Farmers Market Offers Plenty of Mother’s Day Options

The first week of Farmers Market at the Muskingum County Fairgrounds was a success.  The weather was perfect and the crowd was good.  Hopefully the number of shoppers will continue to increase each week as more vendors with more goods to offer arrive at market.

            Sunday, May 12^th is Mother’s Day, so Saturday’s market is the perfect place to purchase a gift for your mom.  Hanging baskets, plants for her flower beds, and homemade crafts will be available in wide selection so you can find just the right thing.  Better yet, make a date with your mom and bring her to market.  You will get to spend quality time together and she can pick out just exactly what she wants.

            Mother’s Day also marks the date after which most people feel it is safe to set out annual plants so now is the time to purchase your vegetable plants and annual flowers.  Whether it is a small home garden, flower beds along a sidewalk, or large farm fields, as I drive around during the month of May, I always have fun looking at planting in progress.  It is such a joy to see seeds and plants being put into the ground that will become something beautiful and/or delicious in the course of a few weeks.

            With all of the good food available at market, why not buy something special and make a nice meal for your mother that she doesn’t have to cook.  Pick up some brats, chicken breasts, or steaks for an easy main course on the grill.  For a side dish, asparagus is a great early season vegetable available at market right now.  I have made it twice already this season and both times I simply sautéed it until tender in a skillet with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper then squeezed some fresh lemon juice over it.  It was so fresh and wonderful.  My mother wouldn’t touch asparagus with a ten foot pole, but for those with less picky mothers here is an easy recipe she might like. (www.food.com)

The Best Asparagus Lemon Pasta

1 lb asparagus
1 lb linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon zest, freshly grated (from about 3 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup basil, finely chopped fresh leaves
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Cut the asparagus into 1/2 inch slices.  In a steamer set over boiling water steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, set aside. In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for pasta. In a deep 12-inch skillet heat butter and cream over moderately low heat until butter is melted and stir in zest, lemon juice, and salt. Remove skillet from heat and keep sauce warm, covered. Add pasta to boiling water and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Ladle 1/4 cup pasta water into sauce and drain pasta in colander. Immediately add pasta and asparagus to sauce and cook over moderate heat, tossing, 1 minute, or until heated through. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Sprinkle pasta with a little Parmesan and serve more Parmesan on the side.