Fleet Farming Takes Audubon by 'Swarm'

You know that green slime that gathers in your store-bought salad mix five days after purchase? It’s a real drag when the healthy option spites you for avoiding fast food. Seems like a waste of time. Maybe it is, because that salad is often assembled from large swaths of land thousands of miles away growing romaine en masse and stuffing it in a box to be sold to a consumer a week later. Not to mention the oxygen-free gases pumped into the bags, meant to preserve the greens for even longer than they should last. Sounds a bit like fast food, no?

Fleet Farming came to Audubon Park & the surrounding neighborhoods to fix that. Listen up, Orlando: Now delicious salad can be in your fridge for upwards of two weeks. For burgers, omelets, garnishes and best of all – fresh crunchy salads. This is for real y’all!

Fleet Farming is the product of East End Market and local environmental think tank organized by Ideas For Us, called The Hive. Every first Wednesday of the month, this group gathers in East End’s APEX to take on an environmental issue and brainstorm solutions to increase healthy local food access, reduce resource-wasting lawns, and eliminate farming-related CO2 emissions, which currently comprise 1/3 of all emissions.

Chris Castro and heather Grove, Fleet Farming’s Program Coordinators, currently manage 13 farmlettes throughout Audubon, Winter Park, and ColonialTown. They grow crops such as red romaine, mizuna, and bibb lettuces, which they harvest every Sunday & Monday. They also invite the community to join them for ‘SWARM rides,’ during which the eponymous fleet of bicycles travels to each farmlette, learning how to farm by doing.

It’s a novel concept, but not likely a gimmick or a passing trend. $3 a third pound bag of the kind of lettuce mix farm-to-table chefs drool over is certainly not a fad.

The best part – it didn’t travel an epic journey across the continent. For many of us, it likely traveled a shorter distance than our average trip to the grocery. Pick up your greens every Monday night and say no to the slime in 2015!

Choose Quality with Orlando Meats

When most of us think Farmers’ Markets we think of kale. And that’s great because Kale – perfect for stirfries, stews and smoothies – is the backbone of local produce and it offers delicious nutrients. Plus it’s in part responsible for this.

Amazingly, the Audubon Park Monday Night Market is much more than vital, locally-grown veggies. Did you know you can beef up your diet with delicious local meats, as well?

Orlando Meats has everything from lamb chops to grass-fed beef, bacon as well as South American cuts of beef such as the flavorful Picanha and tender Vacio.

Edgar Massoni got into the meat business two years ago, working with his pops, and naming the company after his grandfather, Orlando Massoni. He quickly shifted to locally-raised meats. “I learned more about the business, linked up with some ranchers from Ocala and it took off from there. Now I’m pretty much doing exclusively local meats.”

That’s one thing that separates the Massoni’s business from your average supermarket, but there are plenty reasons more to ditch the big butchers. “It’s 100% grass-fed beef. Everything is pasture-raised, free-range. No hormones or antibiotics,” says Edgar. “The way the animals are raised is a big difference. It adds to the flavor and the quality.”

As for his favorite? “Ribye steak. It’s just got a good tenderness, nice marbling. Always flavorful cut of steak – inch and a half thick, salt & pepper – that’s all you need.”

What about the most under-rated meat to impress friends?

““I think goat is really good. I sell quite a bit of it but most people are kind of wary of it / haven’t tried it,” Edgar says. “I have it every couple of weeks. Curried goat seems to be the best way to go. It’s good red meat. It has a lot of protein, low fat content compared to other meats. Pretty healthy.”

Orlando Meats has all the classics too – good, hearty holiday options to feed a big group like standing rib roast, whole pork tenderloin, or leg of lamb. Put your pre-orders in today by calling 407-598-0700.

Or visit Edgar at the market every Monday. He can walk you through the steps to making your bowl game celebrations epic. He recommends roasting a whole pig. Did somebody say whole pig. Oh KALE yeah!

Send Your Sweet Tooth to Valhalla

When she’s not baking delicious vegan cupcakes Celine Duvoisin likes lifting weights. Why?

“Because l like Gains,” the leader of Valhalla Bakery states plainly and with a smile.

Just eight months young, her business is all about Gains with a capital G. Valhalla’s neon pink on black flag has been hoisted ever frequently in Orlando, and lucky for us there’s little to suggest the Garden District will see less of it.

