Linda Marrone: 3rd & Curry Street Farmers Market starts Saturday

With the start of summer comes the promise of warm weather and the bounty you’ll find at the 3rd & Curry Street Farmers Market starting this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the next 16 weeks. This marks our eighth year for the market and it seems to me it just keeps getting better with each passing year.

We lost three of our Nevada Farmers and picked up three new ones. One is moving, the other became successful selling wholesale only and the third one ran for office and was elected. So there you have it, life goes on for them just like the rest of us. Our three newest farmers are Tahoe Living Greens selling micro greens from Reno, Honest Meats from Fallon and Synder Farms from Yerington.

We have 11 Nevada Farmers more than any other farmers market in the state! That’s an accomplishment to be proud of.

Our customers have always been supportive of our Nevada growers from the start and continue to do so. Add in our five California producers and the FM has a great selection of farm fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, bison, honey, milk, cheese and fabulous flowers.

With our local businesses, music to enjoy and food to eat the 3rd & Curry Street Farmers Market continues to be the place “to be” on Saturday morning.

This recipe I’m going to share today is a repeat from 12 years ago. I have been making it and altering it so I thought it was time to put it in again with all the changes.

Apricots won’t be at the market that long so be sure and get some to make this delicious cake.

Fresh apricot spice crumble cake

Apricots baked to perfection. This easy cake disappears fast.

Crumble topping:

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup butter, softened

Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh ripe apricots

2 eggs beaten

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

For topping, combine 1 cup flour with brown sugar, cut in butter with pastry blender or fingertips until mixture is moist and crumbly. For cake, combine 1 1/2 cups flour with sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Add apricots, eggs, oil and vanilla. Mix together to form a batter. Pour into greased and floured 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle top evenly with topping. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out dry. Serve warm, topped with ice cream if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Recipe courtesy of the California Apricot Advisory Board.

Now I bake the cake in a 9-by-9-inch pan because I like the thickness. My friend Shirlee Veverka really liked this cake and made it with baby food and said it was just fine, but I think it’s really best with the fresh apricots.

At the height of apricot season you may find yourself with an abundance of fresh apricots. One solution is to make them into apricot puree. This is a fast way to utilize and store them for future use. Later on you can make this puree into Apricot Butter.

Apricot puree

Wash and pit ripe fruit, fill your blender with the apricots and add two tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon fruit fresh for every quart.

Put this into freezer containers, leaving an inch or more space from the top. I also put a piece of wax paper over the top to help keep it from turning brown. Later on I will share the recipe for Apricot Butter and some cookies to make using the jam.

Half the crumble topping if using the 9-by-9-inch pan.

Linda Marrone is a longtime Carson resident, manages the 3rd & Curry Street Farmers Market and is the director of Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association.