Come mid August, the weather always begins to settle down - It's still hot but the stickiness begins to dwindle. You can walk outside with no worries that your clothing is going to stick to you and your hair is going to take on a personality of its own. You don't have to worry so much about pumping the air conditioning on sonic blast the second you get to your car. Better yet, you don't have to be concerned that the air blowing sonic blast out of your car vents for the first 30 seconds isn't the temperature of 500 degrees. Those first 30 seconds are always so raunchy!
Regardless of how hot and muggly the weather, there are so many things to see and do here in The Twa. Everything from cultural festivals, boat cruises down the Rideau, camping and fishing, historical museums, beautiful parks and beaches, wine tastings, fleamarket's, sidewalk sales, live music and patio gatherings.
Since I was a little girl my favourite summertime dinner has been BBQ steak, baby potatoes (with butter and sour cream), fresh green beans, corn on the cob and cucumbers soaked in vinegar. This is why my favourite part of the summer is the abundance of roadside stands and farmer's markets that sell fresh fruits and vegetables. Coming from a country background, I have had the opportunity to visit some of the most amazing markets and stands that Ontario has to offer; which is what brings me to my excitement of the day.
Yesterday afternoon babygirl and I went to the Parkdale Market in Wellington West's area of The Twa. The air that surrounds the market is so fresh and sweet from all of the tables lined with produce straight from our local farmer's fields and gardens.
Cutest eggplant head ever :)
I love fresh garlic so much! These rows of garlic bulbs make me smile :)
I don't know any grocery store that has produce this perfect!
So pretty! Some of the yummiest berries to be had come off of the Indian Reserves in Quebec.
Even if the prices are a tad higher that most grocers, you can bet your pretty penny that you are purchasing the best of the best from some of the friendliest farmers you will ever meet.
Bouquets of fresh flowers are available as well.
And bananas!!!!!!!!
We met some of the nicest people in the market yesterday. One farmer that we met named Francois was happy to stop and chat with us for a couple minutes, offering up a raw cob of corn for babygirl to snack on (which as you can see from the picture above was taken down to bare cob because it was so delish). We purchased a bakers dozen of sweet (caramel) corn from Farmer Francois for $6.00. It will take presidence at our Sunday dinner this evening. We can't wait to boil it up!
Aside from the corn on the cob that we purchased, we also bought a quart of strawberries for $5, red (my fav) baby potatoes for $4 and a quart of ground cherries for $5. I've tried some crazy things before, but this was my introduction to ground cherries. As you can see they come wrapped in their own tiny little leaf lantern, which when opened, reveals a beautiful amber coloured fruit. Ground cherries are pitless and (in my opinion) have the taste and texture of a sweet plum minus the tartness of the plum skin. They were of course founded by our Native ancestors; will last up to 6 months in their hull and can be packaged and frozen, baked into pies, breads, jams and muffins. Apparently these little marble sized balls of sweetness are hard to find, so my suggestion is that if you come across any being sold, be sure to scoop some up and give them a try. They are so yum!!
The Parkdale Market is open 7 days a week from 7am to 6pm. It opens up for the season in April and shuts down again until the Spring on December 24th. Located directly behind the market is a beautiful park with a splash pad for the kids! These areas of the city make me so happy because you forget how close you are to the hustle and bustle of the downtown core.
If you are in the area, be sure to stop by for a fresh purchase, or to simply take in all of the sweet, sweet smells and vivid colours that represent our beautiful province in the summertime.
xTx
All photos © Copyright Tawny Gelinas, 2011
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