Farmer's Market Extravaganza

About 2 years ago, I discovered the wonder that is the State Farmer's Market in Raleigh. Visiting the market has become a summer tradition with my coworkers over our lunch breaks. It makes a great midday break, and the produce available is amazing. The quality is far and away better than even the best grocery stores, and the prices are typically cheaper. Plus, I just like knowing that my money is going directly to the farmer, and not to grocery stores and distributors.

Although the market remains open year round, the available produce is definitely not quite as stellar during winter and the early spring months. Late spring is always exciting, when there is suddenly a huge selection of beautiful looking produce. Check out what I got when I visited before my trip last week:

I've spent some time researching the best way to store produce. Perhaps this is common knowledge, but I always just assumed that all fruits and vegetables should be kept in the refrigerator. Apparently, this is completely untrue. This page has a really helpful table to help you know where to store everything. Here are some of the surprises:

Do not refrigerate:

Apples (if storing for less than 7 days)

Tomatoes

Basil

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Mangoes

Oranges

Peppers

Watermelon

You should definitely check out the table with that article - it's extremely helpful!

I spent time tonight planning recipes and a shopping list for the week. I'll be sure to post some recipes soon!