Duvoisin sailed out on her own this year, leaving her role as a manager at the Publix Bakery. Since then, she’s added some color to her hair and let more of her personality shine through her business.

“I was tired of working for the man,” says the Valhalla helmswoman. Don’t let the rainbow locks and indie spirit fool you. As her brand might suggest, Celine is a baking viking. Just a couple months in she steered the ship to uncharted waters and shifted the focus to strictly vegan upon realizing the lack of options for Orlando’s herbivores.

Every Monday she brings to Audubon a selection of dairy-free baked goods from key lime cupcakes with pillowy icing to a hearty cornbread great for wintertime soups.

If you are looking to accommodate all manner of diet this holiday season but still want to wow everyone at the table, put your pie orders in with Valhalla sooner than later. You won’t regret paying $25 for a 9” pie or $30 for 10” with unique flavors such as Chocolate Pecan & Coconut Custard. Just be prepared to explain to your friends the desserts you’ve brought do not contain dairy; they’re likely to be skeptical. Don’t be afraid though. Take courage in the fact that Duvoisin decided to do something different and it’s paid off.

You can find Valhalla Bakery at Audubon’s Market every Monday from 6-10pm. And Breaking News: they have a brick & mortar location on the horizon coming soon to the Milk District!

Put in your holiday pie orders here: orders@valhallabakery.com or visit the Audubon Market this Monday to speak with Celine in person.

Recipe: Seafood Gumbo

Thank you and Congrats to Laurel Treweek, who sent in this tasty recipe and won $25 in bird bucks to spend at the market!  She submitted this tasty recipe that makes the best of summer produce and wild-caught shrimp.
Ingredients:

WILD OCEAN SEAFOOD- 2# SHRIMP HEADS-ON

1/2 POUND CRAB MEAT

1 PINT OF OYSTERS (undrained)

2 (16oz) CANS or FRESH TOMATOES

FRESH OKRA

5 ONIONS CHOPPED

2 BAY LEAVES

1 TB OLD BAY SEASONING

1 TB GUMBO FILE

SALT/PEPPER

3 CLOVES GARLIC MINCED

OIL AND FLOUR

Instructions:

PULL HEADS OFF THE SHRIMP AND PLACE IN A POT TO BOIL WITH WATER TO COVER 4-5+CUPS, SIMMER.
HEAT OIL IN A HEAVY SAUCEPAN OVER MED. HEAT, ADD FLOUR VERY SLOWLY,STIRRING WITH WOODEN SPOON UNTIL ROUX IS VERY BROWN.

ADD ONIONS AND GARLIC .COOK UNTIL SOFT NOT BROWN.DRAIN SHRIMP HEADS AND PLACE STOCK IN POT

COMBINE WITH ROUX/ONION/GARLIC. ADD TOMATOES,BAY LEAVES;SIMMER 45MINS.

ADD SEAFOOD SEASONING AND SLICED ORKA-TASTE ADD SALT/PEPPER. SIMMER 5 MINUTES COMBINE WITH GUMBO FILE...

BRING TO BOIL ADD SHRIMP CRABMEAT AND OYSTERS TO THE POT.

READY TO SERVE OVER RICE.

ENJOY!

Happy National Farmers Market Week!

I’m looking forward to seeing you all tonight to celebrate National Farmers Market Week. Farmers Markets are a great way to bring community together, connecting growers, producers, neighbors, artists, and everyone else in one fabulous place! We’ll have all the usual goodness tonight, plus some special extras to mark this special occasion. Be sure to visit the authors of Field to Feast (an awesome cookbook that chronicles many of Florida’s wonderful farmers & chefs) for samples and book signings.  I personally love this book and like to keep it on my coffee table because it does such a wonderful job of showing off Florida’s food communities.  We’ll also have a knife sharpener at the market tonight, so be sure to bring along your favorite knives (serrated ones, too!) to get sharpened by an expert.  Most importantly though, we’ll all be gathering together around food and community, and that’s what farmers markets are really about!  See ya’ll there!

What's Cooking in Your Kitchen?

