Audubon’s Hottest Give Us The Dish on Monday Night Magic

 
Sure there is a lot of glitz and glam surrounding local food systems, but we decided to move past that, dig a little deeper to learn about the nitty gritty that makes a good farmers’ market.  We thought, “Who better than the Celebs of Audubon to school us on local produce and authentic value-added product?” Read on to discover what gems bring these Audu-hotties out of the limelight and into the market huddle every Monday night from 6-10 pm in front of Stardust Video & Coffee.

Jason Seifer, Motivational Speaker/Social Media Rockstar.

What Does the Market Offer That Keeps You Coming Back Each Week?
Milk, cheese, fish tacos, companionship [editor’s note: Fish Tacos are happening tonight, companionship every night.]
Using the Audubon Park Garden District acronym (APGD), four words that best describe the Monday market?
Audubon People (are) Generally Delightful ; Or All Puns Garner Discontent

Ivy Assiter, Audubon’s Food Wunderkind, works on the weekends, a fact which more or less explains a propensity for having the club goin up on a Tuesday.

What are your go-to items at the market?

Order of Tanta-lizing fish tacos to split with my main squeeze.
Star Juice’s watermelon and mint juice.

The delicious sorcery that is Buttermilk Bakery – ESPECIALLY POP TARTS. (They know their way around some baked goods).

What is the first food you ate in your life?

I want to say carrots, but it was probably Bananas. Or Taco Bell.

Sarah Robinson, Pastor of Audubon Park Covenant Church
Favorite things about the Monday Market, which takes place from 6-10 pm?

Fresh veggies, the Heartsong Natural Soap, St. John River Honey, Isle of Salsa chimichurri sauce, Smiling Bison when they come out [monthly]... and the atmosphere!

Erica Abalos-Hernandez, (A new Mom!) First Lady of Redlight Redlight Craft Beer Parlour

[editor’s note: the following was delivered via text message while Erica fed the baby, meaning she is a multi-tasking boss. And she listens to Tupac, FTW.]

We’re big fans of the fresh fish of Wild Ocean. Also, we always make sure to have royal reds or rock shrimp on hand to spice up any weeknite meal. We’ll grab whatever greens are available for juicing or salads from any of the great growers. Everything always looks so appealing and fresh.

I love the bagels from Orlando Bread, and because I cannot resist sweets, Buttermilk Bakery’s berry pop tarts and the brownies from Flour Life are wondrous.

Yuri Gama, Academic, Urban Studies.

Why Are Farmers’ Markets Important to the community?

First of all, farmers markets are important because it empowers local commerce and neighborhoods due to its visibility. Secondly, they function as public hubs that strengthen a network among dwellers of the region. And third, they have the power of providing healthy food and products that generally we don’t find in corporate markets.

Which grocery items do you like to check off your list at the Audubon Community Market?

I like the diversity of products, and the music attractions. I like that Buttermilk Bakery, the coconut water, and the Orlando compost company.

Check out Yuri’s presentation on the Mid-20th century construction of I-4 and the subsequent relegation of Orlando’s African-American community to the Parramore District. Tuesday, July 28th, Juice Bike HQ. 6:30 pm

Farm-haus Meals are Going Fast!

 

We’ve enjoyed watching Farm-Haus blossom over the past few months and we’re lucky to have them at the Audubon Community Market. They’ve created such a demand for their quality meal delivery service, spearheading the Fast-Slow Food model, they’ve expanded to 6 Districts in the Orlando area, now including Winter Park and Downtown.

While the Audubon Market is their Monday pre-order, pick-up location, you can also purchase Farm-Haus meals on the spot while shopping with us for your weekly groceries.
Their Meatless Mondays are a hit and a much-needed respite from the carnivorous weekends we sometime indulge in. Not to say these veggie meals aren’t delicious. Chefs Julian De Garden and Mike Garcia, both with a great culinary pedigree in the Orlando Restaurant scene, take quality – often local – ingredients to the next level.

