Spice Up Your Life

The original spice girl?  Looks like it worked....

When we use the expression 'spicing things up', we are not referring to seasoning our vittles (at least not literally). The Spice Girls certainly weren't singing about sprinkling cinnamon and turmeric  to enhance the flavor of tonight's dinner. Rather, they were speaking idiomatically, alluding to the ways you might make your love life more exciting.

We've already spoken of pepper and ginger in earlier posts, but were surprised to find out just how many other spices have featured prominently in the aphrodisiac folklore.  It may be that chemical properties exist to back up these claims, but we also suspect that the role spices have played in history and folklore may have helped cultivate this--er--salty reputation. Interesting spice factoids -- erotic and otherwise include:

• In Greece, tarts, jams, and wine are flavored with cardamon in the hopes that it will arouse men and send them in search of true love.
• Cleopatra scented her palace rooms with cardamon when her lover Marc Antony visited.
• In ancient times, cumin seeds were so highly valued that they were used to pay church tithes to priests.
• Nutmeg was prized in 17th Century England as a cure for The Plague. 
• According to Homer, Zeus rolled around on a bed of saffron to enhance his performance. 

We'll be spending the next week or so on spices.  Please send us your favorite recipes, rubs, or other  spicy suggestions.  (PG Rated only, please.)



Sources:  thespicehouse.com , theworldwidegourmet.com, WHFoods.com

The Joy of Almonds

Remember this candy ad from 1977?  Catchy tune for sure.  Sometimes you feel like a nut (and opt for an Almond Joy) and sometimes you don't (in which case you go for a Mounds).  So which one is your favorite?  Almond Joy was, and still is, ours, and not just because the zany folks in the commercial acting like nuts seem to be having so much fun.

We were perturbed, however, to learn that one lonely little almond (without its customary salt or chocolate coating) racks up a surprising number of calories - 7 to be precise (Source: USDA).  And who eats just one almond?  In for a penny, in for a pound we say.  Rather than ponder the calorific implication of a solitary almond, consider their licentious history.  Almonds have, at various points in time, been credited with powers of arousal, and the odor of almond oil, is said to be particularly appealing to women. Hence its popularity as a fragrance in body creams, shower gels et al...apparently, we gals can't get enough of its sweet, earthy odor!  And if it's true, then there is certainly a calorie- burning potential of another sort which may follow.  The Joy of......but we digress.

If you don't fancy showering in the stuff, then consider sweetening up your loved one with this impressive 15 minute dessert.  In posh circles this recipe is known as a galette (French for a fancy open-topped pie); we prefer to call it:

Apple Marzipan Tart

Ingredients:
1 14oz packet of frozen puff pastry
3 sweet apples  (the Market's produce merchants will provide)
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 7oz packet of ready made Marzipan--sometimes called 'almond paste' (Jonathan Best carries it.)
1-2 Tbsp butter to grease your baking sheet and daub onto the apples before cooking
1 tsp granulated sugar, to sprinkle on the apples prior to baking
1 tsp of granulated sugar to make a sugary wash for edges of pastry

HEAT OVEN TO 375 degrees.

Before starting, read the defrosting instructions on puff pastry packet carefully - the pastry can dry out and become crumbly if you defrost too far in advance!

Peel, seed, and finely slice apples (they will not cook through if chunks are too large).  Drop chopped apples immediately into  a small bowl of cold water and fresh lemon juice to prevent discoloring.  This step also adds a little tartness to counter the sweetness of the marzipan.

Roll out pastry dough sheet--if you're lucky it may well come already rolled!  Aim for about a 10x8inch rectangle.  Cut to size  or attach additional pieces as necessary. (Be sure to pinch the fused pieces together completely or pastry will separate.)   Place the puff pastry on a greased baking sheet.

Roll out marzipan, pressing as thin as possible.  You want to be able to place a rectangle of marzipan that is slightly smaller than the dough on top of the pastry, leaving about an inch around the edge, so that you can twist the crust of the pastry up to a decorative effect.  When you have rolled the marzipan out to desired thinness and size, place it on top of pastry, leaving the edge as described.  Place the finely sliced apples atop the marzipan in a single layer and daub apples with teeny knobs of butter.  Roll the edges up of the pastry to make a border (and stop the lovely fruity juices from escaping).  Sprinkle apples with sugar.

