Travel & Culture

Get close to the action at your local farmers market

Do you know where the lettuce you bought comes from and how the tomatoes you purchased were grown? Would you like to be reassured you are only buying from genuine producers and getting a genuine product in return?

Look out for the ‘From Paddock to Plate’ (FP2P) signage at Western Australian farmers’ markets. It distinguishes authentic stallholders and assures the general public that if the FP2P logo is displayed out the front of a stall, the person selling the product either made it or grew it.

What a great way to celebrate the work of genuine farmers, specialty makers and the operation of authentic farmers’ markets. For more information go to www.frompaddocktoplate.com.au.

And thank you to everyone who came up with amazing suggestions for my upcoming challenge; a gingerbread house made with vegetables. Laura had the great idea of using celery and organic peanut butter, while Elaine proposed rye bread and cream cheese would work well.

Sandra suggested using carrots to make a log cabin-style house and Therese came up with the tip of using toothpicks and wooden skewers to hold the veggies together.

Megan put a lot of thought into it. She suggested some sort of veggie patty as the walls and roof, supported by carrot, celery and parsnip struts. Megan thought mashed potato could replace the icing with peas used as decoration on the roof and broccoli and squash as the garden around the base of the walls. You will see this creation come to life in my next fortnight blog. Don’t miss it!

Enjoy your salads! Louise.

Join Louise on a journey through the seasons with salad ingredients, old traditions and popular, exotic or unusual vegetables. From Paddock to Plate founder, author, food writer, radio journalist & yoga teacher.