Cookbook giveaway!

May 29, 2013·Lindsay

the Vermont Farm Table Cookbook

Thanks to the generosity of one of our favorite authors, Tracey Medeiros, we have three copies of The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook to give away. To enter the competition just post a comment below answering a simple question: What do you most look forward to when the farmers' markets start up - or fresh, local produce hits the stores? The answer can be your favorite recipe, item, experience - it's up to you.

And a word (or two) about the book. Tracy Medeiros is a transplanted Vermonter; The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook celebrates local producers and farmers. It's her second book on Vermont; this one has 150 home-grown recipes and, as she says,"Every recipe in this book is an edible story." One of the most intriguing has to be the blueberry goat cheese pizza.

To reiterate, please post a comment below to the question: What do you most look forward to when the farmers' markets start up or fresh, local produce hits the stores? Winners will be chosen randomly; comments can be posted through June 7. Please make sure you are signed in so we can contact you if you win.

This contest is now closed. Using a random number generator, our lucky winners are Bec, omegabeth and rlmiller.

130 comments

ZoeMay 29, 2013

The holy trinity of spring - asparagus, artichokes and broad beans. Seems a long way away from here at the beginning of the Australian winter....

hillsboroksMay 29, 2013

Besides all the wonderful fresh local fruits and vegetables I always look forward to I also like to search out a new fruit or vegetable I've never tried before. Two years ago I found fresh fava beans and last year I discovered quinces at the men's garden club table. What a great excuse to dive through the cookbooks and now Eat Your Books looking for recipes!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

The beautiful fresh vege's and the atmosphere! Its such a friendly place. I also love the walnut brittle :)

rivergaitJune 8, 2013

I love reconnecting with farmers from past years, as well as neighbors and friends roaming the stalls. Unfortunately, our rural California county can barely afford the pricey liability insurance, opening our market only from July 5 until September. So we miss all those wonderful spring items, with farmers relying heavily on tomatoes, flowers, and corn of summer.

lizwinnMay 29, 2013

Swiss chard and beets with good Texas dirt clinging to their roots.....

GrywhpMay 29, 2013

Living in Iowa, I have to say the fresh local sweet corn is my favorite

CharmianCMay 29, 2013

When the Farmers' Market starts up I look forward to two things -- local strawberries and running into people I haven't seen in ages.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

One of the local farmers makes goat's milk farmhouse cheddar. I missed it all winter and was ecstatic to snag some at an early spring market one weekend. I love all of the fresh leafy greens, too.

JaneJune 8, 2013

This contest is now closed. Using a random number generator, our lucky winners are Bec, omegabeth and rlmiller. As soon as we have your addresses, the books will be flying towards you.

lesorelleMay 29, 2013

Coming off of winter, I always look forward to seeing what new thing local farmers are bringing to market — this year it was agretti! Most of all, I love renewing and forging new community connections — just visited a new farmers' market in my own community, where I met a new pork producer and a kimchi maker.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I look forward to the colours, smells and freshness of the vegetables. I love the arrival of fruits and vegetables that I've never tried before and buying. I love sharing recipes with people in the market particularly those from differing cultures to myself.

Lgw713May 29, 2013

I got my first summer peaches this past weekend! They were so sweet and juicy. Messy-drippy-juicy. That's got to be the first sign of summer for me and something I always look forward to with fresh summer produce. In my case I get it from a local farm-to-table delivery business.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

Tomatoes- vegetable tarts!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

My favorite farmer's market and local produce experience is that the fruits and vegetables have such a delicious smell. You can almost taste them!

mfeldman51May 29, 2013

Radishes. Really.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I like that you can buy the sort of quality food you grew up with, talk directly to the producers and farmers and socialize with the different generations of food lovers. On my shopping list: milk straight from the farm topped with cream and a foil lid, double smoked pork and bacon and buffalo milk ice-cream. On the way out I can mix and match my own punnets of seedlings to take home and cultivate.

matagMay 29, 2013

The Freash herbs!!!!

TheSpicedLifeMay 29, 2013

Tomatoes and blueberries. Definitely. But my kids would say watermelon!