National Farmers Market week is coming up, August 4th-10th, and we want to celebrate by highlighting what’s fresh from the market!  When I check in with the farmers and food artisans, they often tell me that their customers don’t always know what to do with the seasonal produce or specialty items.  The challenge of finding new recipes and learning new kitchen skills is one of my favorite things about shopping at a farmers market!  And over the years, market-goers and vendors alike have taught me a lot of new ways to make delicious, seasonal meals at home.  With that in mind, I am officially launching the What’s Cooking in Your Kitchen contest!
Over the next 2 weeks, I am inviting you to send in your favorite recipe using items you’ve purchased at the market this summer.  All submissions will be published to this blog, and winners will be randomly selected on Friday, August 2nd.
Here are the details:

1. Recipes can be for entrees, sides, snacks, drinks or desserts, but must feature products available at Audubon Park Community Market.
2. Please provide as much detail as possible (ingredients, step-by-step instructions, etc)
3. Photos are not required but are definitely welcome!
4. Send your submission to director@audubonmarket.com
5. All complete and qualifying recipes will be published to this blog and shared through our social networks
6. The deadline for submissions is Midnight, EDT, on Thursday, August 1st.

Winners will be randomly selected, and prizes include $25 in Bird Bucks (redeemable with all market vendors), a copy of Field to Feast: Recipes Celebrating Florida Farmers, Chefs and Artisans (Brandon, Farmand, McPherson, 2012) a year of home delivery of Edible Orlando, and a one-year membership with the Audubon Park Garden District.    That means that in addition to all recipes being published on this blog, there are 4 opportunities to win prizes!

I look forward to receiving your submissions and sharing them with the community!

This Market is for the Dogs (too)!

If you’re a regular market-goer, the dogs of Audubon Park Community Market are one of the cutest parts of the event (meet some of them here).  Many of you have met Yogi, the adorable mascot of Iced Bakery (makers of my most favorite handmade nutella s’mores).  He’s so important, he has his own Facebook page!

Next week we’ll be celebrating his 9th birthday, and his humans are hosting a party to benefit the SPCA of Central Florida.  Bring any item on the SPCA donation wishlist (see below), and Iced Bakery will give you $1 off a baked good!  The market is in many ways a family, and it’s pretty great to get the opportunity to celebrate and support a good cause!  See you and your pups there!

Reminder: Rain or Shine!

As much as we love spending leisurely evenings outside, shopping for local goodies, sipping wine, and enjoying the live entertainment on Monday nights, sometimes we get that Florida rain. While it’s not as fun as a “regular” market night, we ARE open on rainy evenings.

Some of you may have seen our wonderful and tenacious merchants making do in the weather, cramming as many “booths” as possible inside Stardust, and setting up our now infamous “tent colony” just outside the Stardust doors.

Rain or shine, we want to do our best to keep local goodies available on a dependable, weekly basis. We do hope you’ll join us all summer long, as we improvise our way through the rainy Florida summer!

Cheers,

Gabby

Where to Park?

Lately, we’ve noticed a lot of new traffic at the market, and that makes us very happy!  But it also means that it’s probably time to refresh everyone on parking.  There are lots of places to park in the neighborhood, but there are some places where YOU WILL GET A TICKET of GET TOWED!  For instance, if you park on the side of Winter Park Road anywhere north of ABC liquors, you will get a ticket.  If you park at ABC liquors, you will get towed.  We don’t want your night of local goodness to be ruined by a parking ticket or a towed car, so we want to make sure you know where to park. We’ve worked with the Audubon Park Garden District to put out a map of places where you may legally park (all within VERY close walking distance of the market) during market hours.

Of course, there is always plenty of bicycle parking, and we love that some many of our neighbors can walk to the market.  Which reminds us, the Audubon Park Market takes place in a community where people work and live, so please be mindful of our residential neighbors as you park.

Thank you for Nearly 4 Years of Tasty Goodness!

This week and next are your last chances to enjoy Big Wheel Provisions at the market before they go on summer hiatus.  Those of you who are fans have already heard that Chef Tony Adams will spend the summer as Head Chef of Company of the Cauldron in Nantucket.  Their final Orlando event before they leave will be the market on April 15th.  I’m honored that they are making the market their finale, after nearly 4 years of being an Audubon Park Community Market fixture.  Over the years, Tony and his team at Big Wheel have made local food the stars, showing us new ways to eat and enjoy seasonal food from Florida artisans and farmers.  So with only 2 markets to go until a summer without Big Wheel, I want to say thank you.  Thank you to Tony Adams, Leah Mojer, and the Big Wheel Provisions team for making local food a delicious priority!
The little video up top is from a couple of years ago, featuring market patrons sharing the love.  And here are some of our photos of Big Wheel over the years: