Page 51 - Sonoma County Gazette 6-20

Cool as a Cucumber...
* INFO: ilovefarmersmarkets.org ** YEAR-ROUND
Check with your local farmers’ market to see if they are offering curbside service or other options to help minimize contact and encourage social distancing. Together we can all “flatten the curve.”
SATURDAY:
Healdsburg Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 12p. West parking lot btwn North & Vine, Healdsburg. 707-824-8717, healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Oakmont Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 9a – 12p, at the Wells Fargo parking lot corner of White Oak and Oakmont Dr. 707-538-7023**
Petaluma Walnut Park Market ~ 2 - 5p, 4th & D Streets, Petaluma *
Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a-1p TEMPORARY LOCATION
at 1501 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa 415-999-5635 * & **
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 1p. Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket.com 707-522-8629**
SUNDAY:
Sebastopol Farmers’ Market ~ 10a -1:30p Sebastopol Plaza, Downtown Across from Whole Foods Market sebastopolfarmmarket.org **
The Springs Community Farmers’ Market - 9a-1p, on the Plaza at Boyes Blvd. and Hwy 12 next to the Post Office, CalFresh. *
Windsor Certified Farmers Market – Opens May 3, 10a - 1p on the Windsor Town Green, 701 McClelland, Windsor. windsorfarmersmarket.com
TUESDAY:
Forestville Certified Farmers Market - Opens July 7 thru Sep 29, , 4p to 7p. at Forestville Downtown Park, frint St @ Mirabel Rd. INFO: Mary, Market Manager @ 707-766-4597, forestvillechamber.org/forestville-farmers-market
Petaluma East Side Farmers’ Market ~ 10a -1:30p, Year Round, Lucchesi Park, 320 N McDowell Blvd, Pet. INFO: 415-999-5635. *
WEDNESDAY:
Cotati Community Farmers’ Market - 4:30 - 7:30p starts June 3 thru Aug 26 @ La Plaza Park W. Sierra @ Old Redwood Hwy. *
Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market - NEW TEMPORARY LOCATION: Farmers Lane Plaza, 1501 Farmers Ln, Santa Rosa ~ 9a - 1p, 415-999-5635 * & **
Santa Rosa Original Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 1p. Luther Burbank Ctr, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket.com 707-522-8629 **
THURSDAY:
Petaluma Farmers’ Market Theater District - starts June 4 thru Aug 27. 4:30-8p btwn 2nd St btwn D and B Streets
FRIDAY:
Occidental Community Farmers’ Market ~ 4 - 7p, @ 3611 Bohemian Hwy., Occidental. INFO: occidentalcommunityfarmersmarket.com
Rohnert Park Farmers’ Market - 4 - 7p at the R.P ibrary Nprth parking Lot on 500 City Center Dr. *
Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 9a - 12:30p, Arnold Field, 241 First St West (across from the Depot Hotel.), Sonoma 707-538-7023, svcfm.org**
Stay safe. Stay strong. See you soon.
By Kelly Smith
The days are getting longer and it looks like we are all destined for a
staycation this summer. The great thing is looking to your own backyard for things to enjoy. One option is to venture out to your local farmers market and look to discovering what’s in season. June brings lots of sweet fruit and delicious vegetables.
One of my favorites veggies is cucumbers. They are so versatile. You can
use them in salads, on sandwiches or just enjoy eating by themselves. Did you know that cucumbers originated in India around almost 3000 years ago. There are many varieties which are categorized into 3 ways slicing, pickling and seedless. Cucumber are a part of the curcurbitaceae family which also includes watermelons, pumpkin and squash. I love lemon cucumbers and often eat them like an apple. Lately, I have seem some interesting varieties including Dragon’s Egg cucumbers at market.
Cucumbers were cultivated in Egypt as noted in the Bible. Evidently the Egyptians made a weak liquor from the cucumber by cutting a hole in the rip fruit, stirring the inside with a stick to liquefy it, plugging it up and burying it for a few days. The concoction was unearthed and consumed. I don’t encourage you to try this at home. You might instead want to infuse some cucumber into vodka instead. Not only does it sound safer but also tastier.
Cucumbers were also cultivated by the Greeks and the Romans. The Emperor Tiberius was said to have demanded that they be on his table every day. To meet the demand, his gardeners fashioned some containers which they moved from place to place. Later, the Romans advanced plant forcing structure technology (and cucumber production) by fashioning frames covered with translucent panes of silicates not unlike our modern cold frames.
Columbus during the Age of Discovery is credited for taking cucumber to the New World along with many other vegetables. He introduced it to Haiti in 1494. In 1539, De Soto judged the cucumbers found growing in Florida
to be better than those of his native land of Spain. By 1806 eight varieties of cucumbers would be found growing in America’s colonial gardens.
In more recent history scientists have found cucumber to contain a
number of beneficial phyto-nutrients. It seems that cucumber has been
used medicinally through out the centuries. Physicians in the 17th century prescribed placing fever patients on a bed of cucumbers so they would become “cool, as a cucumber.” Additionally, it was thought that if cucumbers were eaten three times daily, red noses would be healed and pimples on the face would disappear.
I am not sure how much of the folk lore is true but it’s fun to know that vegetables have been enjoyed through the ages.
Cucumber Lime Martini for Father’s Day
2oz cucumber vodka (you can make your own or buy some)
Directions
Toss cucumber vodka, triple sec, and
lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice,
then shake. Pour the prepared drink into a martini glass. Garnish with cucumber slices and mint.
Kelly Smith is Executive Director of Agricultural Community Events Farmers Markets, a local nonprofit that operates 8 Sonoma County Farmers Markets. ilovefarmersmarkets.org
Ingredients
1oz triple sec
1 lime, freshly squeezed
1 cup ice
2 cucumber slices for garnish mint for garnish
Sip and enjoy.
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