Tonight they’ll have Double Portabello Mushroom Burger topped with havarti cheese, garlic aioli and a side of herbed potato salad.

Good food all around, ready to eat or ready to prep. Come Market with us tonight! Check the Farm-Haus menu for the rest of the week above.

All of the Sweetness, None of the Sugar

 
At the Audubon Community Market we don’t like to rely on sales gimmicks. High Quality, Naturally-Grown Local Produce should speak for itself. It’s another story, however, when nature brings the sleight of hand. For the uninitiated, Synsepalum Dulcificum, when first introduced under its more common name Miracle Fruit, sounds like the person describing it to you is giving you the business.

“So if I eat this berry, it’s going to turn sour things sweet? Thanks, Willy Wonka, but I’ll buy a bushel-full next week,” one might say in a tone laced with 90’s sarcasm.

Then the skeptics try it and within moments of letting the fruits juices coat the tongue, discover a world of pure imagination. Lemons, Greek Yogurt, Pickles, Sour beers all put on a candy sweet mask. How does it happen? It’s not the result of some mind-altering drug (though some foodies are getting together for “flavor-tripping” experiences that pair the miracle fruit with sour foods). This berry native to West Africa induces a small switch in perception in the signals the tastebuds send to the brain all because of the pulp’s naturally-occurring active ingredient – aptly named Miraculin.

Miraculin binds with the molecules which act as sour receptors in your tastebuds, building a little bridge that bypasses the bitterness and places you safely in Sugartown. Some conspiracy theorists will tell you its ability to mimic sweetness is so effective, Miraculin’s use for large-scale production was allegedly squashed in the 1970’s by the dominant sugar companies of the day. Some folks found out how to extract Miracle Fruit’s Miraculin and use it for large-scale production (though its effects weren’t as strong those found in whole, fresh fruit form). Just prior to approval, FDA required miraculin be categorized as an additive rather than a simple food stuff which would require years of further testing and money that miraculin backers did not have. Efforts to find out why the sudden obstacle appeared also ran into trouble. Requested reports related to the Miraculin proposal obtained through from Freedom of Information Act revealed missing documents, blackouts and redacted information. Pretty shifty stuff that undoubtedly left a sour taste in the mouths of miraculin proponents.

All of the chicanery, however, doesn’t mean we in central Florida can’t enjoy the actual berries for ourselves today! Lucky for the Audubon Market the Emerald Knight, for just a couple more weeks has some miracle fruit from his own crop. Get them tonight from 6-10pm in front of Stardust – Rain or Shine – and experience this natural fruit fun for the whole family!

Local Food Boxes Delivered to Your Door

 
America is the land of the supermarket. At Audubon Community Market we’re all about making your trips to those behemoths and their sun-scorched parking lots less frequent and with lighter loads. It’s common in other developed countries to grab just a couple days worth of items on the way home from work, or in between errands, so why can’t we?

If the hassle of carrying over ten pounds of grocery from the market has proven cumbersome, or if you don’t want to make a grocery trip every three days, Audubon vendor MyYardFarm, the maker of edible landscapes and distributor of local food, brings you MyFoodBoxes – quite literally.

All you have to do is place your order every Monday while shopping or just hanging out at the Audubon Community Market. On Friday you will receive a food box at your doorstep or you can choose to pick up in Winter Park (520 Clay Street, Winter Park FL 32789).

Food Boxes can accommodate a complete diet with over 7lbs of local produce plus proteins such as all-natural bacon and grass-fed beef, Raw Dairy, Lettuce and Microgreens. Boxes range from $60-$95.

The basic vegetarian Mega Staples Box is $60 with over 7 lbs of seasonal local produce. Following is what you’ll find in this week’s box, delivered on July 10th.

