You’re Invited! Earth Day Birthday

You won’t want to miss this Saturday at PRFM—come on over and wish us a Happy 5^th Birthday and celebrate Earth Day, too! 

There’ll be cake, birthday card making on seed paper, party hats, and an upcycled hanging garden demo by The Homestead.

PLUS, at 10:00 a.m., stop by our rock-star chef demo featuring radishes and kale prepared by the masterful Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene. As founder of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, there’s no one better to join the PRFM party this Saturday! Learn more about the multiple-year James Beard Award nominee and Southern Foodways guru here.

Also, live farm animals. Ain’t no party like a farmers market party, y’all.

- Jennifer Maley

Fennel and Fire

This week at PRFM…

Chef Demo with E.J. Hodgkinson
of Woodfire Grill
10:00 a.m. on 4/21
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
Not only is Chef E.J. Hodgkinson the skillful right-hand-man of Chef Kevin Gillespie at Woodfire Grill, but he’s also making quite a name for himself as a hot “young gun” on the culinary scene. In layman's terms, keep an eye on this kid because his future’s as bright as his food is good (very, very good). To check out E.J.’s bio, head on over to our post from last year’s demo. This Saturday he’s focusing on fennel, so come ready to enjoy one of spring’s best veggies!

Kids Learning Patch — 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Sponsored by The Captain Planet Foundation
Stop by the Kids Learning Patch tent for a family-friendly demo & activity! This week, you’ll learn about plants and their parts, how they grow, and how to plant seedlings.

Next week at PRFM…
You won’t want to miss Saturday, April 28 at PRFM—save the date to come over and wish us a Happy 5^th Birthday and celebrate Earth Day, too! There’ll be cake, seed-paper card making, party hats, and a chef demo by the masterful Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene. Ain’t no party like a farmers market party, y’all.


- Jennifer Maley

April 14 is Opening Day!

It’s been a long, hot winter, y’all. But you know spring has arrived because this Saturday, April 14 is opening day at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market! Yes, Saturday will mark the sixth season that PRFM has blown into the parking lot at the Cathedral of St. Philip like a breath of fresh (local, happy, delicious) air. Stop by and welcome the good food and good people from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

New this year, look for Farm Burger Buckhead (you know, burgers), Pure Knead (gluten- and allergen-free baked goods), Simply Fresh (salads and such), Phickles Pickles (put-ups for snacking and cocktailing), Storico Fresco Pasta (your new Italian grandmother), and Cuisine (take-and-bake vegetarian meals). Check out the full list of your old favorite and new favorite vendors here.

Saturday’s Chef Demo at 10:00 a.m. brings a market fave, Local Three's Chef Chris Hall (who's bringing carrots, by the way). With a motto like this: “People Matter Most, Local Is Priority, Seasonal Makes Sense, Authenticity Rules, Quality Governs, Delicious Trumps, Pretense Stinks, Comfort Feels Good, Appreciation Tastes Better, Prudence Sustains It All” you know you’re in for a treat. So don’t miss some great food and tips from one of the coolest locals we know—last year he brought it with not one, but three (get it?) dishes. And you know he’ll bring it to the next level for opening day! For more on Chef Hall, check out our love note to him last year…here.

What next? It’s gonna be a season to remember. All the chef demos, kids’ activities, live music, and fun you’ve come to expect from the largest producer-only market in the metro PLUS a few surprises (Friday night PRFM complete with Iron Chef competition? Yes.)—so shop early and shop often cause it’s time to get your Market on!

P.S. If you’re in need of a couple recipes to go with all the yummy spring produce you’re going to pick up (think strawberries, asparagus, lettuce, carrots, beets, broccoli & more), just take a looksie at the 40 Real Simple posted here.


- Jennifer Maley

Get the Lowdown on Spring's Most Versatile Veggie!

The shining star of spring salads, a member of the BLT triumvirate, lettuce is one of the most widely grown and enjoyed vegetables around the world. But did you know this humble vegetable has a long history, diverse varieties, and preparations that extend far beyond the salad bowl? Whether you prefer buttery or spicy flavors, there's a lettuce for you!

Lettuce is actually a member of the daisy family, and its Latin name is Lactuca sativa, from the Latin word lac meaning "milk" referring to the plant's milky juice. The common lettuce we know and love is doubtless derived from wild lettuce–found as far back as 4500 BC–and it has been cultivated for many years across numerous countries. An important food crop in ancient Egypt, it was considered sacred to the Egyptian god Min. It also grew in importance among Persian, Chinese and Roman cultures. It is believed that Columbus may have brought lettuce to the Americas, and varieties can be found throughout North and South America.

Lettuce has six commonly accepted cultivars including Butterhead (Boston, Bibb, Buttercrunch), Chinese lettuce, Crisphead (Iceberg), Looseleaf, Romaine and Summer Crisp. Flavor and texture can vary extensively from buttery to spicy, delicate to sturdy. Lettuce prefers light, sandy, humus-rich soil that holds moisture well. It grows best in cool weather (early spring, late summer) and may bolt and turn bitter under too hot or dry conditions. Lettuce tends to be high in vitamins A and C as well as folate, with darker varieties higher in vitamins.

