Daily Loaf

Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar.

Caribbean Night at Greenwise- Friday, August 28; 4-7 pm. Join us for this storewide event and sample the food, wine and music from the Caribbean. Publix Greenwise Market- 2403 W. Azeele St., Tampa. 813-250-0129.

Kayak/Yoga Outing- Saturday, August 29; 7-10 am. Roger McKeever guides a 45 minute kayak trip to an island where he leads a yoga flow practice on a beautiful, secluded beach. Bring lunch and enjoy a picnic upon return to shore. $55 (w/ kayak), $45 (if you bring your own kayak). Meet at Fort DeSoto Causeway. Space is limited; reservations required: 813.961.3160.

Ellenton Farmers Market- Saturdays; 8 am – 1 pm. Ellenton Farmers’ Market will be the largest year-round market in florida that specializes in “green” natural, organic and environmentally friendly products that makes for a healthier lifestyle and a better environment. Located just North of the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton, Florida (exit 224, Old Exit 43, off I – 75).

Saturday Summer Market- every Saturday through September 19; 9 am-1pm. Brought to you by the Saturday Morning Market, this market features the same great vendors (food, crafts, art) as the original market, but this one’s in the shade of the Mahaffey Theatre parking garage. 400 1st St S., St. Petersburg. (which is just 2-3 block south of our current location at Al Lang stadium).
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My Saturday habit is to start the day at a farmer’s market. Instead of going with a menu and specific ingredients in mind, I choose what looks best and design my menu around what I buy and this week the stars of the show were the peaches.

They’re in season within 100 miles of my home, getting from the farm to my table quickly. This means they are picked at their peak and I get to enjoy a peach that is dripping with juice, has a heady aroma, and tastes…. like a peach.

One of the best ways to enjoy peaches like this is sliced, chilled and topped with a drizzle of good quality heavy cream. But this Saturday I was having company for dinner and wanted something more. One of my dinner guests was my mom, who doesn’t eat much in the way of sweets.

This peach shortcake recipe was pretty, homey and very tasty. The base is a faintly sweet biscuit that gets a flavor and moisture boost from sour cream. The peaches have just a bit of sugar added to help coax out juices to drizzle on the cake. Whipped cream adds a touch of vanilla for a sweet quality without extra sugar. Read the rest of this entry »

When you decide to start the journey of eating nutritionally, locally-grown should be your quest. As I have stated before, the only way to insure you’re eating nutritionally dense food is to find food harvested within 3 days. Since most people don’t have the time or resources to do what I do everyday, your local farmers’ market is the best source for good stuff.

The number of farmers’ markets has soared in the last 10 years. Recent data states that there are over 4,500 around the country. This research also shows that over 30 million people visit farmers’ markets every year. Kinda mind blowing numbers if you think about it.

In Florida, we have over 100 farmers’ markets. I haven’t found any numbers for attendance, but I would estimate that it would be in the 500,000 range. Respectable.

But let’s not get bogged down in the numbers. The key is finding the food you desire. In the Tampa Bay area there are some great markets, but also some that miss the mark. Read the rest of this entry »