Food: Happy National Farmers' Market Week!

One of the many reasons I love living in St Louis is the abundance of farmers' markets to choose from. One of my favorites for true local flavor, and a good assortment of organic products, is also within walking distance! The Tower Grove Farmer's Market runs from May through October, and tends to be an all-out event on summer Saturdays thanks to a wide variety of vendors, tons of families (both local and visiting), charity organizations, an outdoor yoga class, a wading pool and playgrounds for the kids, and excellent free music courtesy of KDHX's 'Harvest Sessions'. The prices for local and organic at this market tend to be a little steep (what else is new?), but we always pick up some little treat, meet new friends, catch up with less new friends, and leave feeling a warm glow of contentment.

lovely displays...

always busy, busy...

Companion tends to offer lower prices at the TG market than at the grocery store, which is a plus - our toddler always wants one of their fantastic cookies, and the man always wants a loaf of bread...

The wading pool and pop jets in full swing. See all the beach balls? The kids had at least fifty of them...

Turns out it was only some of the most brilliant marketing ever:

Oh, and lest I forget the peaches... they are gorgeous and huge this year (these were from Sagez Farms)

Always lovely music in the pool pavilion...

And if the Tower Grove Farmers' Market makes her smile like this, Mommy's happy, too:

Food: Charcuterie and Me

I'm timid about the pig. And I'll be the first one to admit that I'm not a real foodie because I cringe at the nasty bits.
I spent almost ten years as a vegetarian, two of those as a vegan, and a couple of years afterwords as a somewhat guilty pescevegetarian. Then I discovered that, yes, I really do like meat. I just tend to like it lean (as in: I will sacrifice bits of meat just to make sure I have cut away all of the fat. Remember Jack Sprat? Yeah, I'm Jack), and to be quite honest, as far away from the animal as possible. In short, unless I have had a pre-dinner drink (or three), I am a gigantic wuss when it comes to dead animals that I am meant to consume.
Have I mentioned that I live in a foodie city, in the Midwest (aka 'Where Piggies Go To Die'), with a devoted lover of all foods porcine? Yeah.
So I've been eating pancetta, salsicca, and thick, grilled chops. Fine. I'll admit they're pretty good.

We recently discovered Salume Beddu, and were thrilled to add this wonderful shop run by friendly and passionate people to our list of favorite local go-to foodie suppliers. We picked up a few things to impress our dinner guests that night, and this is what it looked like:

Every year, I'm so glad I planted basil...

Companion always makes a tasty bread...

And I love these little jewel-like black grape tomatoes we picked up at the Tower Grove Farmer's Market...

I loved the cozy interior of Salume Beddu...

I'm not completely sold on the pig yet, but with products like these, I could learn to love even the nasty bits.... maybe...