Emily HopeMay 29, 2013

I'm fortunate to live someplace (the SF bay area) where the farmer's markets never shut down, but I look forward to this time of year because my two favorite fruits, apricots and cherries, are in season. Besides eating them out of hand, I love to combine them in this crisp from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors: http://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/recipes/172423/apricot-cherry-crisp

suzanne PMay 29, 2013

seeing the wealth of fresh local goodies and imagining the recipes they could be used in.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I look forward to talking to the farmers and discussing the details of the crops. And getting ideas on how to use produce I've never encountered or dared to try before.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

To me, shopping for food at a fresh produce or farmer's market is amongst life's most pleasurable experiences. I love the raw vibrancy of those places: the array of stalls piled with all manner of fruits and vegetables, the scent of newly baked bread; and the tantalising delicatessen aroma of cheeses, exotic spices and specialty smoked meats. Simply the best!

lmurphyMay 29, 2013

Early summer = rhubarb + strawberries, but served separately not together

CheriMay 29, 2013

Each week a new gift from ole Mother Earth. Starting with the strawberries, right through to the tomatoes and corn, seems like each season all vegetables taste "new" to me. I think it is about the change and new choices that await at the market each week. A stroll through the market truly makes one feel alive, and thankful!

mainereaderMay 29, 2013

Making green tomato chutney with the many, many green tomatoes that are a CSA option each week.

eselqueMay 29, 2013

Fresh favas and fresh garbanzos!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

Kale, strawberries, blackberries, new potatoes, and home grown tomatoes! Then there is the goat cheese and caraway cheese....ecstacy!

SallyMay 29, 2013

I especially enjoy fresh asparagus, English peas, strawberries and tomatoes from the Farmer's market.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

Sweet Corn from roadside stands. U-Pick raspberries and strawberries. Basil in the BIG planters.

LFallonMay 29, 2013

Hustle and bustle,lots of people I know,music and of course the gorgeous fresh seasonal vegetables not to mentions the cheeses,the baking and the small goods.From September to April Saturday morning is set aside for the market come rain or shine.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

fresh corn and tomatoes! Nothing tastes better than fresh!

louisedpMay 29, 2013

Love the organic escarole from my CSA...not to mention the peas and spinach...just love all the veggies!

AZArdieMay 29, 2013

Farmer's Markets are a feast for the eyes! I pick up what looks good, come home and look up recipes on EatYourBooks and cook away. But my favorite is the tomatoes. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh tomato ...

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I look forward to new varieties of produce and also fresh homegrown tomatoes.

abrisbanechefMay 29, 2013

I love farmers markets because they are usually full of seasonal fruit and vegetables which means I am buying them at their best. Produce can also be at their cheapest in season which allows me to buy a box or tray so that I can get out my preserving pan and stack my pantry with jams and pickles.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I look forward for the time of enjoying all the fresh produce that I am not good at growing myself.

PamCooksMay 29, 2013

The fresh carrots!!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I always look forward to citrus season, such a refreshing treat as the weather cools.

NikMay 30, 2013

I look forward to the bounty of fresh produce - garlic scapes, asparagus, fava beans, strawberries, arugula, yellow cherry tomatoes,... I also look forward to seeing the farmers again!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I look forward to the freshness of the fruits and vegetables from the farmer's market and the variety of produce that you can't find in a supermarket, like tricolored carrots and pear cider for example.

AndreaMeyerMay 30, 2013

In South Africa, we're also fortunate to have lovely produce all year round. But the one thing I wait for is the beautiful tomatoes which you can buy by the bagful, and which I turn into my favourite tomato sugo. And in the winter, or on rainy days, there's nothing like a local favourite - pannekoek - flat pancakes, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, along with steaming coffee. The ultimate comfort food, SA style.

dbielickMay 30, 2013

Living in Minnesota, having the market move outside is the sign of winter coming to an end! Also, look forward to fresh local asparagus.

lmesseriMay 30, 2013

I'm very thankful to live in a place with year round farmer's markets, but I cannot wait for summer squashes and stone fruits.

GillBMay 30, 2013

Love the fresh fruit and veg- often organic and seasonal changes are great for variety

miggsyMay 29, 2013

I look forward to the heirloom tomato plants being for sale!

madamepinceMay 29, 2013

Garlic Scapes!!!!!!!!!

heckler0077May 30, 2013

The ability to develop a relationship with the producers.

elysekMay 29, 2013

I look forward all winter to fresh corn and tomatoes!

lizwombatMay 30, 2013

In Canberra, Australia, we have a great Farmers Market all year round. So I look forward to the new fruit and vegetables that reflect the change in seasons; and running in to friends and catching up over a coffee...

annstfd88May 30, 2013

Our farmers market now stays open year round in Central Missouri by using space in one of our malls with auxiliary markets at various locations around town. It is great to have winter vegetables available through the market.

Kelli_LMay 30, 2013

I really look forward to winter parsnips, yum!

