Weekly Greenmarket Preview: Cornucopia
Posted in Programs and Events on September 11 2012, by Matt Newman
Wednesdays are foodie days at The New York Botanical Garden, and the twelfth is no different! If your palate’s been hunting for something a touch more scintillating than what you can sniff out at your average midtown hot dog stand, it’s not a crime to look outside your borough–the Bronx, perhaps? As always, our Greenmarket is a cornucopia of home-grown goodies!
Peppers in many a color were last week’s highlights–orange, yellow, and red, all crisp and piquant–while apples flaunted sweetness among the pre-fall fruits. Even the fresh bitterness of dandelion greens was on call. Not to be outdone by the “two to four servings a day” crowd, The Little Bake Shop and Millport Dairy made a delectable point with fresh-baked breads, raisin oatmeal cookies, and berry pies to put any dessert tray to shame. Wash it down with a fruity juice from Red Jacket Orchards and you’re sending off summer with all the right flavors.
I’m not so sure what we’ll see this Wednesday (it’s always a pleasant surprise), but I thought I’d spotlight some of the flavors we’re seeing so much of in recent weeks. Below, just a few recipes to prepare you for tomorrow’s shopping.
Again, the Greenmarket takes place along Garden Way in front of the Library Building, every Wednesday through November 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. One-hour parking at the Mosholu Gate entrance and grounds admission to the NYBG are free to all, and our vendors accept EBT, WIC, FMNP and NYC Health Bucks.
Weekly Walking Club – Meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. by the NYBG information table
Join Public Education staff for an invigorating 1.5 mile loop around the Garden. Wear your walking shoes and bring a bottle of water for a walk that makes a great part of a healthy lifestyle.
Family Garden Program Preview — Pollinator Pals: Bees and Butterflies — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Join us in learning about important pollinators: honeybees as well as Monarch butterflies that are passing through on their way to Mexico. Get buzzy doing the honeybee dance, observe up-close the workings of a beehive, and sample honey from different nectar sources.
Recipes
Dandelion Greens
By Diana Rattray, Southern Food
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 pound dandelion greens
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole small dried chile pepper, seeds removed, crushed
1/4 cup of cooking oil
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Discard dandelion green roots, and wash greens well in salted water. Cut leaves into 2-inch pieces.
- Cook greens uncovered in small amount of salted water until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Sauté onion, garlic, and chili pepper in oil.
- Drain greens; add to onion and garlic mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with grated parmesan.
Pickled Lady Apples
Ingredients (serves 12)
2 pounds lady apples (or crab apples)
2 cups apple-cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 teaspoons whole allspice berries
3 whole cloves
1 dried bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Prick apples in a few spots with a skewer. Bring vinegar, sugars, water, salt, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves, bay leaf, and peppercorns to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Add apples, and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until a paring knife inserted in center of an apple meets slight resistance, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in cranberries, transfer to a bowl, and let cool. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or up to 1 month). Serve pickled apples cold or at room temperature.
