Summer Must Be Here - Awesome Market Score

True...it's been a cool, damp, dreary, foggy, rainy ....(you get the message) summer, so far out here in Nova Scotia. But you'd never know it at the market. I guess all the fruit and veggies love the weather.

I had every intention of driving out to Wolfville for their farmers market, which is lovely any day, but I'm sure is over the top wonderful today. In celebration of Mud Creek Day and Wolfville's 114th birthday, 20 valley chefs will be cooking up a storm using valley fresh ingredients. What can I say...it's rainy and dreary, so we're staying in town.

Naturally I had to head over to the Halifax Farmers Market and I thought I'd take you on a partial tour.

Normally, I like to do a quick "go-round" to all the vendors to see who has what and then go back and do my real shopping. But I've learned over time, that sometimes, what I'm craving is gone by the time I'm done browsing.
So.... I quickly bought some gorgeous blueberries - wild and tame from Foster Farm. Their first crop of strawberries were already gone, and the last box of the raspberries was swooped up even before I could take this blurry photo.
Cherries and raspberries are out at a few vendors including these beauties from Noggin Corner Farms. Having some that I picked up yesterday at the Partners in Care market, these just had their picture taken.
And what is a trip to the market without picking up some fresh and fabulous things from the sea at Mike's Fish Shop. This time around...thick, gorgeous salmon fillets, perfect for grilling and Digby scallops - nothing better.
Around the corner and down the hall...is one of the most popular stands...they won Coast Magazine's Readers' Award for best stall at the Halifax Farmers' Market. Ted Hutton and the gang bring the most beautiful produce every week. I bought the most aromatic fennel root with tons of wispy, feathery leaves that I'll be using on the salmon. Aren't those purple spring onions (they're sort of hidden behind the radishes) too cute for words?
These gorgeous kohlrabi and the radishes above are for the slaw recipe I saw in a recent magazine that, naturally I can't find so I will spend the dreary afternoon watching a movie and flipping obsessively through every one until I find it...but I digress.
These beauties are fresh shitake mushrooms, although they remind me more of porcini, but what do I know...
Well, I do know that they will be awesome with these local cremini mushrooms in a frittata I'm planning for brunch.
Note to self: save some mushrooms for these strip loin steak medallions from VanOostrum Farms naturally raised, grass & grain fed beef.

And I did pick up some wonderful spicy mixed greens and cilantro from the certified organic Waldegrave Farm. And check out this very awesome "Summer Free School" program.

And speaking of wonderful programs to support local producers and educate the rest of us about how awesome buying locally grown produce, meat, fish and chicken really is....

The Hellmann's sponsored Eat Real Eat Local Project is having a great charity event. On Wednesday, July 29th, they will be increasing the donation made to Evergreen to one dollar each time someone tags their tips with the term #realfood. This is part of a Summer-long initiative seeing twenty-five cents donated to Evergreen for every use of #realfood (up to a maximum of $25,000 before September 30th).
Obviously I was starving by the time I got home. The Savory Chicken & Mushroom Frittata was made with organic free range eggs I picked up at yesterday's market adventure and the local free range chicken I roasted on Thursday.

And I thought I'd leave you with a little bowl of thick yoghurt and fresh blueberries topped with a little drizzle of local honey.