Tour of the Markets-Twin Bluff Farms, Stockholm, WI

One of my motivating factors in starting this blog was my love for finding new, creative challenges in the kitchen, whether that be from a market, store, or outside with my own hands,. This time of year, farmer’s markets are popping up all over, and have seemed to increase with popularity every year. Not to be left out of the fun (FOMO, right?), I’ve decided to check out some of these new, or new to me, markets. In the spirit of this blog, new experiences, joy of the journey, and, well, why not?, I’ve decided to set some ground rules to keep me outside of my comfort zone.

Instead of filling my basket with my familiar favorites (ok, full disclosure, there will still be some of that), I will be limiting my purchases to the produce in prime season that week or specific to that particular market, and in the week to follow, trying at least one recipe highlighting that ingredient at the forefront. This will help provide the creative opportunities in the kitchen for the week to come, and hopefully timely enough for you to enjoy some of the recipes (or avoid the now known mistakes) that I am able to provide! Don’t miss the recipes in the links below!!

My first visit was one of the most picturesque markets I may have ever been to. Set between two bluffs just off the Mississippi River, Twin Bluff Farms was not only gorgeous and fragrant with the new apple blooms, but also came with the backdrop from a calendar of the beautiful Lake Pepin.

Before entering the orchard and market, I was met with a warm greenhouse filled with the start of this year’s plantings, from herbs to flowers, to landscape shrubbery.

As I explored the grounds and breathtaking scenery, I learned about this farm’s offering as a special occasion location and venue, recently hosting several weddings.

While the inside was still under set up for the season, a few sneak peeks showed more than enough to almost hear the glasses clinking and dancing shoes moving-just gorgeous.

Since this market visit was fairly early in the season, it was a smaller market, with many of the vendors present having arts, crafts, indoor baking, and home goods, displaying many items including handmade cards, honey, candles, woven apparel, soaps and lotions.

The local produce did not disappoint, with large bundles of fresh picks-Swiss chard, greens, asparagus, dill, cilantro … I was ready to get this challenge started! To kick things off, I would start with chard and dill as my ‘main ingredient’ in this week’s cooking challenge. In line with my rule to not be persuaded with go-to vegetables, I chose these because I have limited experience with them, and as each holds it’s own strong and distinguishable flavor, I thought I had my work cut out for me in showcasing these beauties, in a dish I would want to eat, and dare say, share with others!

Let the cooking begin….
I decided to tackle chard first, as I feared it may be slightly more perishable than the dill. When I think of chard, I envision a bitter green that is typically prepared with an acidic component to temper the strong flavor. That being said, the strong flavor is also unique, and if cooked properly, really adds a great taste. Not having a lot of experience with this vegetable, I decided to try cooking it with a few different techniques: puree, sautéed, raw, and steamed. I’ve posted each recipe from the week below the photo, and would love to hear feedback or suggestions on how you use this!! As you will read in many upcoming posts, I am not positioning myself to be the expert here, but fumbling my way through a journey of kitchen experimentation, and hope to come out of this summer with a new appreciation and knowledge of food.

Swiss Chard Salad with Feta, Apple, Almonds, and a Lemon Vinaigrette

Swiss Chard and Olive pasta, with Fresh Herbs and Toasted Walnuts

The next ingredient I knew would pose more of a challenge for me, since it is typically a side enhancement more so than a main ingredient. For that reason, I tried to use it a few different ways, playing with the strength both cooked, seared, and raw. With dill, the saying holds true that a little bit goes a long way, and I am glad to report that I have a lot of this left, and will continue to experiment!

Dill and Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna, with Pickled Onions and Creamy Dill Sauce

Dill Soup with Spinach, Avocado and Feta Cheese

This week’s adventure was a great first round, and I am excited to see the summer unfold, with new tastes, new locations, and wonderful stories from all of those I have and will meet along the way!

The joy is in the journey, and I hope you join along with comments and thoughts so that we can share in this together.

I am also posting this on my Facebook page if you would like to follow me there, and please share with others!

Thank you for tagging along,

Hannah (your fearless culinary visionnaire)