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Saturdays to September 28th | 8 am to Noon
Beargrass Christian Church, 4100 Shelbyville Road
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Farm in the Spotlight
Organic Acres
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Organic Acres is our Spotlight Farm this week. This 100-acre farm in Odon, Indiana is located off U.S. 231 about 92 miles from the Market and is certified organic. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Graeber are the 2nd generation of the Graeber family to farm this land (beginning in 1959) and they are passionate about real foods that are nutrient dense. The Graebers six children work the farm with them and it is a true family operation.
To replenish the soil, they plant cover crops, apply manure for fertilizer and rely on soil testing to ensure the foods they grow are nutrient dense. Soil samples are sent to the State lab for analysis and only certified organic ingredients are added back in to the soil to achieve proper balance. Using no chemicals or pesticides, Mr. Graeber believes that if a plant is fed right, pests are manageable.
Born and raised on the farm he owns, Joseph Graeber's Amish family has realized through farming just how connected everything in this world is. He says, "Connecting with nature makes you realize you are part of the plan. What I have to do is figure out my part."
Organic Acres is a founding farm of the St. Matthews Farmers Market and fruits are an area of expansion for them. Besides the delicious onions, tomatoes, beets, cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, golden beets, potatoes, beans, cherry tomatoes and corn that are staples of their selection, they grow strawberries and raspberries. They cultivate their own seed for their sought after tomatoes, a practice they began in earnest 6 years ago, and start them in December of the year. The first of March they start them in the high tunnel ensuring they are ready for the Market as early in May as possible.
Their farm is also home to a state-licensed kitchen and baked delicious fried pies of peach, cherry, apple, lemon, pineapple, and raspberry. You have to be an early bird to catch one of those light, flaky, sweet iced pies before they sell out. They also bake homemade angel food cakes, cinnamon rolls with more of that sweet, near perfect icing, and zucchini bread. Introduce yourself next time you are at the Market, and make sure you buy a pie!
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What's at the Market this week?
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Sweet Corn is here! Visit Gallrein and take home a bag of corn! Cucumbers and all varieties of squash are in. Heirloom tomatoes are making their debut. Organic Acres from Odon, Indiana has beautiful green beans and so does Jackson's Produce. Paul Tokosh of Hillview Orchard has wonderful popcorn for $1.25/lb. and some great looking dried apples. Barbeque will be plentiful and served with homemade sauces by Kentucky Smoked BBQ. Peaches are available by the basket. At 10 a.m. John Wilhoit and a selection of brass musicians from Beargrass Christian Church will offer patriotic music. Our morning's musical guest is Lewis Mathis. Our alternate vendors are Blueberries of Daviess County, Kentucky Made & More, Mayan Connection, Blueberries of Daviess County, Scarlett's Bakery, Splendid Bee, and Tim Burton's Maplewood Farm.
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Featured Recipe
Cucumber Salad
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Our featured recipe this week is Cucumber Salad and it comes from Charles Hambley of Hambley Farms. Cucumber season is upon us so don't let summer get away without making this staple of weekend dining. The liquid is one cup water, one cup sugar and one cup vinegar (don’t forget the salt and pepper and your favorite herbs). Cut up cucumbers (Charles uses a mix of French Burpless, American and Oriental (aka, English)). If a person has cucumber reflux use only the English and French burpless or small Americans so the seeds are soft and digestible. Charles recommends cutting the cucs in half long ways so you end up with half circles. Never peel them unless you bought them from someone who raised them without water in a drought (the bitterness concentrates in the skin). If you insist on peeling, add seven minutes to the recipe (five minutes to find the peeler and two to peel). Cut up a sweet pepper or two (red is better, but green is cheaper and the Cajun recipe calls for a few hot peppers) and a sweet onion (anything else is a waste of time). Some people will add a garden fresh sweet tomato, but Charles only does this on the last pass with the pickling juice (juice can be reloaded with ingredients for two weeks unless it gets contaminated with a juicy tomato). Combine the ingredients so they are covered with juice. If they are not covered, Charles uses the one, one and one pickling juice recipe to make more juice so they get covered. Put in refrigerator for four or five hours and it is ready to serve. Charles usually makes the recipe the night before. Charles remarks, "What is great about the recipe is that as you use it, you can keep adding cucs, peppers and onions to make it as the children’s song says (It’s the salad that never ends, it goes on and on my friend, etc., etc.) At the end of two weeks I usually start over. This is great for cookouts in that it can be made in advance to lessen the stress of having one more thing to do when the crowd arrives." Enjoy!