PatriciaAnnMay 30, 2013

I like shopping in the fresh air and sunshine for real food from friendly people. I also like all the homemade gems like jams and chutneys.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

Late spring brings the start of my CSA. Pick-up is the highlight of my week. Garlic scape (pesto), fresh asparagus, greens, strawberries to start and then a flood of items. Always something new to me - celeriac, fresh fennel and new varieties of greens last year to name a few. I search my cookbooks for something new and try them all......My family loves it too!

PinchOfSaltMay 30, 2013

My veggie CSA and my town's farmers' market open in two weeks, and what I am most looking forward to is the chance to reconnect with the farmers. Number two is the serenity that seems to always come from harvesting the u-pick-it portion of my CSA share. Out in the fields the rest of the world seems to slip away and there is a tremendous sense of connectedness with the earth and with time. Last, but far from least, is the fun coming home, imagining what I will do with the amazing produce. Life seems especially generous, and I am grateful.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 29, 2013

I look forward to my lunches in the nearby park with my daughter. We purchase something new and different each week, grab a lemonade shake-up and head to the base of a cozy tree.

ballenMay 30, 2013

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes -- it's like taking a walk back through time to when life was simpler and we ate what we or our neighbors grew or made. It feels right and healthy and so very welcome after a long cold winter.

SilverSageMay 30, 2013

The local tomatoes & corn are my favorites. They're both in right now, so I'm in fresh food heaven!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I look forward to all the berries, especially golden raspberries.

omegabethMay 30, 2013

The visual appeal of the market itself can't be beat--I go to the farmer's market just to see it, even though I get most of my summer produce via CSA!

alicebrodyMay 30, 2013

Every year I wait for the first local strawberries, sweet, so flavorful and gorgeous. They are an entirely different fruit than the berries flown across the country which only resemble the real thing.

jaburgMay 29, 2013

I most look forward to fresh, ripe heirloom tomatoes and later in the summer beautiful peaches!

julieschuMay 30, 2013

I look forward to buying vibrant carrots & beets for juicing.

TorchBearer14May 30, 2013

I love meeting and talking to the local farmers

LakinzerMay 30, 2013

I look forward to seeing my old (i.e., long-time) farmer friends and hearing how their winters went ... to seeing what's new at my local market (this year, milk and ice cream!) ... and to finding the seasonal things that never show up in the supermarket -- garlic scapes and rhubarb among them

fdrfdmMay 30, 2013

I love "bouquets" of radishes or little turnips, interesting greens that the supermarket doesn't have, and any vegetable I haven't tried before.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I look forward to my CSA starting next week!! Can't wait to get my basket of goodies!

pipinita21May 30, 2013

For me the anticipation of all the fresh and organic fruit and veggies I will find. The environment, us farmer markets lovers we tend to be open to share recipes and opinions with just anybody... I love the experience and the opportunity to learn new things and discover all the amazing marvels that are out there for me to find and enjoy.

Marybwf17May 30, 2013

The variety and quality, plus the freshness.

lmalterMay 30, 2013

I love getting fresh herbs and tomatoes!!!!!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I enjoy the seasonal beauty and talking to the people who grew the food, helps feel a real connection to what you are buying.

decklededgesMay 30, 2013

I can't get enough of fresh, sweet berries!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I look forward to apricots and cherries & seeing my neighbors at the market.

JensCooksMay 30, 2013

The amazing variety of fare! We go with no expectations in mind, and leave with a huge bag full of wonderful discoveries, always including something we've never had before.

roxletMay 30, 2013

It's not only that the fruit and vegetables at the Farmer's Market are fresher, it's that there is a wider and more interesting selection.

vicksterMay 30, 2013

Springtime when the strawberries are in.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

Strawberries that taste like strawberries!

adrienneyoungMay 30, 2013

locally made cheese and locally grown greens!

gregschwartzMay 30, 2013

Always looking forward to the fresh corn and tomatoes. Also love to see the fresh herbs. When I lived out west, it was all about the peaches. Still miss the variety of stone fruits that I saw at farmer's markets in Colorado and Oregon.

Yennie_LeighMay 30, 2013

Peaches! The kind you have to eat in the bath tub because they are so juicy...
I think they are the closest thing to eating sunshine.

sisterspatMay 30, 2013

You all are so lucky, I live in Sisters, Or and we just do not have much of a growing season. It is still freezing at night and will not really warm up until end of June. I do look forward to the big Yakima tomatoes the little health food store ships in from WA. and berries friends bring over from Portland.