Hydroponic, Organically Grown: Butter Bibb Lettuce Assorted Local Seasonal Produce:  This Week, July 10th – Tomatoes, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Bell Peppers, Sweet Cubanelle Peppers, Cucumbers & Pickling Cucumbers, Eggplant, Non-GMO Corn, Green Beans My Yard Farm Micro Greens Mix – 4 Oz Bag Lake Meadow Naturals Farm Eggs, Dozen. (No Antibiotics or Hormones) Grass Fed Raw Milk, 1/2 Gallon – Natural Springs Dairy (Pet Consumption Only) Grass Fed Raw Butter, 8 0z. – Natural Springs Dairy

Homes within a five mile radius of My Yard Farm location in Winter Park receive delivery free of charge. Those outside this zone will pay a nominal fee. Ask My Yard Farm crew for further details and information on weekly subscriptions.

Produce also available for purchase on the spot tonight from 6-10pm in front of Stardust.

Wrest yourself from the grips of the supermarket today!

Fourth of July Shopping List

 
Fourth of July is THIS SATURDAY everyone! Make your celebrations of the highest quality with local ingredients and be careful who you give the fireworks to. Take a look at the list below for culinary inspiration.  These Audubon Market vendors have you covered.

Be safe this weekend and Be kind to your body always. Check us out tonight, the storms will be done by 6pm, and after that it will be a cool, breezy market until 10pm!

Ozark Dreams – spicy dills, salsas and spreads, these pickles made from local produce are amazing and a must-have at your BBQ.

Wild Ocean Seafood – Seatrout, Mullet, Royal Reds, and Smoked Fish Dip. Cinthia has all of the cooking tips to make dishes your friends will never forget. Ceviche recipe here.

Buttermilk Bakery  – Amazing pastries like their artisanal pop-tarts. Their blueberry jam recipe should come in handy.

You’re going to be grilling, a sharp knife is crucial. Chef’s Edge has you covered.

My Yard Farm has Lake Meadow Naturals Eggs. These eggs in Deviled form will crush all opponents.

Local Summer Ceviche Recipe!

 
What do you know, Florida, it’s as hot as panther paws out there. Don’t put yourself out of the game by eating the buffalo bleu fried chicken sub for lunch.

Be strong like Jes & Cinthia. Get your protein from something that is easy, tropical, refreshing, and most importantly no oven-use required.

You can do it with this simple, tasty ceviche recipe from Wild Ocean Seafood!

2lbs peeled/deveined royal red shrimp
 

1 can of coconut milk

1 can of water (use the coconut milk can)

1/2 TBS cumin

2 Bay Leaves

1/2  Purple Onion sliced very, very thinly

Kosher Salt

5 Oranges (or 12 Tangerines) Juiced

6 Limes juiced

1-2 Merritt Island mangoes, peeled, cubed.

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Spread out thinly sliced purple onion onto some kind of pan or surface. Pour Kosher salt liberally onto all of the onion (this will help get some of the bitter taste out). Wait 20 minutes and wash the salt out. Pat down onions gently with paper towel. Set aside.

2. Pour coconut milk and water onto a large sauce pan. Add the bay leaves. Turn up to med-high heat, let it get to a slight boil.

3.  Place shrimp inside sauce pan and turn off stove. Leave shrimp in for about a minute (you are trying to let slightly poach and do not let them fully cook, they should still be raw inside).

4. Strain the concoction and immediately place shrimp in the cooler so they cool down.

5. In the meanwhile, mix together the orange and lime juice in a non-metal bowl. Add the purple onions, cumin, and cubed mango. Mix well together and then add the cooled down shrimp.

6. Let it marinate for about 2 hours before serving. If you are serving it the next day, use the brown or white shrimp instead.

Shoot the chilled ceviche juice for extra power!

New Vendors...And Blueberries!

Hey, Orlando!
We’re keeping it fresh with a new round of vendors selling quality local and artisanal product to round out your market experience.

And to celebrate blueberry season we’ve included fantastic blueberry jam recipe courtesy of the newest market vendor Buttermilk Bakery! Get your fresh blueberries from Heart of Christmas farms and get down with this scrumptious jam tonight.

In the meantime, take a gander below to see what kind of shopping you can accomplish every Monday going forward.

Don’t have time to shop and cook in the same night?