Throw it in preheated oven,  - (puff pastry will turn soggy if the oven is not heated thoroughly).  Cook at 375 for 20 minutes.  Keep an eye on this while cooking.  You want to make sure that the puff pastry rises properly, apples are just turning squidgy and that the marzipan is bubbling beautifully.  When pastry has puffed out nicely, put 1 teaspoon of sugar in small bowl, and pour in a little boiling water to dissolve sugar.  Remove tart from oven and brush this sugary glaze around the edges of the pastry and return to oven for a further 5 minutes.  (This will brown the edges)

Serve hot--either freshly baked right out of the oven or reheated (by putting tart the oven for a few minutes before serving).  Perfect topped with Vanilla ice-cream.

Nuts about Nuts (...and a Chocolate Drizzle)

Having exhausted our New Year's Resolutions and in the build up to the big day (Feb 26th, as if you need any reminder!), we've turned our attention to that most unassuming of aphrodisiacs -- the nut. 

Nuts don't sound very exciting, yet they are traditionally viewed as a powerful fertility symbol and were believed to inflame passion and engender love. 

Pine nuts are considered to be the most potent, because of their high zinc content.  According to one source, the Roman poet, Ovid recommended imbibing a sickly sweet concoction of almonds, pine nuts and thick honey to "restore sexual vigor."

The Italians in particular revered them as aphrodisiacs; during Harvest Festival, when young maidens celebrated the fecundity of Mother Nature, they symbolically passed round bowls of nuts to recognize Nature's greatness.  Likewise, walnuts have been used since medieval days to bless a wedding - one tradition goes that walnuts (not rice) were thrown at bride and groom to bring luck and ensure a fertile union. 

Hopefully, they were taken out of the shell first..?  

Perhaps Hades (in cartoon above) might have had more luck if he'd tried the following sensual recipe out on Aphrodite?

Add Semi-Sweet Chocolate + Sea Salt to this....



And you make Chocolate Drizzled Nuts



The team at Real Simple Magazine devised this...possibly one of the most scrumptious dessert combinations imaginable. The sea-salt just tips this over the edge...

The Easiest Impressive Dessert in the World

Anyone can serve an easy dessert--break out a box of chocolates, a carton of ice cream or a package of cookies and voila, instant gratification.  It is also infinitely possible to serve an impressive dessert--either with  a lengthy stretch in the kitchen, wrestling with pastry dough and caramelizing sugar or by laying out significant cash at a high-end patisserie.   But today we have an easy and impressive dessert, starring this week's featured ingredient:  vanilla.  We mentioned vanilla's reputed aphrodisiac properties previously;  if your dinner guests sprint to the door after ingesting our concoction, we take no responsibility.  But, we guarantee that this Semifreddo will be a hit.

Semifreddo, or 'half cold' in Italian, encompasses a category of desserts including cakes, ice creams, fruits, custards or whipped creams that are partially frozen.  The following has been a go-to in my repertoire for years; it is simple, elegant, and very, very delicious.

Vanilla Semifreddo
Makes 6-8 servings

2 lbs fresh ricotta cheese (at Salumeria or Downtown Cheese)
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Blend on medium high speed for 1 minute til mixture is smooth.  Chill and serve.

Suggestions:  Place semifreddo in large, pretty crystal bowl and top with fresh berries or melted dark chocolate.    Alternatively, serve in individual martini glasses or sorbet cups, drizzled with chocolate.  If you want to get really fancy, drizzle chocolate in the initial of each diner.  I did this at a party last summer and my guests were impressed.

Cook's Note:  This recipe can be made with the standard supermarket ricotta, and it's pretty good, but it is transcendent with fresh ricotta.

Since we gave you the real version last week, we thought a parody was in order.  Vid quality is not perfect, but it's hilarious nonetheless.....

Trek and Treat

One wintry Sunday we went for a bracing romp through the Wissahickon with friends.  Following a six mile round trip up Forbidden Drive to Valley Green Inn, our friends treated us to a culinary adventure --exposing us to a Raclette supper.  This Swiss staple involves flash braising food at the table.  It's reminiscent of a night out at a Korean Barbecue restaurant, although the raclette dishes all focus on cheese in various guises.  We were treated to rolled eggplants stuffed with pesto, Cornish hens with cranberries and apples, mushrooms in heavy cream and gouda, small potatoes, an assortment of sausages, and three different cheeses.

The idea is simple. 

A raclette is basically a two-tier griddle, sort of a turbo charged fondue on which you saute meats and vegetables on the upper level.  While this deliciousness is going on, you simultaneously melt cheese in little dishes under the griddle, then drizzle the cheese over the cooked food when ready.  Alternatively, for the impatient among us, you can gorge on baguette and crudites dipped in the molten cheese if you're too hungry to wait for the main course to cook.)

According to our Belgian friend, the raclette was invented to encourage conversation.  You have to talk to your neighbor to ensure that dishes are passed down the table.  It's quite an ice-breaker (and keeps the kids entertained while adults converse). 

As if the raclette weren't impressive enough, our host produced these extraordinary cookies to top off the afternoon.  Time consuming to make, they lived up to their star billing "Mint-Melt-Aways."  The peppermint fondant layer between the rich crumbly shortbread and the bittersweet chocolate is sensational - ice cold to the tongue. 

Here's the piccie to inspire you and here's the recipe for Martine's Melt-Aways...

Vanilla Viagra?

The colloquialism "plain vanilla", which implies boring, prosaic, and undesirable is simply wrong.   
Vanilla is among the most expensive flavors in the world, a by-product of the exotic and exorbitantly pricey orchid plant.    It is difficult to cultivate, labor intensive to process, and grows in remote, inaccessible locations, .

Vanilla is also reputed to possess amatory properties--perhaps based on a myth traced back to the Totonac people, who were the first to produce this luscious flavor.  They inhabited the Mazatlan Valley in what is now Mexico.   As the story goes, Totonac Princess Xanat, a divine royal, was forbidden by her father to marry a mortal youth.   Displeased and rebellious, the impetuous lovers fled into the
forest, where they were promptly captured by Dear old Dad's henchmen.  They were then beheaded, and where the blood dripped from their severed necks, a tropical orchid (aka vanilla plant) sprouted.
 
Later, European physicians touted vanilla as a cure for impotence, and Thomas Jefferson (reputed to have been a bit of a Revolutionary ladies' man) is credited with bringing vanilla to the budding American Republic after sampling it during his diplomatic foray to France.

For top-quality vanilla extracts and beans, visit Jonathan Best or The Spice Terminal.  For superb, ready made samples of vanilla in action, visit one of the Market's superb bakeries. 





As we're discussing vanilla, we couldn't resist posting the following blast from the past. For us, this vid will have the opposite effect discussed above, but good for a chuckle, no?

Such a Dal!

According to Genesis, Esau traded his birthright to his tricky brother Jacob for a bowl of lentils.  We're not saying that this dish warrants such extreme recompense, but we do recommend it as a healthy, hearty, vegetarian dish that pleases even the most carnivorous of crowds.  And, it helps with New Year's Resolution #8  :  Eat vegetarian at least once a week.  Incidentally, this seems to be a growing trend; The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that  Meatless Mondays are being adopted by more and more households.  We here at  Philly Food Lovers always try to be on the front end of trends (boy bands and 80's fashion notwithstanding), so this is right up our alley.

Just because you forego meat does not mean you have to sacrifice taste and substance.  Dal--our favorite vegetarian Lentil Stew-- is delicious, healthy, and easy to make. We don't expect you to swear off steak eternally at first the spoonful, or relinquish your inheritance like the naive Esau, but we're pretty sure you'll enjoy it and feel sated, even without the animal protein. Dal is a traditional Indian side dish, usually served over basmati rice, but we love it solo as a soup, too. Power-packed lentils contain 13 grams of protein per serving and a whopping 16 grams of fiber; do your bod and the earth some good and try it for dinner one night. We promise, guys, you'll still have hair on your chest afterwards.

