a spread of local jam.
Hang in there—the light is returning and enlivened and crisp days are ahead!
At winter markets now you’ll also find kohlrabi, turnips, hardy winter greens, salad greens, microgreens, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and more. Markets are also stocked with a variety of cheeses, pasta, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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Like the rest of Asheville’s local food community, we are heartbroken and reeling at the loss of Brian Canipelli, chef and owner of Cucina 24. From his restaurant’s inception in 2008, Brian was model in sourcing from local farms and building strong bonds with farmers. He's pictured here preparing a dinner at Gaining Ground Farm in 2022.
As a way of remembering Brian, we're reposting excerpts from ASAP's Faces of Local interview with Brian and Aaron Grier, farmer and owner of Gaining Ground, in 2021.
"I don’t even know how I first met Anne and Aaron [Grier, owners of Gaining Ground Farm]. Maybe it was at a market. It’s been 15 years. Over the years we have honed in on that relationship and a few other farms to provide all the produce for the restaurant. But it’s more than that. We go out and cook farm dinners on the farm. We’ve had events out there. Sometimes it’s just my family and theirs and we’ll make dinner on the farm and drink wine and our kids will hang out together."
Our hearts go out to Brian's family and the local food community.
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