While we're most accustomed to lettuce in salads and sandwiches, Chinese cuisine often uses lettuce in stews and soups. Feel free to get creative! You can even slice a head of romaine in half, brush with oil, and grill it for a unique flavor to your salads. Here are a few more ideas for enjoying lettuce this spring:

Salad of Spring Greens, Peas, Radishes Served with Warm Bacon Dressing

Butter Crunch & French Crisp Lettuce Salad topped with Pepperdurr Cheese and Tasso Ham & Pecan Vinaigrette

Spring Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

- article by Kimberly Coburn & photos by market volunteers

Farm Burger Buckhead PRFM Benefit

Waiting with anticipation for the Peachtree Road Farmers Market 2012 opening on Saturday, April 14? Us, too. But in the meantime, come celebrate all the good things in season now with a Farm Burger Buckhead dinner benefiting PRFM. On February 29, Farm Burger will host a four-course supper along with a mini-market featuring some of your favorite farmers selling fresh produce, eggs, and cheese. Mini-market will be held 3:30 p.m. 'til dark, with supper beginning at 8:00 p.m. Reservations are required for dinner and limited spots are available, so RSVP at 404-816-0603 starting Monday, February 20 to save your seat at this special benefit (cost is $39 + bev, tax & gratuity).

Final Market of the Year

Holiday Artist Market
December 17th, 9am-12pm
in the Cathedral of St. Philip
Join us for the last day of PRFM's 2011 season and plan to finish up your holiday shopping, too! The annual indoor Holiday Artist Market has something for every locavore on your list, with choices from fine foods like bacon, hot chocolate, and artisanal jams to crafts from 35 local artists (think handmade baskets, fabric art, glass, jewelry, wood creations, cutting boards, bird houses, candles, blooming bulbs, plants, glass beads and more). Just can’t decide? PRFM has gift cards available or our volunteers can help you create the perfect gift basket (hint: BioBags make great stocking stuffers). P.S. We won't tell anyone if that extra-special gift is for you to enjoy!

A word of thanks from
Market Manager, Lauren Carey:

As PRFM completes our 5th season, I’d like to say how much you mean to us.

To our shoppers:
PRFM continues to thrive because you show up in the rain, 8 months pregnant, with your 3 month old triplets, when it is hot & cold, with your dog, with out of town family, at a chef demo, kids activity or ice cream social. We are here each week because you are here ready to try kohlrabi or share a sun choke recipe while waiting in the bread line. Thank you for putting local food on your table each week.

To our sponsors:
Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, Captain Planet Foundation, Ellis Hotel, Whole Foods, Wholesome Wave, & Cook’s Warehouse. It is through the generosity and community focus of businesses like you that we save the planet, empower people to eat well, teach the next generation and make local food accessible to all Georgians.

To our vendors:
It has been another wonderful year. We welcomed new friends and sent others on the next step in their journey. You make the market vibrant, seasonal and alive. Thank you for sharing your talents.

To our volunteers:
With grace, hospitality and always humor you make the market a happy place. With over 2,250 volunteer hours given this season, we all thank you for giving so much of yourselves.

See you in April!

Demo Femme Finale

Chef Demo with Anne Quatrano
of Bacchanalia — 10:00 a.m. on 12/10
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
Chef demos are going out in style this Saturday, featuring Atlanta’s own farm-to-table visionary, Anne Quatrano. Together with her husband, award-winning chef Clifford Harrison, she operates six of Atlanta’s most celebrated restaurants—Bacchanalia, Floataway Café, Star Provisions, Provisions To Go, Quinones at Bacchanalia, and Abattoir. Her love for local, organic produce began at an early age, coming down from New England to visit her mother’s family farm Summerland, near Cartersville, Georgia. Anne is now the fifth generation to live on the farm and many of her restaurants’ ingredients are grown right there. Her accolades are many, both nationally: Food & Wine’s “10 Best New Chefs” award in 1995, Bacchanalia’s induction in 1998 to the Fine Dining Hall of Fame of the National Restaurant Association, James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef of the Southeast” in 2003, the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Golden Whisk Award in 2008; and locally: a five-star review from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, among others. Anne’s meticulous attention to detail and pride in her ingredients results in true perfection. Join her this Saturday for the last demo of PRFM’s season and learn how to make broccoli and cauliflower the culinary rock-stars of your next meal!

Final Market Next Week!

Holiday Artist Market

December 17th, 9am-12pm

in the Cathedral of St. Philip

Save the date for the last day of PRFM's 2011 season and plan to finish up your holiday shopping, too! The annual indoor Holiday Artist Market has something for every locavore on your list, with choices from fine foods like bacon, hot chocolate, and artisanal jams to crafts from 35 local artists (think handmade baskets, fabric art, glass, jewelry, wood creations, cutting boards, bird houses, candles, blooming bulbs, plants, glass beads and more). Just can’t decide? PRFM has gift cards available or our volunteers can help you create the perfect gift basket. P.S. We won't tell anyone if that extra-special gift is for you to enjoy!

- Jennifer Maley