Dal (Vegetarian Indian Lentil Stew)


1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder
1/4 tsp crushed chili flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp curry powder or your favorite Indian spice blend (Garam Masala, Tandoori Masala, etc.)
1 lb lentils, rinsed
7 cups water

In large stock pot heat oil on medium-high. Add spices, ginger and onions. Stir til spices are fragrant and onion begins to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add lentils and water, and bring to boil. Stir and lower heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, 1-2 hours or more til lentils are completely soft.  This dish keeps in fridge 3-4 days, and can be frozen for several months. NOTE: all spices may be adjusted for personal taste; increase amounts to make the dish more robust. You can also add a couple of whole dried chilis to ramp up the heat.

Not worth an entire estate, alas, poor Esau, but certainly worth the minimal effort it takes to toss this potage together for a warming winter bowl of goodness.

Sneaky Cauliflower Puree

Carnivores are we -- preferring a bloody steak or slab of fish to a side of greens.  But, in keeping with our New Year's Resolution # 7, to explore new ways to EAT MORE VEGGIES, we feel compelled to share this naughty (since calorific) but nice (it's oh so delicious, we guarantee) way of preparing the common cauliflower.

We've called this dish "Sneaky Cauliflower Puree" because you can sneak this under the noses of even the most conservative of eaters, by passing it off as mashed potatoes...Even children who profess to be veggie haters will go wild for this pureed concoction.  

Another bonus of this dish is that it's good if you're on a low carb diet or just trying to shake off those few extra pounds after the Holidays, as Marcy (inventor of this dish) points out:  "It's fabulous and you really can't tell that it's not potatoes!'

Best of all, cauliflowers are as beneficial as broccoli when it comes to their health benefits.  Both these vegetables belong to the family known as cruciferous veggies. These veggies are good for you because they are high in vitamin C and soluble fibre and contain multiple nutrients with alleged anti-cancer properties.

Marcy's Buttery Cauliflower Puree

2 small heads of cauliflower (approx 4lbs) broken into small florets
3 Tbs butter
3 Tbs flour
3/4 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
1tsp salt + 3/4 tsp salt
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch cayenne
1 egg
2 Tbs parsley
3 Tbs grated parmesan (optional)

Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for approximately 15 minutes or til tender.  Drain well.

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.  Sprinkle flour over, whisk in until combined.  Cook over medium heat for a minute or two, then whisk in cream, salt, nutmeg and cayenne.  Remove from heat.

Transfer cauliflower and cream mixture to food processor and puree in batches, add egg and pulse until smooth.  Add parsley and parmesan.

Bake in greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish for about 30 minutes at 350.  Let cauliflower stand for 10 mins before serving (the puree becomes red hot and retains heat when baked, so let it cool a while to be on the safe side.)

Eat Local: Save a Few Pennies

January is a lean month for all of us. 

Financially, it's the time when we need to cut back a bit in the aftermath of Christmas splurges.   Physically and calorifically,  we need to start eating more healthfully after over-indulging during the Holidays.  It's also the time of year when fresh fruit and vegetables tend to shoot up in price -- because most produce is being air-freighted in from far-flung places. The folks at Fairfood Farmstand suggested buying local, and leaning (pun intended) on the staples in your refrigerator.

Jamie Oliver, one of the best loved cooks in the U.K. is a proponent of healthy local eating.  Lucky for him he owns a farm or two and can walk into his garden and dig up what he needs, when he needs it!  If, like us, you have a quilt-sized back yard and a couple of flowerboxes, you aren't sauntering out to the back forty when you need some fresh kale.   If, like us, you live in striking distance of Reading Terminal Market you can access local produce right now.   Squash, potatoes, hardy root vegetables like sweet potatoes and parsnips, mushrooms, cranberries, kale and apples are still available from local growers.

Mr Oliver is a quirky, opinionated chef, who speaks as he finds.  As you'll see in this video clip showing him making a pea frittata on a camping stove in a market in the U.K. 

We told you he's different...

If you like the sound of this guy, then you might also like to know that he's just published "Jamie's America:  Easy Twists on Great American Classics" - a fabulous collection of recipes he compiled while travelling around the U.S.


