Saturday, April 30, 2011

FarMar opening day and coconut milk soft serve

Today was the official opening day of the Minneapolis Farmer's Market, and true to the "spring" weather we've been having, it was cold and pouring rain. I braved the elements anyway, and picked up a few things:

A dozen eggs, some cheddar cheese, a few wintered-over parsnips, and freshness! Lettuce, green onions, thyme, parsley, and chives. I did also see some spinach at the market this morning, but didn't think I could get through the huge box of lettuce AND a big bunch of spinach, so I chose the lettuce.

Even though it was slim pickings this week, I'm so glad the Farmer's Market is back! I am so happy to see some local, fresh veggies after our long, hard, snowy winter.

ALSO, I ran up to the Wedge this afternoon to pick up a few things, and while there, tried their new coconut milk-based soft serve ice cream -- I tried the vanilla straight-up, and also in a milkshake made with the soft serve and rice milk. The soft serve alone is excellent! It does have a hinty-coconutty flavor, so if you detest coconut, this probably wouldn't be for you, but I love coconut, so I loved this. The texture is lovely, it is just the right consistency, and not cloyingly sweet, either. Blended into the milkshake, the coconut flavor was less present, but it did have that slightly gritty rice milk texture. Despite the grittiness, I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon treat! I'm thinking a milkshake might need to become a grocery-shopping mainstay? What do you think? :) (I do still have to try the chocolate, after all!)

The rest of my day has been filled with more cat drama, (his follow-up appointment resulted in another procedure, a very messy Oliver, and a very messy bathroom after we got home,) and a little baking (I'll take a photo later, promise!) Off to clean up the kitchen so I can turn around and mess it up again!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That is my absolute favorite kind of lettuce! I work downtown so get it at the Nicollet mall market pretty much every week. Do you eat the flowers? They told me they're edible but I'm still squeamish.

Yum I'll have to check out that soft serve too, thanks for the tip.