Buy Me Some Lettuce and Mushroom Caps...

Roy Halladay captured his 20th victory of the season last night, the first Phillie to do so since Steve Carlton in 1982. By beating the Braves for the second time in as many tries this homestand, as well as winning their season high 9th straight game, the Phillies have positioned themselves for another post-season run that could culminate in another parade down Broad Street. But wait! Isn't this a food blog? What do the Phillies have to do with Organic Bok Choy? Well nothing, but it was Food Trust Night last night at the game, hence the connection.

All season, The Food Trust has partnered (TEAM'ed UP!) with Brad and Lindsay Lidge to help educate families about the risks of childhood obesity, an increasingly ubiquitous problem in our society. Last night the Phillies Charities presented the Food Trust with a check for $10,000 dollars. Wow, that's a lot of cabbage! Now understand that this is on top of a nutrition and recipe advice from Lindsay Lidge AND their matching contributions at the Headhouse this season.

I know, I'm gushing. I can't help it. The two things in life I am really into, healthy food and the Phillies were ingredients in some sort of hedonism soup that simmered for a little over 9 innings yesterday, boiling over with a white foam of rally towels. There, in the top of the 9th inning, Brad Lidge jogged out to the mound and shut down the Atlanta Cowards (sorry, Braves...but come on, a new pitcher in the 3rd inning???). As everybody celebrated, I wondered if his successful year has anything to do with his Food Trust partnership. Could one of the apples from the Headhouse be giving him energy and essential vitamins he needs to be a successful pitcher? To the kids reading this - ABSOLUTELY!

I went with Noelle Margerum from Margerum's Herbs, Etc. (see us at Clark Park Saturday and Headhouse on Sunday...PLUG!),  and she met me there around six. I wanted to get there early because I like to take pictures before the game. I also wanted to be in good position to take pictures of the check ceremony but somehow I ended up being in the exact opposite place from where the ceremony was. I was at third base and they were in front of the Phillies dugout. I ran as fast as my gimp leg would allow but only came away with a cut-off blurry picture. Perhaps I should just sleep out next time because evidently getting there two hours early isn't enough time for me not to be a bungler. On another note, I have a ton of awesome batting practice pictures if  you are a Braves fan. Zzzzz...zzzz.....

We sat in the Food Trust section and saw many people we knew. Noelle sat next to a couple, one of which was having a birthday. I think Noelle got covered in confetti which wasn't enough to rival the mound of peanut shells which built up around my sneakers like autumn leaves at the base of a stocky tree. Noelle roasted them at home and brought them - I am happy she came.

The Phillies look great. Like I said, they have won 9 in a row and this is a great time to be on a roll, so close to the post season. Jayson Werth looks like he has his stroke back, and the pitching is, as Sarge Matthews would say, ridiculous. So there you go. The Food Trust looks good, the Phillies look good, I am full of peanuts and everybody had a great time. I can't wait until October - playoffs!!! And, of course, locally grown pumpkins. Of course!

Reading Terminal Market to Acquire Farm to City

Thanks to Bob Libkind for his informative post about this important happening in Philly's local food scene. Let's hope this merger means even more local food options for the people of Philadelphia.

Night Market Location Announced!

The Food Trust has announced the time and date and location of the first Night Market we posted about earlier in the month. It will be on September 30th, from 6-10 at the corner of Passyunk Ave. and Tasker in South Philadelphia. You know we will be there to cover it. You should come too!

Debunking the Nixon Naysayers

There has been a huge response to the Philly Food Feed's reporting the of visit of former President Nixon to the Headhouse Farmers' Market this past Sunday. It seems there are some who dispute that the picture posted on this blog is, in fact, the former President. When pressed, they say that they do not see any resemblance between the Nixon they knew, and the one photographed at the Headhouse Market. In order to put this matter to rest, I have obtained archival photographic footage of Nixon. This rare photo from 1972 pictures former President Nixon discussing the SALT Treaty with then General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Leonid Breshnev:

Apparently, Brezhnev thought Nixon needed more SALT, while Nixon felt he was seasoned appropriately. Hopefully this indisputable photographic evidence should put the whole matter behind us.

President Nixon Visits the Headhouse Market

In what can only be described as uncanny, former President Richard Milhouse Nixon paid a visit to Noelle Margerum of Margerum's Herbs, Etc. this Sunday at the Headhouse Market. Although Nixon - believed dead for over 15 years - tried to keep a low profile, the Philly Food Feed obtained photographic evidence of his brief appearance.

A Roving Night Market? Awesome!

The Food Trust is at it again! From the City Paper:

The Food Trust, nutritional advocates, local/sustainable boosters and orchestrators of Philly's many excellent farmers markets (including Big Papa Headhouse), will launch a roving night market in the month of September. Inspired by the bustling nighttime bazaars that can be found throughout Asia, these night markets will be held six times over the next 18 months, with each installment located in a different neighborhood around the city. The Food Trust does not yet have its vendor/participant list confirmed, but expect the city's most prominent street food vendors to set up shop for these special one-off events, and don’t be surprised if info on live music/entertainment emerges sooner rather than later. We hear the details and location of the inaugural night market will be released within the coming week; for now, visit nightmarketphilly.org and join their mailing list to keep posted.

What I'm Doing on Saturdays

I took the camera with me to work today in order to share with you what I'm seeing on Saturdays at Clark Park. The lighting was good and the food was on full display. Check out some of the fare from Urban Girls Produce:

         
Like Wow! These look like they could be on the cover of some sort of culinary magazine. This is in Philadelphia folks, you can get here if you want to! This is only a sample of what you will find at Clark Park. Its always bustling with people but you never feel crowded in. There are so many characters too - farmers, customers, musicians. One of those characters is my boss Noelle. She really works hard to make sure everything is out, looking good, and ready for the throngs of people who stop at our stand.
           
This picture has not been doctored, the shutter speed not altered. This is how fast she normally moves. I don't know what she looks like exactly; she is a blur. I'm kidding of course but she is super efficient and knows her stuff. I am learning a huge amount about produce, and the business of farming from Noelle. Its an education that I'm getting paid for. What a scholarship! Case in point - today I learned about a fruit heretofore not on my radar screen - the Elderberry.

I mention the Elderberry here for a myriad of reasons, the most important being that a myriad of people asked  what exactly this berry was, and what can be done with it. By the time the 73rd person asked these questions, I was begging Noelle to make a sign. So for anybody who wants to know, here is the story of the Elderberry - Elderberries grow on elder trees, sometimes called elderberry bushes. Elderberries contain sizable amounts of Vitamin C, Potassium, and in clinical studies have been proven to shorten the duration of the common cold (in fact, Elderberry Juice was used to treat a flu outbreak in Panama in 1995). They also contain anthocyanin pigments which give the elderberry their color and are great antioxidants. All of that, and you can also make wine out of them.

So that is Clark Park on a Saturday. If you have not already done so, come down and visit once in a while. You won't be disappointed.