A love letter to the Red Stick Farmers Market
I was raised on fresh fish and farm stands on the east coast of Florida, with these foundational nourishments woven into my DNA. When the invitation to move to Louisiana arrived, my first question was, “Is there a farmers market?” On the initial visit before the prospective relocation to Baton Rouge, my husband and I strolled through the Red Stick Farmers Market on a picturesque Saturday morning precisely 10 years ago. Farmers market indeed.
We indulged our senses with live music and local strawberries perfuming the air. We bought a basketful for weekend snacking in our hotel room. At the far end of the closed-off street, a seafood truck was selling fresh catch: shrimp in every size—peeled or shell-on, snapper, grouper and even crawfish tails. I convinced my husband I could get them safely back home in my suitcase, eager to try my hand at crawfish étouffée in my West Virginia kitchen.
It was an easy YES to Baton Rouge, and these 10 years have been more magical and fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. The Red Stick Farmers Market is my weekend sanctuary and my first stop for groceries for the week. This treasure is the home of real food, a place to find everything from artisan breads to the freshest zucchini, local honey to hibiscus tea, and to shake the hands of the farmers who feed us.
Saturday markets are at Main Street Market at the corner of Fifth and Main. Weekday markets circulate around town, including the local landmarks of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center parking lot on Thursdays and seasonal Tuesdays at the Main Library at Goodwood.
Early on, one of the staff members recognized me as a poster child of the market and invited me to lead a cooking demonstration featuring the best of the season. It was a “pinch me” moment. I recall making a salad featuring a beautiful bouquet of green onions and local pecans. Fast forward, and after undergoing painstaking renovation, the Main Street Market hosts local chefs every Saturday in its state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen, a major upgrade from the previous space. It is a hive of activity, with nutrition education that also extends into schools.
It has been a red-carpet welcome to this wonderful place. My love for the local food scene runs as deep as the Mighty Mississippi, and the bounty I bring home from the market nourishes mind, body and spirit. I went from timid traveler to forging forever friendships. A recipe from the market’s deputy director, Lisa Gray, features the best of the season, and it is one I turn to for a quick meal that is also company-worthy.
Happy Cooking!
Lisa’s Real Shrimp Fried Rice
With thanks to Lisa Gray, Red Stick Farmers Market’s deputy director, who welcomes playing with the recipe to include whatever is in season
1 lb. medium-sized peeled and deveined shrimp, drained and patted dry
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided use
1 small onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 small bunch broccoli, chopped into small florets, stems diced
1 large carrot, grated
2 eggs, whisked to blend in a small bowl
3 cups cooked rice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Toss shrimp with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, just until they turn opaque, about a minute or two per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
Add onions, bell peppers and broccoli to skillet and cook until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add grated carrot, toss to combine, then push vegetables to perimeter of skillet to make room for cooking egg pancake.
Pour remaining 1 Tbsp. oil into bottom of skillet and add whisked egg. Let it sizzle and cook in one layer, just until it is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Chop cooked egg into small pieces in skillet with a spatula and push it out to perimeter of pan with vegetables.
Add rice to center of skillet and cook a minute or two to heat rice through. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil, and toss it all together. Stir in cooked shrimp and green onions and serve.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Swiss Chard Salad
The beautiful rainbow chard caught my eye, and I gave it a cucumber salad treatment, dressing it with soy and sesame and finishing with toasted sesame seeds.
1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and dried, leaves julienned into thin ribbons and stems sliced thin
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. hot honey
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Place prepared Swiss chard into a large bowl. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot honey, sesame oil and vegetable oil in a small Mason jar. Cover and shake well to blend. Drizzle dressing over Swiss chard and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Strawberry Season
We are lucky in Louisiana to have recurring strawberry seasons. When strawberries first appear at the market, I usually buy more than we can eat and wonder what to do with the abundance. Here are my 10 tried and true strawberry success stories:
• Homemade strawberry ice cream: You can’t go wrong. Ditto for sorbet or frozen yogurt.
• Breakfast parfait with berries: Plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey if you wish, a handful of sliced berries, toasted nuts or granola
• Strawberry crepes: I actually once served homemade strawberry crepes to an exchange student from France. He thought that was cute, but likely a far cry from his home country’s version.
• Fun popsicles: Rinse and dry large strawberries, and skewer a popsicle stick through the stem and freeze. Enjoy as a frozen treat.
• Strawberry smoothies: Wash, dry and halve or quarter strawberries and freeze in a single layer. Pop the frozen berries into an airtight container in the freezer and use for smoothies all summer long.
• Strawberry sandwich: Toast 2 slices of good bread. Spread one toasted slice with almond butter and sprinkle a few dark chocolate chips on the other, smearing the melted chocolate to the edges. Top one of the toasts with sliced strawberries and sandwich the 2 together. Cut into triangles and share with a friend.
• Midnight snack: Rinse and snack on them in your hotel room.
• Pink drink: Blend with fresh-squeezed lemonade and serve over crushed ice.
• Strawberry salad: Top your favorite mixed greens with sliced strawberries and roasted pecans. Dress with strawberry jam jar dressing.
• Strawberry currency: Barter with a friend for a homemade pound cake and serve it with shared strawberries.
