chester county farmers' market season in bloom

Yesterday, May 7, marked the opening of two of Chester County's farmers' markets, the West Chester Growers Market and the Phoenixville Farmers' Market. Since I am slightly obsessed with attending all the farm markets I can in one day, I was sure to hit up both wonderful spots in this county!

As I previously mentioned here, B and I are fiends for a fine loaf of sourdough bread, and thanks to Big Sky Bread Company at the WC market, we almost gobbled a whole loaf of apricot, raisin and walnut wheat bread in an easy ten minutes. I adored seeing the wide assortment of Amish cheese across from the doughy stand, too, but saved my cheese purchases until I hit Phoenixville borough.

It is always a pleasure to see Sue Miller, cheesemaker of Birchrun Hills Farm. Being that it was opening day of the market, Miller was slinging a brand-new, incredibly-creamy (and a must-try) raw milk cheese, Little Chardy, as well as my favorite, the Truly Blue, a 60-day aged collaboration cheese made as a farewell for Amazing Acres Goat Dairy with half-raw milk and half-goat milk.

Did you attend either market? What were your favorite vendors amongst the bunch? I was also floored to nibble on Miller's spicy grass-fed beef sticks, and additionally, pleased to see  first year vendor, Mompops, in the Phoenixville roundup.

farmers' market of harrisonburg, virginia

Taking a quick road trip to Harrisonburg, Virginia this weekend to partake in a family friend becoming a Mrs. to her Mr., B and I had a few hours on our adventuresome hands prior to their 2 o'clock celebration.

A gushing gal over any area's farmers' market, as they highlight the true individuals who represent the local, flourishing landscape, I was quite pleased to see that we waltzed into Harrisonburg's prosperous output.

Established in the area's downtown location, the local market had triumphantly became a success, enough to, in the last few years, construct a gorgeous pavilion to nestle their wide offering of vendors underneath.

Of course, my hungry eyes aimed straight toward the local cheese makers, particularly Pam Green's Green Haven Farm Cheeses. Based out of the surrounding rural town, Woodstock, Virginia, the family goat farm raises Nubian "girls," who are milked twice a day and are fed orchard grass/alfalfa hay, which is mixed by the farmers themselves. 

An adoring fan of their natural feta, Green Haven also crafts soft cheeses like their Chives and Garlic, Western Ranch, Southern Ranch, as well as hard blends like their Cheddar & Jalapeno Cheddar.

Of course, in addition to fine cheeses, my need sweet teeth always gravitate toward any market's sugary stash, and Candace Willis' Willow Run Bakery's whole grain fermented concoctions have allowed me to develop a loving crush. After years of baking with white flour, she kicked her main grain to the curb, replacing the beneficial whole wheat as her main canvas of many of her recipes.

While her attractive assortment of whole grain loaves appeared as a crowd-pleaser, we agreed to grub on her bear claws, which were deliciously sugary, without killing the recipient with richness. (Have to admit, I almost snatched more than my fair share away from B, as his bodacious bites far surpass my lil' nibbles.)

Harrisonburg Farmers' Market, S. Liberty St., Harrisonburg, Virginia, 540-476-3377

elverson introduces their own farmers' market

Local warrior of the “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” movement, Evan Elizabeth Miller of Elverson, believes that every town and city needs to have a farmers' market — a reason she teamed up with the local community to premiere, as of last week,The Farmers' Market of Elverson.

Miller, who grew up on a local family farm, wanted to collaborate with other residents in the nearby community to accomplish an output that would serve the area with fresh, nutritious food from the surrounding masses.

“I also wanted to provide an outlet for local farmers to have their goods be purchased and appreciated while keeping money in our local economy,” she said.

 

An inside source from the farming industry, the local resident confessed that “the ways we purchase our food also have had an impact on the ability of local farmers to operate profitably.”

“The way our food system has evolved," she continued, "it has really cut most people off from nutritious healthy food. Growing up on a family farm, I've seen my family struggle to continue on our tradition, while managing the bills that come along with farming.” 

In hopes to assist local agriculturalists and independent producers in the area, Miller organized the Saturday morning market, held every week from the middle of June to the middle of October, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Livingood Park of Route 23.

“Currently, we have eight vendors, but are most likely adding a ninth in the next few weeks,” she said. “Products range from organic and heirloom vegetables, potted plants, grass fed meats, smoked and goat cheeses, seasonal fruit, organic Amish style pretzels, locally roasted coffees, and grass fed free range eggs.”

Additionally, she said that she hopes to add a raw milk vendor to the lineup in the upcoming months.

“I think the market is a great way to build community and provide an opportunity for neighbors to see each other on a regular basis,” she said.

