Employees with The Meadow Farmstead are seen at the Saranac Lake Farmers’ Marker. (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

The first Farmer’s Market of 2025 was damp and chilly, with threatening thunderstorms. The weather kept some of the regular shoppers away. It was good to see old familiar faces again. A few were missing. Blue Pepper Farm wasn’t there with their delicious sheep yogurt. There were some new vendors as well. I bought arugula and other greens from Meadow Farms.

The farmer’s market fills your senses with musical entertainment; painting, pottery, wood crafts and jewelry; fresh flowers, fragrant pillows, balsam fir massage oil and aromatherapy; ointments; and a myriad of taste sensations from local restaurants and farms. You can talk to local growers, learn about products you’re less familiar with and taste before you buy.

During the winter, we’re limited to vegetables we can buy in the store or the garden produce we’ve stored in the freezer. In the summer, however, fresh, local produce is plentiful. Whether you grow it yourself, buy it at a roadside stand or shop at a farmer’s market, you can enjoy the season’s most succulent foods. Summer means fresh tastes — just-picked lettuce and spinach, asparagus and rhubarb, herbs, leafy braising greens and other seasonal vegetables. Locally grown fruits and veggies, picked fresh at the peak of ripeness, are tastier and more wholesome than those that have traveled cross-continent in refrigerated trucks to the supermarket’s “fresh produce” aisle.

I plan my week’s menu around the vegetables and fruits that are in season. This week, the market was flooded with a variety of greens: many varieties of lettuce, salad mix, spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens, baby bok choy and herbs like chives and parsley. There were also radishes, turnips, green onions, garlic and cucumbers. Other good things to eat included breads and pastries, sauces, organic cheeses, chicken and eggs free from hormones and antibiotics, maple products, local wines, jams and jellies. Many products were available to sample and awaken your palate. Coffee and fruit drinks were on hand to quench your thirst.

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Fresh chard or spinach frittata

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This recipe is for freshly harvested tender young greens.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup water

10 oz. fresh Swiss chard or spinach

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Butter (or bacon)

Directions:

Beat eggs with milk, salt and a little water. Remove the tough stems; wash and chop the tender leaves finely. Stir them into the eggs in batches. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Immediately pour in the egg and greens mixture into hot butter, cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat to low. Cook until eggs are set, about 10-15 minutes.

Option: Cook bacon to render fat (in place of butter), then pour the mixture over the cooked bacon.

Serves 2.

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Fresh greens and bowties salad with savory vinaigrette

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Ingredients:

Savory Vinaigrette:

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Pasta Salad:

2 cups bowtie pasta, uncooked

1/2 pound (1 bunch) fresh lettuce like Romaine or leaf

1/2 pound fresh greens, torn into bite-sized pieces (like arugula, dandelion or spinach)

3/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 cup diced sweet onion or scallions

1 cup diced cucumber

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (1 small rib)

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Hard-cooked eggs, sliced or shredded, 1 per person (optional)

Directions:

To make the vinaigrette, crush the garlic with salt. Whisk in mustard, honey and vinegar. Add olive oil in a steady stream while whisking constantly. Mix well. Set aside. This can be made 1 or 2 days in advance, which allows the flavors to blend.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Mix half the dressing (1/4 or 1/3 cup) with the hot pasta and set aside. This can be done in the morning or even the evening before.

Chop and toast walnuts, and set aside. This can also be done in advance..

At serving time, place the remaining dressing in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Toss greens into the dressing to coat. Stir in remaining vegetables, cheese and walnuts. Add pasta and stir to combine. Serve at once. Garnish each serving with sliced or grated hard-boiled eggs, if using. Serves 6 to 8.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite @yvonawrites.