Last Saturday was the worst weather in current market history. Heavy rains and strong wind gusts made the opening hour of the morning difficult for farmers and vendors who were holding on to their tents and protecting their goods.
The rain didn’t end until 8:30 a.m., and several vendors packed it up and headed home calling the day an entire wash. (Pun intended.) Eventually the skies cleared, and patrons showed up in droves turning it into a pretty good day for everyone involved.
Tons of food. The big news: the first sweet corn of the season from Kliess and Schottman Farms. Unfortunately, it sold out before I got any, but thankfully there will be more coming Saturday along with more potatoes, peaches, nectarines, green beans and zucchini. We are sure to see more tomatoes in the coming weeks as all the great heirloom varieties begin to ripen up. Plenty of basil and garlic will be available as well.
For the adventurous:
Grilled Peaches “Melba”
Recipe Courtesy of Bobby Flay
4 (1/2-inch thick) slices pound cake
8 firm-ripe peaches, halved and pitted
Vegetable oil, as needed
1 quart vanilla ice cream
Raspberry sauce, recipe follows
Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan. Grill the pound cake, turning once, until slightly charred. Divide the slices among 4 plates.
Brush the cut sides of the peaches with oil and place on the grill, cut-side down. Grill until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the peaches over and grill until almost soft, about 1 minute more.
Cut the peaches into about 1/2-inch thick slices.
Place a scoop of ice cream on each grilled pound cake slice. Top each with some of the sliced peaches, drizzle with the raspberry sauce, and sprinkle with the almonds. Serve.
Raspberry Sauce:
1 pint fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Framboise, optional
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Strain into a small bowl. Sauce may be refrigerated for 1 day.
Yield: 1 cup
Market on the Square runs every Saturday from 7 a.m.-noon, rain or shine now through Nov. 8. It is located in the parking lot of Urbana Square Mall on the corners of Vine and Illinois streets.