nutritionbitsandbobs

A lesson on America’s history.  A view of the liberty bell and a tour of Independence Hall.  I guess the tour guide’s mustache muffled his voice because I didn’t hear a word! Coupled with the chasing around of the two youngest monsters trying to stuff liberty bell cards down the antique vents, it was impossible to learn a thing! Plus there are the numberless needs for bathroom breaks, no matter for inconvenience or time constraint. I greatly appreciate the history of my forefathers, but more exciting to me was the farmer’s market! The heirloom tomatoes were gorgeous! The Mexican Gherkin cucumbers were super cool and the peaches were the size of my hand and smelled fantastic!! There were a few items a bit unfamiliar as well.  I tasted a Gongura leaf that I thought would be a great addition to a summer salad or an accompaniment to fish.

Purslane is actually a hardy weed that tastes similar to spinach or watercress.  It’s very mild and can be added to salads, sandwiches or sautéed in olive oil.  The stems as well as the leaves can be eaten.

There were several types of mushrooms on display, including Chanterelles. Chanterelles are of particular interest to me.  Chanterelles are nearly impossible to cultivate, requiring a symbiotic relationship with old living trees, rainy seasons, untrodden ground and perfect pH soil conditions.  Researchers are trying to find ways to commercially grow Chanterelles and have yet to be successful.  My Mom and I talked with a man at a local farmer’s market who told us that his grandfather had planted Chanterelles on a secluded piece of property 13 years prior to his harvest of these delicate mushrooms, often sold at farmer’s markets for $40 a pound.  I regretfully admit that I’ve never eaten a Chanterelle, however vow to buy a few the next chance I get! Time for lunch!! I can’t tell you how happy I was with our lunch pick! This is my kind of place! Mike and I shared an heirloom tomato salad with pickled red onions, watermelon and mint on a bed of fresh, local corn dressed with house-made corn crema.  The pie we shared had fresh fennel, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, shaved fresh garlic, zucchini and mint. It was amazing! A wood oven pizza makes the BEST pizza! Fresh mozzarella on a crust baked at a temperature of nearly 1000 degrees tastes like roasted marshmallows to me. We also enjoyed a horse carriage history tour and as always, I petted the beautiful horse and thanked him for his hard work! I wish the tour guide had included the beautiful white horse in the photo! This was the best day to conclude our holiday for me! * something you may not know:  mushrooms have vitamin B which supports metabolism and provides energy, vitamin D that maintains strong bones and helps provide muscle strength. Mushrooms also contain selenium.  Research shows that selenium helps boost immunity.  They also provide an unami flavor (a recent addition to sweet, salty, sour and bitter) and is best described as savory or pungently flavorful without sweetness. Related post: Pretzels in Pennsylvania, Amish Country, Hershey Park, Help Me To Help You!

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