Grab some yummy Empanadas made with chicken, beef, pork, guava, veggie or cheese.

Farm-Haus prepares delicious, complete meals using local produce. Their Meatless Mondays meals are a hit. They bring extra meals to purchase on the spot. To reserve individual, children’s or family meals, be sure to place your order by 5pm.

Stay hydrated during these summer nights.

Enjoy Sol Juice cold-pressing all the best juices full of essential vitamins. Try the Watermelon Juice made from Frog Song Organic melons.

Pick-up your grains for the week, made fresh on market day.

Masa, non-GMO handmade tortillas. These scene-stealers on taco night also go great with eggs in the morning or beans at lunch.

Orlando Bread has fantastic bagels, fresh-baked Italian bread, and mouthwatering onion bialy.

Garnish your week with tasty treats to keep you going.

Ozark Dreams pickles seasonal local produce. They will be a welcome addition to your summer BBQ.

Buttermilk Bakery can’t seem to keep their product on the market table. Get there early because these delectable pastries go fast. Read on for their simple, but amazing recipe for Blueberry Jam, great for tart & pie fillings or just old-fashioned toast topping. Sidenote: You can get fresh, local blueberries from Heart of Christmas farms.

From Taissa of ButterMilk Bakery…

This recipe isn’t really a strict recipe…more like a guide that can be tweaked
according to each person’s taste…

2 pints fresh blueberries 

1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar, depending on how sweet your berries are and/or how sweet you prefer your jam

1 tsp fruit pectin (or more as needed), we like Sure Jell

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, usually 1 lemon (optional)

Wash your blueberries well and place in a medium saucepan with the sugar. Make sure to taste the fresh blueberries first to get an idea of how much sugar you’ll need; the amount of sugar varies by the fruit’s natural sweetness and your preference.

Cook over medium heat until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to
incorporate the fruit and sugar.

Taste the syrupy jam to check for sweetness. Be careful, it’ll be hot (obviously)! If you prefer a sweeter jam, add some more sugar. I’d recommend starting with 1 tbsp at a time to make sure you don’t over-sweeten it.

Add the pectin and cook for 10 more minutes over medium heat. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. At this point if the jam is still too runny for your liking, add 1 teaspoon of pectin and cook for 10 more minutes over medium heat.

Repeat until you reach the desired consistency. Remember that the jam will thicken as it cools, so don’t get too nervous if it’s still a bit on the runny side.

Lastly, add the lemon juice, if using. Lemon juice nicely balances the sweetness of the jam and adds another dimension. But if you’re not into it, our feelings won’t be hurt.

Wait until the jam has cooled completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep for up to a week for ultimate freshness.

Mix into your morning yogurt, eat with toast or even mix with fresh fruit for
delicious pie fillings!

MASA Makes Old-Fashion Tortillas

 
It’s pretty easy to get excited about tacos. They’re handheld pockets of deliciousness that hit all the flavor bases. But tragically, too often the tortilla is an afterthought, merely a vessel for savory, sweet, spicy and saucy. We prep the taco fixings with care, sourcing the best local ingredients to impress our palates, and then rip the plastic off a stack of tortillas and toss them in the microwave. So what happens when we treat the tortilla with equal care, taking them out of the factory-produced, store-bought realm? Vicky Salgado and Karla Valladares will tell you it turns something tasty into something transcendent.

For these two Hondureñas handmade tortillas are not just a delicious addition to dinner, it’s a cultural tie they were not about to give up. Salgado has fond memories of tortilla makers selling product door-to-door in her hometown of Morolica, taking orders the night before and showing up with fresh tortillas just in time for breakfast.

Pressing each tortilla by hand, Vicky uses dough made from 100% non-GMO Masa – the special flour to which the brand owes its name. Masa is the result of a specific variety of field corn broken down through a natural nixtamalization process and then milled into flour.

Since launching the business with her Tia Vicky, Karla has pledged a new-found allegiance to the non-GMO brand.

