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Our Website: http://athens.locallygrown.net
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Recipes

Tacos de Quelites — Tacos of Garlicky Greens

There are lots of recipes out there for “authentic” Mexican spinach quesadillas and similar dishes out there. Few of them will tell you, however, that none of those dishes were traditionally made with spinach. It’s a cool weather crop that has trouble growing here in Georgia, much less in the more arid and hot climates further south. What does grow well, both here and there, is the even more nutritious Lamb’s Quarter, and this is what modern recipes replace with spinach.

Makes 8 Tacos

8 to 10 corn tortillas
9 cups (about 1 pound) loosely packed, stemmed lambs’ quarters?
1 tablespoon olive oil?
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick?
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped?
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon?
1/4 cup finely crumbled cheese
About 3/4 cup salsa

1. Warm tortillas in steamer, oven, or microwave.
2. Boil greens in salted water until barely tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool, and roughly chop.
3. Sear onions in oil until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and salt and stir for one minute. Add greens and stir for one minute more. Season to taste.
4. Sprinkle mixture with cheese.
5. Assemble tacos at the table.

Market News

I’ve gone on and on about the variety of produce you can find at Athens Locally Grown. It really is incredible how many types of tomatoes, the arrays of lettuces, the shapes of squash that our growers are able to bring to market each week. And many of them, the heirlooms especially, each have a story, a place of origin, and a specific reason for being grown. Their seeds were passed down from generation to generation for a reason, and we’re very lucky to live in a time where the best varieties from around the world are available to us, their seeds delivered right to your door for planting in your own garden. Civilization has brought us many amazing things, and this one is often overlooked. I’m able to take a bite of an amazing black tomato that was grown for a couple hundred years only in one little community near the Crimean Sea in Russia, and not even bat an eye.

But the foods that have been grown closer to home for even longer often get overlooked too, to the point that many people don’t even know they exist. Take for example the lowly lamb’s quarter, Chenopodium album. For many, it’s a despised weed. It grows quickly in newly disturbed soil, can reach heights of six feet or more, and its seed heads are full of tiny seeds ready to outgrow everything else the next season. Truth is, however, that this was one of the staple foods for North American natives for thousands of years. Its leaves are more highly nutritious than anything else in the garden, even kale. It contains enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy. It’s seeds can be ground into a flour and baked, boiled whole, or rolled like oats (it’s a close relative to amaranth). And it grows everywhere. I took a cooler full to my very first farmer’s market, on May 4th 2002 at Big City Bread. Everyone, the other growers and the customers alike, wondered why the new guy was trying to sell a weed. I gave a lot away that day, but must have convinced enough people, because in future weeks I had trouble bringing in enough to meet the demand. There are several growers this week listing lamb’s quarters at Athens Locally Grown this week, so if you’ve missed your spring spinach in this heat, give them a try!

There are plenty of other natives that don’t get their due. The fruit of the passion flower, known around here as a “may pop”, are starting to ripen. These little guys look like limes, and grow on a low vine with the most beautiful purple flowers. There are some growing and flowering right now at the courtyard at Farm 255 downtown. They easily open up to reveal individual seed clusters, kind of like a pomegranate. You can suck on the little fruitlets and get a nice sweet citrusy treat. Like real citrus, it’s rich in vitamin C, but it grows right here. Another good source of vitamin C is sumac berries, which are just now turning red. These can be used to make a pink “lemonade”, or ground and used as a tangy meat rub.

These native foods are hard to come by unless you know what you’re looking for, but keep your eyes open! You’ll see them now and again both here and at the other farmers markets.

We’ve re-instated our regular “Meet the Grower” table during the Thursday pickups. This Thursday, David Hoechst, owner of Dragonfly Farm, will be back at the table. He took a turn just a few weeks ago, but it ready to share more with you, especially his heirloom tomatoes. While you’re waiting for us to fill your order, step up to her table and say hi!

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: July 11, Sunday, at Veribest Farm (Oglethorpe County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are pleased and grateful to find ourselves with enough of a patch of soil to participate in Athens Locally Grown and believe in the philosophy of thinking globally and eating locally. We believe in and strive for a sustainable lifestyle that includes growing fine vegetables produced without chemicals while conserving resources. This farm is approximately 33 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 50 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!