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Week of August 18, 2008

August is a great month for local produce. Local is a big sound bite these days. The advantages of having local produce and food stuffs are obvious when you think about it. Most people do not need the news media to tell them that less fuel was used in transporting local stuff. It keeps money in our local economy which is always a good thing and it is definitely fresher. There are a lot of local products that when in season are far superior to the shipped in stuff that you wonder why we still get the same thing from California, Mexico, or half way around the world. Yes, the benefits of local are many.

We have been local since 1673. Our farm has been farmed since then and this year we celebrate our 100th year of being in the retail business. Our retail beginnings in 1908, being a much humbler location than it is now; meaning a bushel in the front yard. My Dad still farms on this property and in Middletown. He is entering his 8th decade, six of them farming. He continues to grow his favorites including raspberries, blackberries, tomatoes, melons, and other vegetables. Of course as we grew we bought produce from other local farmers. It was necessary to satisfy our growing clientele. The landscape has changed in New Jersey and there are not a whole lot of farmers left, but we buy
whenever we can from some of the best including John Samaha in Matawan, Nick Russo in Allentown, and others. New Jersey still grows a lot of plants for your yards. We have many Jersey growers bringing us annuals, perennials, and nursery stock to beautify your yard and please your senses. Yes, we too get produce and foods from around the world. From olive oil from all over the Mediterranean to red peppers from Holland, to melons from the islands, it is our desire to get you the good stuff wherever it may be found. However, our heart and heritage is right here in New Jersey.

The local availability is the best that it can be in late August. Mother Nature’s bounty is over flowing. Corn, Peaches, and tomatoes are to me the triumvirate of perfection right now and if you are not eating at least one of the 3 at each and every meal of the day you are doing yourself a disservice. Most of the typical summer veggies such as zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, all peppers, and cucumbers are all local right now. Most herbs like parsley, cilantro, mint, and arugula are local! Right now, from my Dad’s farm we still have magnificent blackberries, the fall raspberries have started, our own tomatoes and our version of a grape tomato, a very sweet variety called Juliet (a reference perhaps to the sweet Shakespearean character we all know from our high school years), and lastly we are about to pick 2,000 beautiful cantaloupes. They are a wonderful variety that my Dad grew in the 70’s called Goldstar. Goldstar is a hybrid of the original musk melon. They have that wonderful musky flavor lost from California cantaloupes, but if you are familiar and a fan of the charantais or cavaillon melons we have that from France or the islands. You will appreciate this wonderfully sweet, juicy and delicious melon! They are great on their own, warm, or chilled. They are super with fine prosciutto; and in a classic way reminiscent from my youth stuffed with vanilla ice cream. How is that for three ways to serve melon; Diet, International, or
classic American! Anyway, our melons are as local as they get. We will have them for about a week. Melons are another one of those foods to have almost every day.

So I know everyone is saying how quickly summer is going, but in the local produce world it is entering its prime and will linger well into October. You still have plenty of time to eat local, eat fresh, and eat healthy. Enjoy the fresh fruits and veggies from New Jersey, Monmouth County, and right here at Sickles Market in Little Silver! Thanks for your patronage.

Eat Fresh

Bob

P.S. Have you joined..."The Good Stuff Club," yet?