“I will never go back to Maseca,” Valladares say referring to the leading conventional brand. “Seriously [non-GMO Masa] has a better taste, it’s not so bland. Just the smell! You can actually smell the corn when it’s cooking.”

In addition to tacos, the hand-made tortillas can be used as a delicious side for any dinner particularly those including beans. Or try them in the morning with avocado, central-american style crema, eggs and hot sauce.

They will keep in your fridge for up to six days kept in a tupperware or plastic bag. Heat them up in a saucepan and add a pinch of salt, butter, or oil for extra flavor.

The result is a delicious, moist, savory, earthy alternative to the gummy, chewy mass-produced store bought stacks of tortilla.

Tortillas are made the day of the market and sold in packs of 5 for $5. See the video below for a quick peak into this labor of love. Scroll further down for Market Tacos recipe and give tortillas the attention they deserve!

Masa makes the tortillas​ from Audubon Market on Vimeo.

Market Recipe!

Market Tacos Recipe including Vendors

• 1 lb Grass-fed Beef / Goat – Orlando Meats $10
• Veggie Option – $5 eggplant from R & B Organics, $5 Microgreens from Natural Goodness.
• Squash – R & B Organics $3.50
• Gouda Cheese – My Yard Farm $6.50
• Fleet Greens – Fleet Farming $4
• Chimichurri Rojo – Isle of Salsa $5
• (2) packets of Non-GMO HandMade Corn Tortillas $10 – Masa

To start: sauté ground beef or goat for 10 minutes. If using goat, a leaner, high-protein red meat, curry and/or cumin is a fantastic complement. Add curry/cumin to meat an hour prior to cooking. On Medium-high heat, brown the meat for a minute or two.

turn to Medium-low and cover. If you wish to add onion, throw them in just before the switch to lower heat.

Dress summer squash in a little olive oil with a sprinkle of kosher salt and perhaps a dash of garam masala. Toss in with meat with 8 minutes remaining.

Make sure all the pink is gone from the ground beef/goat. If you have a meat thermometer, you want it to reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

When done cooking remove from heat.

For a veggie alternative, oven-bake R&B organics eggplant and squash.

Cut eggplant into ½-inch cubes, dress in Isle of Salsa Chimichurri (Green or Red). Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. Cut squash into ½-inch cubes dress in olive oil and salt, bake for 25 minutes.

Heat up tortillas in a covered saucepan just above the warm setting, or throw in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than two minutes. If you have it, drizzle just a little bit of coconut oil and sprinkle salt over and under tortillas for added scrumptiousness.

Wash off the the freshly harvested fleet greens (they were in Audubon Park soil not more than 48 hours prior) and put them in salad spinner or shake in colander for a bit. Place greens in bowl and dress in chimichurri rojo.

If using the veggie option, top with Natural Goodness Microgreens for extra protein.

Now, take out those delicious, warm non-GMO corn tortillas and get ready to enjoy a delicious meal made from items produced by your neighbors. Better for your body, the environment, and your tastebuds!

Instagram the finished product and tag us @audubonmarket

Delicious Snacks Don't Travel Far

 
Audubon Market loves it when our vendors turn quality local product into delectable treats. On Friday, chemical-free & preservative-free product maker Enamored with Nature headed over to SunDew Gardens in Oviedo to source some scrumptious carrots and fresh eggs for her power muffins.

Participating in Sundew’s CSA Harvest Gardening program.  Enamored’s Amanda Dumas brought the family to walk through the furrows and cull carrots from this beautiful homesteading farm.

Check out the photos below to see the family working together to source delicious local product on a lovely Florida day, finding a few huckleberries along the way :)

Come get those power muffins at the market tonight. They are amazing as a refreshing afternoon snack or an energizing start to your day. Try them with a nice glass of cold, effervescent kombucha!