We trust that our Jamie wouldn't steer us wrong, either health-wise or taste-wise with his pea fritatta, but  if you still have your doubts about the nutritional quality of eggs, then read on....

According to incredibleegg.org, eggs should be an important staple in our diet.  Their egg-sperts crack the myth that an egg a day is associated with an increase in cholesterol:  "Nutrient-rich, all-natural eggs are a welcome addition to any diet. One egg has 13 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, healthy unsaturated fats and antioxidants, and contain only 70 calories."   These nutrient-packed orbs are also essential in supporting:

• Weight management
• Muscle strength
• Healthy pregnancy
• Brain function
• Eye health

Eggsactly. 

Salmon Beurre Rouge

Our friend Jon Jividen, Chef extraordinaire at 12th St. Cantina and Catering came through with a great way to uphold two of Philly Food Lovers' New Year's Resolutions, numbers 2 and 3 to be precise:    Eat More Fish and Experiment.  He shares his Salmon Beurre Rouge recipe, which is pretty spectacular.


Says Jon:    "Back in the day, when 'Real men didn't eat quiche' and to serve red wine with fish would have been blasphemy, I set out to shatter the red wine/fish rule; (being the culinary rebel that I am).
All who tried the dish became converts and it was featured on the menu of a restaurant that I was working at in San Diego at the time. It is quite simple, wickedly delicious, and what it does for salmon is beyond anything I have tried since."

Now we readily admit that this is not a low cal/low fat dish, but it really is worth the calories.

SALMON BAKED IN CREAM WITH BEURRE ROUGE

For the Salmon:
6 to 8 pieces of skinless boneless salmon fillet – (6 – 7 oz. each)
Kosher salt and coursely ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

For the Beurre Rouge:
1 bottle red wine (your choice) Merlot, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Bordeaux
1 Pound Sweet Butter (4 sticks) – softened to room temp
1 Shallot, finely minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

METHOD:
Season salmon pieces on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Place salmon pieces in bowl and add cream. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the beurre rouge. Pour bottle of red wine into large shallow sauté pan and add minced shallots.
Place wine on medium heat and simmer. While wine is reducing, transfer fish to a rimmed cookie sheet. Place pieces closely together, pour any reserved cream over salmon and place in preheated 425 – 450 degree oven, uncovered.  Bake 7 – 10 minutes.

When wine has reduced to almost a thin syrupy consistency;  remove from heat
and add a bit of kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk in the softened butter in stages... about ¼ lb at a time. Finished sauce should have a velvety texture and should coat the back of a spoon. When salmon is done, transfer  serving platter, pour beurre rouge over and serve immediately.

NOTE:  Pomegranate seeds or capers make an excellent garnish and a few sprigs of fresh chervil or chopped chives will add more ‘eye candy’ to the dish.

No good meal is complete without a good wine, so we asked our friends at Philly Wine Finder to advise on a pairing for this rebellious repast.  At first glance, they recommended an Oregon pinot noir, which is a standard red choice for fish.   But the Philly Wine Finders are nothing if not thorough and thoughtful; after perusing the recipe and considering Chef Jon's taboo-smashing intent, they switched gears.  Their recommendation:

Kenwood Zinfandel, available at 12th and Chestnut and the Society Hill stores.

Bon Appetit and Cheers!

Eat More Fish!

With recipes as easy and delicious as the one below and seafood of so many different varieties of on offer at the Market, there is simply no excuse to collapse on Resolution #2:  Eat More Fish!

Fish is important not only for enhancing the old gray matter, it's also been proven to boost athletic performance, which is one of the reasons our friend Marla prepares this recipe for her two sporty teenagers.  The recipe is vitamin packed and super-easy.  

"This is my daughter's favorite fish dish," said Marla.  "It is kid tested and approved! One of the things I like about this is you can substitute almost any fish.  My only caveat would be don't use Flounder, because I just don't think the texture lends itself well to this recipe."

