Tour of the Markets-Geneva Farmers Market, Geneva, OH
If you find yourself looking for a fun drive along the coast of Lake Erie, I would encourage you to travel the extra 7 miles inland to the small town of Geneva, OH. Built around a railroad line, this town is clearly full of history, from the historical church bells to the beautiful paintings lining this downtown!
Even as modern day traffic hustled around this round-about, it’s pretty easy to see the old model T cars or bicycles that likely graced this town square.
Almost a clash of the times, brick seems to preserve the original architectural plans, and is not only functional but charming to walk along.
While the brick road may not be yellow, or take us to Oz, it did lead to this farmers market! In its third season, this market does not take vendor contracts or fees to set up, but instead asks for a donation to the hosting church. Heartwarming and welcoming to many different types of vendors!
While we are entering harvesting season, there is still no shortage of plant starters! There were tomatoes, herbs, and a variety of others still waiting to be planted!
While the taste was similar, these radishes were the topic of much conversation regarding growing, harvesting, and varieties. Very interesting shapes!
Fresh and tender broccoli that did not last very long in my fridge…even without a recipe, these are so delicate that just a steam and pat of butter is heavenly!
Lots of small and crunchy veggies were all around, keeping up with larger harvest and providing easy to snack options.
The location of this market was nestled in the back of the church parking lot, across from the municipality building. To keep warm (we just passed the rain here) and morale high, there was free hotdogs and strawberry lemonade. Delicious!
While there have been many strawberries around at lots of markets, these win some high points for looks and flavor. Wow, were they sweet!
A market just feels so much more alive when you are serenaded by music while shopping 🙂
It is always interesting to see the year’s cycle of produce and how/when people use these goodies. These peppers were usually made into salsas throughout the year, but due to the weather this year, they brought them to sell. Lucky me-check out my recipes below!!
Of course I am quite partial here…there were huge bins of garlic with beautiful colors!
Not to be outdone, ginger was present in full swing!
Many bins held below ground produce, and given the dreary day, it was hard not to think of great comfort food ideas…
Whether for culinary exploring or creative décor, these cobs are some of my favorite natural beauties!
With the booth spaces opened up to a free will donation, it was a pleasant surprise to see many arts and crafts, full of gorgeous knitting, jewelry, tie-dye, and lots more!
Even with the rain, these crafters were in great spirits and excited to show their projects.
The details of painting and beadwork was really impressive!
I keep trying to bring you some recipes with strawberries, but they often do not make it home from the markets. I was able to try a few out this week, along with serrano peppers and broccoli. While all vegetables come with their own unique characteristics, what I found myself pondering on the drive home was the definition of versatility. Here I have hot peppers, which could be used in almost any dish across any ethnicity, and will pose the biggest challenge in showcasing this instead of masking it with the spices. On the other hand, broccoli is such a diva on its own that rarely do I tamper much, and usually have this as a basic side in a simplistic form. While quite simple, both bring their own weapons to the table and I had my work cut out for me!
This week’s creations included the following dishes. Let me know if you try any, have suggestions or ideas!
Broccoli Stalk Fries with Herbed Ranch
Roasted Broccolini with Garlic Bleu Cheese Butter
Zucchini Taco Boats with Serrano Pepper Queso Sauce
Strawberry and Tomato Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
Strawberry and Serrano Pepper Chutney
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Creamy Serrano Pepper Sauce
Everything about this market was well worth the drive, from the weather easing up, to the hospitality walking in, the music and crafts, to the free hotdog as I left! All around, it felt like being wrapped in Grandma’s hug and a mug of cocoa. Not only was this charming, but I was really impressed by the wide range of produce available and excited to get home and try my hand at cooking!
If you haven’t been following along, this is a part of the Tour of the Market series that I started in the summer of 2022, as a way to explore various farmers markets and try cooking with the local and seasonal offerings that they provide. I’d love to have you follow along with me as I continue this journey! Check out the past tours here.
You can also catch the recipes as they are published by liking and following Goddess of Garlic via Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest! If you’d like to see video tours, many of these are also available on TikTok.
Thanks again for tagging along on this journey!
Hannah (your fearless culinary visionnaire)
