This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

This  Week at the Market

• Saturday 9am-Noon Greenwood Commons 54110 Hwy 55 Durham, NC 27713
• Special Market Guest: Derek Treuer Sampling vegan chili
• In Season; cabbage, kale, potatoes, carrots, squash, eggs, and bread.

Sunchokes to the Rescue
Punxsutawney Phil predicts we are in for another six weeks of winter, but even so, our farmers are able to magically bring produce to market in the middle of February. (It seems like magic, but I suspect it’s actually really hard work.) After all the cold, cloudy days, rain and snow, Fickle Creek Farm will still be bringing a hardy little tuber called the sunchoke. (It is also known as a Jerusalem artichoke though it is neither from Jerusalem nor related to the artichoke.)

Sunchokes are actually an indigenous plant, once cultivated by the Native Americans. They grow tall, almost 7 feet, with star-like yellow blossoms that betray their kinship to the sunflower. And, despite all the energy the sunschoke puts into its appearance above soil, we cultivate them for their roots.

If you stop by Fickle Creek Farm’s stall, you will see that the tubers look like the mature ginger root. (In fact, I initially mistook them for ginger.) In taste, sunchokes are a sweeter, waxier version of the potato. You can use them in almost any recipe that calls for potatoes, parsnips or turnips. They hold up well to frying and roasting, but keep in mind that sunchokes do cook faster than their root vegetable counterparts.

Spring is less than six weeks away, so enjoy the sunchokes and other winter vegetables while they are here!

Community Cooking Club's First Meeting
If you love to cook and support local farmers, then come join us for the first meeting this Sunday, February 9th at the Mediterranean Grill & Market from 2pm to 3pm.

Click here for the full article by the South Durham Farmers' Market