Vendors of The Farmers' Market of Elverson are as follows: B&H Organic Produce of Morgantown; Twin Valley Coffee of Elverson; Nancy's Heavenly Treats Bakery of Pottstown; Weaver's Orchard of Morgantown; Conebella Farm of Elverson; Sunnyside Farm of Elverson; Gladiolus Farm of Elverson; and Oh My! Pretzels of Chester Springs.

The Farmers' Market of Elverson, 83 West Main Street (Route 23), Elverson, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

two cool cookies know ice cream and cookie combos best

Oreo cookies have their charm, as do whoopie pies, but when it comes to dessert sandwiches, nothing trumps the classic ice-cream variety.

The ice cream sandwich — invented sometime around the 1890s — has long pleased tastebuds, far before the Chipwich attempted to steal the show.

However, even spanning a century's time, ice cream has not been left out of the sandwich trend, and local residents Jessica Viscusi and Marisa McLaughlin have reestablished the icy sugared squares via their organic and local ice cream and cookies' business, Two Cool Cookies.
The bakers and ice cream makers, both raised in Phoenixville, "have shared endless memories and countless scoops of ice cream and cookies" over the years, beginning when they met at age 14, during the summer at a local field hockey camp.

From classmates and great friends, to business partners and now mothers, Viscusi and McLaughlin decided two years back to provide the local community with delicious and good-for-you desserts that wouldn't compromise the sweet treats' taste.

"Everybody loves cookies and ice cream," said McLaughlin. "People are looking for healthier alternatives that are also organic, and we are a green indulgence."

The crafty ladies, McLaughlin of Chester Springs and Viscusi of Eagleville, conceptualized Two Cool Cookies from scratch, both the cookies and the ice cream blends, using all-natural, simple ingredients combined with the best produce of the local area.

With strawberry season on the brinks, the females recently visited Willow Creek Orchards of Collegeville to purchase pounds of berries to swirl within their organic milk blend, one that uses Seven Stars' Farm's heavy cream.

"We use all organic products and as much local as we can, too," said Viscusi. "We like to feature what's in season, so we rotate our combinations to keep up with what is fresh."

Renting a certified kitchen in Berwyn, Two Cool Cookies, with the assistance of several ice cream makers, sculpt their rectangular ice cream squares from scratch as they freshly prepare for their stand at the Phoenixville Farmers' Market.

The sandwiches aren't stamped out either, but instead hand-shaped and baked, with the founders putting each sandwich individually together themselves. From shortbread and graham cracker, to chocolate and chocolate chip, the food-loving females case their sleek rectangular cookies outside of a generous amount of homemade ice cream.

"We found that the sandwich construction was kind of like crafting," said McLaughlin.

Two years ago, the duo premiered their concoctions at the local market, taking a year off last year until they reemerged this summer, with their first day back on Sat., June 12.

"We were well-received," she continued. "We saw a lot of familiar faces from years ago, even the regulars came back and it was nice to see them."

With a fresh strawberry and strawberry cheesecake creamy ice in tow, Two Cool Cookies will now, besides offering their beloved ice cream sandwiches, also be selling eight ounce containers of their blends.

Several of their ice cream flavors that are worth a mention include their apple pie, lemon mascarpone, peanut butter, orange cream, mint chocolate chip, pumpkin, black raspberry, and of course, classic vanilla and chocolate.

Two Cool Cookies will appear at the Phoenixville Farmers' Market on select weekends, and at least once a month. The deliciously-minded duo also invites the area community to request special orders for parties and functions.

And, while their ice cream and cookie combinations are sweet, savory and endless, the important question is why such a moniker as "Two Cool Cookies": "We are doing a sandwich made of two cookies that are cooled by ice cream — it just works for us. Also, there are two of us," concluded McLaughlin.

honey chevre spread of shellbark hollow farm

Donna Demchur Levitsky (seen above) of West Chester's Shellbark Hollow was sweetly manning her cheesy station this Saturday at Phoenixville's Farmers' Market. Having the pleasure to encounter her whole goat milk cheese blends, I was incredibly impressed with the idea of her honey chevre spread as she suggested it paired perfectly with Asian pears.

Promoting a wild assortment of spreadable cheese smears, in addition to gorgeously jarred marinated chevres, a glorified stop at these freshly-aged, creamy offerings was undeniably a preview of what it could be like in my constant daydream of a cheese heaven.

Also to note, local chefs and mongers for the past several years have additionally spouted the brilliance of this locally-produced cheese, including Meritage, Nectar, Di Bruno Bros.

 and Talula's Table.

Above: I enjoyed the honey chevre generously-smeared on a slice of Saint Peter's Bakery's whole grain apple walnut bread.