For more photos & vids on our vendors’ production practices follow us on Instagram

Farm-to-Your-Dining-Room-Table Cuisine

 
This might take a lot of will & imagination, but for a second, just stop what you’re doing and pretend that Boston Market isn’t a consistently disappointing pile of junk. Their rotini-mac isn’t neon, chicken not soggy, cornbread not a butter brick. Visualize that they’re actually churning out good meals that don’t lead to heartburn. Suspend your disbelief further and ask, “What if they not only actually delivered on their promise of quality, home-cooked fare, but if they also just delivered?”

It’s getting pretty fantastical, we know. Throw in the use of good local product and recyclable materials and we’re getting into fever-dream territory.

But wait, Orlando: It’s not a dream. This is a real business and it’s definitely not Boston Market. Welcome to the culinary scene, Farm-Haus.

For a long time, if Audubon and the surrounding neighborhoods wanted a quality home-made meal they had to spend two hours preparing it. Those days are important and obviously we at Audubon Market believe they are essential to a complete, healthy lifestyle. That said, this isn’t Little House on the Prairie. We have computers now, and they tend to be as distracting as they are helpful. So the next time you’re in between emails and you realize you probably won’t be making a grocery run today, holler at Farm-Haus. They very cleverly made it their job to prepare and deliver quality dinners for Audubon, Mills50, Colonialtown North and Baldwin Park. Whether roasting an eggplant to a perfect salty-sweetness or cutting a zucchini french-style, they take extra special care in their work and we are ecstatic about having such passionate individuals at our market.

Brittany and Patrick Lyne first got into the culinary world in college, where they shared a love for good food, both in taste and quality. Patrick worked as a cook in kitchens growing up and throughout college, whereas Brittany focused on the health component of food, attending several trainings and seminars as the President of Colleges Against Cancer and leading her school’s Relay for Life. After college, both pursued careers in their fields, with Patrick taking a detour into Financial Services and Sales, and Brittany eventually starting her own freelance communications consulting business. Being “busy” working professionals with little time to spend in the kitchen, Brittany and Patrick started to dream up a concept in which a slow-fast food company would deliver ready to eat meals at the click of a button. Something that sounded like a dream, but the more they talked about it, the more real it became. It was then that the concept, Farm-Haus, was born.

They deliver delicious meals Monday through Thursday, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Want dinner tonight? All you have to do is order your meal before 5pm daily to have dinner delivered to your door that very night. This week’s fare alone includes Korean BBQ with kimchi fried rice, Bourbon & Cola Meatloaf with whipped potatoes and collards, and a local sweet potato and plantain burrito for Meatless Mondays. Adults and kid-sized portions are available with desserts, as well, such as their scrumptious lemon-basil blueberry handpies. 

You can view this week’s menu and place your order at Farm-Haus’ website here: http://www.farm-haus.com/

If you haven’t high-tailed it over to their site already, and you know someone who deserves a quality meal delivered to them – maybe a new Mom & Dad, a Mother of three or someone on a 60-hour work week – you can also gift a meal through the Farm-haus site here: http://www.farm-haus.com/gift-a-meal/ 

All meals are created in-house at East End Market by the newest member of the Farm-Haus team, Chef Julian De Garden. Chef De Garden is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York. Prior to Farm-Haus, he worked at other local good food restaurants including Smiling Bison and The Ravenous Pig. His focus is to take high-quality, interesting ingredients, and to highlight their natural flavors for the customer—something that directly aligns with the values of Farm-Haus.

The Farm-Haus crew is a strong addition to the local slow food scene; come see them every Monday at the Audubon Park Community Market to pick up a ready-to-eat meal and to shop additional finds with our other local vendors. They put quality first, and we couldn’t be more delighted to see them using local producers, particularly the greenest greens of Audubon’s most sustainable vendor—Fleet Farming.

 Yes, this all seems a bit too good to be true, but once local crooner and food ambassador for Farm-Haus, Dan Hanson, saunters up to your doorstep to deliver you freshly hand-crafted Farm-Haus meal, things will fast become real… and real delicious. Meet Brittany and Patrick in person every Monday night at Audubon Market, to find out more about their food philosophy and gain pointers on cooking quality, local ingredients.