Annamaria0May 30, 2013

Definitely first asparagus!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

Turnips and peas

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

Fresh corn and tomatoes along with snap peas and strawberries!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I wait for all the fruits, berries, stone fruits, rhubarb.

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I like farm markets so much I started one! year round.

redbirdMay 30, 2013

The first week it's all about strawberries, asparagus and leafy greens. And seeing what new crops the vendors are bringing to market this season. But my favorite time is that gorgeous period from late July through August when the fresh sweet corn and ripe, ripe heirloom tomatoes appear together. If I could only find someone here in New England with fresh okra and field peas, I'd have the necessary ingredients for my favorite vegetable dinner plate from my Southern childhood!

DKennedyMay 30, 2013

I live in sunny California where our Farmer's Market is pretty plentiful all year long. Having said, that, what I most look forward to in Spring at the Farmer's Market is all the farm fresh choices as to what to make for dinner. When I see fava beans, a personal favorite of mine, and sugar snap pea shoots I know it is time to start cooking!

southerncookerMay 30, 2013

Guess I should have read all the instructions first as I wasn't signed in when I make the previous comment, although I did include my email but here goes. You just can't beat that first garden or farmer's market tomato for a tomato sandwich.

Queezle_SisterMay 30, 2013

Locally produced bacon. I generally only consume pork from the one local farm...

TrishaCPMay 31, 2013

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes....

NatashaMay 30, 2013

We get a CSA year-round, these days, so I think what I most look forward to buying is asparagus. It's roughly the first veggie or fruit that shows up at farmers markets (and not in our CSA) that ISN'T another form of leafy green. I get SO tired of leafy greens.

merstarMay 30, 2013

I love honeydews - they're my favorite fruit, and I can't wait till they're in season!

edify2unifyJune 1, 2013

The best strawberries I've ever tasted.

dedovitchMay 30, 2013

Oops, forgot to sign in! JERSEY TOMATOES. ENOUGH SAID. AGAIN.

tcjanesJune 1, 2013

Tomatoes and beets along with jumbo sized cauliflower.

sfranklandJune 4, 2013

Beautiful, inspiring produce and the passionate people who have brought it to you are what I look forward to at farmers markets. Coming away with a new recipe or tip from the producers is always fantastic.

nicole309May 30, 2013

I love how sweet our veggies get from being grown in such cold soil here in the arctic. Baby Bok Choy and Carrots are my favorites.

TommeliseMay 30, 2013

I have the great fortune to have a small ecological farmers market close to my home in Copenhagen, Denmark. The market is open twice a week all year, and since it is a small market I have come to get to know the sellers over the years.
What I love most is the variety of vegetables, my farmer market stock vegetables like salsify, and will have nettles or elderflower in season, and secondly the vegetables are very fresh and full of flavor. I love to be able to buy fresh rhubarbs, black currants and different varieties of apples according to season.

ClaraBJune 1, 2013

Local organic strawberries - there isn't a supermarket strawberry that can hold a candle to the taste of local berries. Just a few more weeks....

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I look forward to real strawberries! I shouldn't need to preface "strawberries" with "real", because they all should be picked and eaten only when they're completely ripe, but supermarket strawberries aren't. There is nothing like a fresh, sweet strawberry, and strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and shortbread - yum!

debpiperMay 30, 2013

Heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market, and fresh sweet corn!
In Illinois, the fresh corn starts showing up right around the beginning of July. My favorite summer meal is slow-cooked green beans with new potatoes, fresh sweet corn, sliced heirloom tomatoes and Indiana cantaloupe......amazingly delicious!
I can't wait to try the blueberry goat cheese pizza recipe from this book - if I don't get a free one, I guess I'll have to go and buy it.

PatriciaScarpinJune 3, 2013

I go crazy when cherries are in season.

wildaboutmnMay 31, 2013

oops, I forgot to sign in as well -- RAMPS!!!

SLaneMay 30, 2013

Fresh fruit & veg - in season - straight from the farmer to us - there's nothing better

LindalibJune 1, 2013

Living in the Northeast, it's great to see varitey comeback in terms of fruits and vegetables. My summer favorite, a simple delicious Caprese salad.

westerJune 1, 2013

I love it when tomatoes are in season.
I have sometimes bought some in the supermarket in the winter, but they are always a disappointment. It seems the growers have found out how to make greenhouse tomatoes red, but not how to make them tasty. So I've decided no more tomatoes in the winter, which make summer tomatoes truly something to look out for.

sir_ken_gMay 30, 2013

Just fresh vegies of all kinds. I just dread winter since the farmers market opened.
But if I had to pick tomatoes and corn - whihc are far better then anything the store \s ever offer.

phoenixMay 30, 2013

I love our year round farmer's market for the ever changing availability of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Last week I was really excited that my favorite blueberry stand was finally back. The owner (and grower) sells the sweetest fruit that I can't stop eating. I can't wait for this coming Sunday!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

Tomatoes and fresh arugula
fitzie

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

The excitment of the smell and taste of the first new seasons produce from asparagus to strawberries and the ideas for recipes that it brings to mind - helped by a quick scan of the EYB bookshelf

SoccermomMay 31, 2013

Tomatoes and basil!