Fish with Tomatoes and Rosemary

Four - 1/4 Lb. fish fillets (Salmon, Cod, Tilapia)

salt and pepper

4 tsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

16 slices lemon

4 sprigs rosemary

24 cherry tomatoes, halved

Green onions, sliced (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 475.  Cut four 12-inch long pieces of foil or parchment paper.

2.  Rub each fillet with salt, pepper and 1 tsp. oil, and 1/4 tsp lemon juice. For each packet, put 2 lemon sliced in the center of the foil, top with the fish fillet, a rosemary sprig, and 2 more lemon slices; surround with 12 tomato halves and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sliced green onions (if using).  Draw up the sides of the foil and seal the packets well - leaving room around the ingredients so they can steam.  Put packets on a baking sheet.

3.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fillet is cooked.  (Open a packet to test.)  Spoon into soup plates and serve immediately.

Dead simple!

Philly Food Lovers' New Year's Resolutions

Depending on whom you ask,  80-92% of New Year's Resolutions fail by Valentine's Day.  The why is complicated and far beyond the scope of our expertise.  Rather than dwell on these dismal figures, we decided to create a list of achievable  resolutions.   Naturally, they focus on food......Here they are; our 2011 New Year's Resolutions.  We welcome further suggestions from you!

 1.  Eat less chocolate - but improve the quality of the chocolate you eat. (See, we said it would be attainable.  We're not going cold turkey for heaven's sake; a foodie's gotta live!)   Studies show that the higher the percent of cocoa in the chocolate you eat, the more satisfying it is.  So stop by the Pennsylvania General Store to buy fine quality choccies--we love the dark chocolate Wilber Buds, pictured here.  These make a great Valentine gift..along with tickets to Valentine to the Market, of course.

2.  Eat More Fish--We've discussed the health benefits of fish before.  With the plethora of options available at the Market, eating fish once a week is infinitely doable.  So let's do it! 

3.  Experiment--try a new ingredient, a new preparation, a new recipe.  Personally, I can't wait to try Chef Jon Jividen of 12th St. Cantina's Salmon with Beurre Rouge--he shatters the taboo on red wine with fish.  Look for recipe here soon!

 4.  Eat Locally--Ok, we admit that January is not an ideal month for those residing in the northern hemisphere to embark on a campaign to consume locally grown fresh produce.  You won't find the variety that Archimboldo used to create the vegetable-man pictured here.  But the Fair Food Farmstand is a great source for locally grown and produced items--some vegetables and fruits are still available, and of course, meats, eggs, milk and cheeses, all from local farms, are plentiful.

5.  Eat more fresh produce, in season if possible--squash, potatoes, mushrooms, cranberries, and apples are still available from local growers.  A wider array from farther afield is, of course, on offer by the Market's merchants. 

6.  Try new types of cuisine.    The Market is an international smorgasbord; restaurants feature cuisines from Japan to New Orleans and everything in between,  so be adventurous!   With the $7.00 meal deal, there's no excuse to stick with the same old, same old.  We know that Gov. Ed Rendell, Honorary Chair of the Valentine to the Market, has availed himself of the generous lunch offerings.   Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, you can't disagree with Ed on that!

7.  Go vegetarian once a week.  Ok, we love our short ribs and  fried chicken, too, but abstaining from meat once a week is good for you and good for the environment.  Not conversant in the ways of vegetarian cookery?  Go for takeout at the Basic 4 Vegetarian Snack Bar.

8.  Exercise more.  Walk to the Market--yes, even in the cold weather.  Make that especially in the cold weather--the body burns calories keeping warm, so you may get more out of that walk than just red cheeks!     Better yet, dance the night away at Valentine to Market--dancing burns approx 330 cal/hr so kick up your heels!   Whether it will land you on Dancing With the Stars is anyone's guess; given the recent entrants, well.....maybe we'll let the video do the talking.

9.   Remember to bring your own shopping bags--do we really need to quote figures on landfill contents and the fact that those plastic bags last for 500 years?  Spend $50 at market and get an insulated one free.




10.   Help those less fortunate.  Reading Terminal Market is the largest redeemer of SNAP vouchers (food stamps) in PA.  SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) helps low-income families purchase healthy foods.  By supporting the Market, we are helping ensure that everyone in our community has access to fresh, nutritious food.