THURSDAY AT THE MARKET:
Please note: October 11th the market closes one hour earlier, as it's getting
dark! New hours are 2 pm to 5:30 pm

WEATHER: Thursday will be very fall like, highs in the 60s, with a
chance of rain. Come anyway! <http://www.weather.com/weather/local/02478 >

To find us on try using this Google Map
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Cross+street+at+Channing+road
Please check the website at www.belmontfarmersmarket.org for more
information on the market, its vendors, and how you can get involved,
plus the calendar of events. See our newly posted photos! You can also
help give us valuable feedback by filling out our quick customer
opinion survey.

Apple Contest Award Winners! Pleased to announce the winners of the
2007 Belmont Farmers' Market Apple contest.
GRAND PRIZE
Larry Weathers Apple Crostada: See recipe online at
www.belmontfarmersmarket.org
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
First Becca Tananbaum Shortbread Apple Pie
Second Julia Siegel Applesauce Cake
Third James, Madelene, and Francesca Celi-Kitch Nonna's Applesauce
MIDDLE SCHOOL
First Frances Mooney Pear, Apple and Cranberry Crisp
Second Sally Rifkin and Abby Shuster Apple Sorbet
Third Rebecca MacInnes Apple Dessert
HIGH SCHOOL
First Emily Rourke Apple Crumble
ADULTS
First Carol Martin Apple Cake St. Amand
Second Betsy George Apple Crisp
Third Ariane Belkadi Crepes filled with Cranberry Applesauce

Thanks again to our judges:
* Paul Browne, head of Belmont Schools Food Services
* Delores Keefe, Belmont Town Clerk
* Cassie Norton, Belmont Citizen-Herald reporter
* Bob Sargent, Flora restaurant in Arlington
* Scott J. Soares, Acting Commissioner of the Massachusetts
Department of Agricultural Resources
* Martha Sweet, Federation of Mass. Farmer's Markets

We'd also like to thank the local institutions who provided the gift
certificate awards including Belmont Toys, Kitchen on Common, Terra
Firma, Charlesbank Books, Stone Hearth Pizza and the Farmers' Market
Committee.

LINKS: Check this link for a printable calendar of the time frame for
the availability of Massachusetts grown crops
http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/Availability.pdf

EVENTS:
Saturday, October 13, 2007 in Cambridge Harvest Festival 2007
Check out this celebration of the school garden harvest and local food
systems from 11am to 4pm at Amigos & M.L. King Schools, 100 Putnam
Ave., Cambridge 02139.

Learn more about the importance and pleasures of local produce and
whole food at this family-friendly annual event held at a public
school in Cambridge. Meet area farmers and sample what they grow.
Visit the hands-on 'food court' featuring two dozen booths where
children and adults can learn how food is made, have a chance to taste
it and even try their hand at making it themselves-including fresh
apple cider, pasta and cheese. See live animals that make the food we eat,
including bees, ducks and the worms that keep our gardens healthy. Be sure and
tour the school garden and see the outdoor classroom an urban school uses for
teaching elementary and middle school. See http://citysprouts.org/ for more
information.

Monday October 15th 7pm One more event to put on your calendar, Vandana
Shiva will be speaking in Cambridge next Tuesday evening at 7pm at the
Cambridge Family YMCA 820 Mass. Ave. See this Local Harvest Listing
for further information.
http://www.localharvest.org/event.jsp?id=13592

Vandana Shiva is a
physicist, eco-feminist, environmental activist, and author. The
author of Earth Democracy, Water Wars, Staying Alive, and several
other books and articles lays out, in practical steps and far reaching
concepts, a program to ensure food and agriculture become more
socially and ecologically sustainable.

PERFORM!
We are still looking for brave souls interested in performing at the
market. It's a great way to get some practice before a welcoming and
kind audience. Professional talent not required. Email
belmontfarmersmarket@... or respond to this email to sign up for
times.

RECIPE: In case you are tiring of all the apple desserts, here's a
fall friendly recipe using another seasonally available product:

African pumpkin and peanut stew

3/4 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, or canned
olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 red and 1 green hot chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, tightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup peanut butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped

Soak the black-eyed peas overnight, then drain, rinse and place in a
large saucepan well covered with fresh water. Bring to the boil, boil
hard for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 45-60
minutes until tender. Drain.
While the beans are cooking, start the rest of the stew. Heat the oil
in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook,
stirring, for 7 minutes or until the onion is softening. Add the
garlic, chili, ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon and cumin and cook for
another minute. Add the pumpkin and 1 cup of water, and stir well.
Measure out the peanut butter, and then gradually stir in the
remaining 1/2 cup of water to form a thin paste. Add this to the stew,
bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about half an
hour, until the pumpkin is tender. Taste for seasoning and add salt
and pepper as needed. Add the drained, cooked black-eyed peas and the
chopped peanuts, stir through, and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve over rice, with some chopped coriander leaves sprinkled over.


BONUS RECIPE:
Larry Weathers' Prize Winning Apple Crostada Recipe
Crust
Mix together these dry ingredients
1 and 1/2 c white flour
quarter t baking powder
quarter t salt
and then cut in and add:
Butter one half c
Sugar 2 T

Add, tossing lightly:
1 egg beaten with 2 T ice water and 1 t vinegar

Roll dough on floured surface or between plastic or wax paper and
chill while
preparing topping. Dough will be thin, and can be a free-form
rectangle of about
10 x 14" or a circle or any shape you like!

Topping
Thinly slice 3-4 large peeled apples
Toss with a mix of a quarter cup flour and one half cup sugar

Sprinkle
2 T lemon juice
cinnamon to taste (but heavy is good!)
Add a small dash of vanilla, tossing to coat the apples.

Place dough on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Top with one layer of the
apple mixture tightly spaced on the entire crust and then sprinkle with one
quarter cup additional sugar.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, 375 for 15 additional minutes or until golden brown
as desired.

Remove/ separate parchment with long knife/slide onto rack to cool.
Best eaten within a few hours. Crust may get soggy overnight.