If I'm in California, apricots.

puccaMay 31, 2013

apricots, definitely!

BreadcrumbsJune 1, 2013

Our local market starts up in May with a small group of vendors that brave the often cool spring days to sell their early crop. The number of vendors and selection of produce grows as the season progresses and it's always fun to see "who's new" this year and what new items are on offer. It was once a rarity to find zucchini flowers and you had to make a special arrangement with the one farmer who offered them to ensure she'd bring them since they weren't a popular item. Fortunately they've become a market staple offered by several farmers. Last year, baby blue potatoes made there first appearance so close to home and they were definitely a welcome addition to our dinner table. Aside from the wonderful variety of produce and home-canned goods, I also look forward to the stunning bundles of flowers. The fact that they're always so reasonably priced makes them irresistible and it's such a treat to have vases of beautiful, fragrant blooms brightening our home and tablescapes. All that said, it is the fresh basil and juicy tomatoes that I most look forward to. Nothing beats biting into a warm tomato, fresh from the vine. Oh, and don't get me started on the peaches and late summer corn....

geoff@kupesoftware.comJune 2, 2013

The homegrown bounty from our garden and greenhouse.

rlmillerJune 7, 2013

I love the seasonality of farmers' markets, especially the coming and going of short season produce like cherries and apricots. A good reminder to enjoy what is fresh and local while it is at the market!

geoff@kupesoftware.comMay 30, 2013

I dream of peaches and heirloom tomatoes! I also love running into people from my community. It is a great place to literally stand in the street eating fruit and talking to the neighbors while the kids play. I love the farmer's market :)

CulinaryTravelsJune 7, 2013

The best of British asparagus & new potatoes.

trudys_personJune 3, 2013

Fresh local fruit: strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots and nectarines!

MommaMooneyMay 30, 2013

Watermelon!

melissa8800June 3, 2013

I so look forward to the fresh local strawberries! My hubby and kids like them simply with fresh whipped cream. I make my favorite, what I call, my PB&J shake.
In my vitamin I blend about 3 cups fresh strawberries, large scoop of almond butter, a good pour of maple syrup or liquid stevia, handful of ice, water to an inch below the top of the strawberries. I drink this with a pretty straw and smile the whole time I'm drinking it.

pgarciaJune 1, 2013

I always look for a brand new vegetable or fruit to try!

Gorge_usMay 30, 2013

RAMPS!! And Fiddleheads, asparagus, stawberries and baby lettuces...so nice to see spring after frigid Canadian winter!

kateadelleJune 3, 2013

One more time - this time signed in....

I most look forward to letting all the fresh veggies and fruit be my cooking inspiration instead of having to really think and plan out my meals ahead of shopping time.

HippoJune 5, 2013

Gorgeous, tangy, sheep's milk yoghurt. And cheese made from the same milk.

krobbins426June 7, 2013

This year, I've so happy to see radishes and arugula so I can make some delicious salads for lunch every day. Asparagus and strawberries always make it feel like spring. And Garlic scapes. So delicious!

WaderuJune 5, 2013

Rhubarb to make syrup for my "Barb Collins"' , strawberries that taste like strawberries, eggplant for grilled sandwiches with basil and roasted red peppers, I could go on and on...love the farmers market.

sydneyaJune 5, 2013

I get so excited about the specialty items that are difficult or impossible to find in grocery stores like garlic scapes, squash blossoms and padron peppers. I am also happy to see the farmers I've gotten to know over the years.

missjanemapleJune 5, 2013

Local English asparagus. Imports are tasteless by comparison and not worth eating.

geoff@kupesoftware.comJune 7, 2013

I love the eggs from the Farmer's Markets, they're SO much better!

mckinsab(at)gmail(dot)com

lonestarlassJune 3, 2013

I like the community nature of the farmer's market in my town. It's great to see people come out and be excited about the produce and buying healthy ingredients.