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Maker in the Spotlight
Gelato Gilberto!
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Celebrating lucky 13 years in business in Louisville, Justin and Kristin Gilbert, of the artisanal gelato company, Gelato Gilberto, are original St. Matthews Farmers Market vendors. The two operate a gelateria in Norton Commons, a mobile gelato cart that goes to events and private parties, and a thriving wholesale operation in the burgeoning Portland neighborhood.
You can also find Gelato Gilberto in restaurants throughout the region and even at the new Omni Hotel. Justin, who is a graduate of Carpigiani’s Gelato University in Bologna, Italy is a true artisanal gelato maker. That means he makes everything from scratch. As a Kentucky Proud member, they source all of their milk from Kentucky dairies, local honey and bourbon! Seasonally, they source local berries, peaches and herbs.
Pistachio is their signature flavor and they always sell out. The Gilberts specifically import their pistachio paste from a city called Bronte in Italy. The pistachio paste is an expensive ingredient. Justin adds, “I tell my daughters that the dark green pistachio paste looks like crushed up dollar bills. But we are committed to the Bronte pistachio because it produces the best result.”
At any given time, Gelato Gilberto features up to two dozen of the more than 100 gelato recipes Justin has created. As a trained artist, Justin has been making things his whole life. The gelato business goes in hand in hand with his natural creative abilities. Because they make everything from scratch, they have absolute freedom in their flavor creation. Justin comments, “We can make any flavor you can think of. As far as inspiration goes, it can be the seasons, it can be the farmers’ market, it can come from a pastry recipe. One of my favorite gelati that I ever created I got from a bakery recipe – poached pear tart. I modified it for the use of gelato and turned it into poached pear zinfandel gelato.”
Gelato, the Italian way of making ice cream, differs from American ice cream in three ways. It uses more milk and less cream and thus, less fat. And because it has less fat, it has a softer texture. Most people think that gelato contains more cream, and more fat. Ironically, the creamy texture is a result of using less fat. Think of a stick of butter and how quickly and how hard it can get at even 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter is over 90 percent fat. Gelato has about 5 percent fat content. It also has less air, it’s more densely packed. It’s also served at 8 to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, which has a less shocking quality on the palate. American ice cream is served at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below. So those three factors combine to form a more intense taste.
The Gilberts love making gelato because it “democratizes luxury”. Justin adds, “We can serve people an excellent, hand-crafted, healthy product that almost everyone can afford and enjoy. For two people who met because of their love of art and Italy, having a business, and specifically a gelato business, provides a means of creative expression as we constantly seek new flavors, techniques, presentations and meaningful ways to engage and support our community.”
During their training about 14 years ago, the family lived in a town in Italy called Montespertoli. It had a population of 11,000 that supported two gelato shops, seven or eight coffee shops, a big supermarket called Coop, and fruit stalls everywhere. Living there, they experienced true community and modeled that when they returned to the States. Justin shared, “And for whatever reason, we gravitated toward Bar Fiorentina. We know Simone and his stepson [the bar’s proprietors]. We’d go back a year later and they would still recognize us. You walk in and they’re making your drink before you say anything. Similarly, I have people who walk in and the first thing I say is: “I’m sorry. We’re out of pistachio!” Because I know that’s what they’re looking for.” It goes beyond customer service; it’s a relationship.
But you don’t have to travel to Italy to experience this sense of community, you can stay right here at the market. Greet the Gilberts’ daughters, Rose and Lily, and enjoy their gorgeous, artisanal, italian ice cream made with local milk, local fresh fruit, and ingredients imported from Italy!
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Join us at 10 a.m. when musicians from Beargrass Christian Church offer Patriotic Music! Sing A Long!
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