They say it is autumn but the mild weather and temperatures may last a little longer yet. We had a wonderful celebration of the harvest season this year with so many marvellous bright orange pumpkins coming to market on the last weekend in March the 29th. The festivities where indeed splendid with the Sunset coast big band from Franklin helping things along with their fantastic live sound on the day. 
The weather played its part giving us a gorgeous sunny day and all that lovely rain in February swelling the pumpkins this year to gargantuan proportions.

Judge Maggie Burrill, winner Margaret Chitty and market manager Helen Dorresteyn. Photo by Murray Helm

This year’s winners were…
Margaret Chitty of Papakura, with the heaviest Pumpkin in the Adult category weighing 54kg. Margaret took
away a huge market hamper packed with delicious produce and valued at $350.

William Ritchie of Clevedon was winner of the Junior Category for heaviest pumpkin. His pumpkin was heaviest on the day weighing in at an impressive 77.8kg. William won an iPod Nano 8GB.

Results for the other categories are: Tim Fowler - the most beautifully ugly; Jack & Sabrina Yardley the oddest; Jack & Sabrina Yardley the smallest; William Ritchie the tallest; Shirley Kerr the roundest and Deanna Yardley the prettiest.

We would like to thank Cr. Maggie Burrill of the Botany - Clevedon ward for judging this year’s competition and also Tru-Test for the use of their wonderfully accurate stock scales to weigh the pumpkins.

More medals
This year’s cheese awards bought 2 more silver medals for Clevedon's own buffalo mozzarella and buffalo ricotta . With the yoghurt being released this month it is going to be a busy year for New Zealand’s only buffalo cheese company.

Happy healthy birds have great taste
We're pleased to announce that chicken is finally on the menu at Clevedon Village Farmers' Market. Not any old chicken, of course - these are truly free-range birds, raised right here in beautiful Clevedon. Visit the Kipdale Farms stall after Easter for your first taste.

RECIPE OF THE SEASON
Mozzarella with Eggplant

This recipe comes from the Campania region of Southern Italy. It is absolutely delicious and can be enjoyed with salad and warmed crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of eggplant
• Salt
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
  
• 1kg of ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  
• Extra virgin Olive oil
• ¼ cup of fresh basil leaves
  
• Ground black pepper
• 250gm of fresh Buffalo Mozzarella

Method
Cut the tops off your eggplants and slice crosswise into 5-10 mm thick rounds. Sprinkle with salt and layer onto a plate. Press under another plate and weight down. Place a folded tea towel under one side of the bottom plate so the juices drain from the eggplant. Let the eggplant drain for two hours.

Dry the eggplant, brush with olive oil and sauté on both sides till golden. You can fry the eggplant in 2cm of heated olive oil instead but you will use much more and while it is delicious it may not be great for your waist line. In another pan heat olive oil and garlic, add tomatoes, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and simmer for 1/2 an hour to reduce.

In a baking dish spread a couple of tablespoons of your fresh tomato sauce, place a layer of eggplant a few slices of mozzarella and scatter basil on top. Layer ingredients until you use them up finishing with mozzarella and a scattering of basil leaves. Bake in a preheated oven 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, serve hot.

CLEVEDON VILLAGE FARMERS' MARKET VENDORS & PRODUCE

• Anthony's Tomatoes - tomatoes that taste like tomatoes
• Soggy Bottom Holdings - purveyors of rare breed free-range meats
• Sunset Coast Organics - organic fruit, vegetables and herbs
• Holmbrook Produce – chutney jams, mustards, pickles
• Clevedon Animal Farm - pony rides for the kids
• Bentru - smoked specialty meats and sausages; traditional prosciutto
• Schanzer Landscape - exotic plants
• Ardmore Valley Blueberries - blueberries
• Clevedon Valley Cheese - artisan cheese
• Piako Pete - wet fish; smoked fish & eel
• Pasta La Vista – Fresh Artisan Pasta
• Pacific Skye - seasonal fruit; fruit juice
• Wild Bee - fresh local bush & field honey
• Cuconics - telegraph cucumbers
• Salmonman - hot smoked salmon cured in a variety of ways
• Heart of the Globe - Highland beef products; artichokes
• Running Brook Seeds - quality heritage flower and vegetable seeds
• Wild Wheat - artisan bakers of traditional and sourdough breads
• Paella Pan - traditional paella cooked on-site; fresh crepes
• I Love Pies – handmade pies with an NZ flavour
• Limes on the Firth - fresh limes; cooking demonstrations 10-11am
• Hungarian Twisters - Kurtos Kalacs traditional Hungarian pastries
• Alison's Pony & Trap Rides - pony & trap rides for kids and adults
• Willow Brook - lavender products; Iris plants and lavender
• Zakar - BioGro beef cuts; premium beef mince and sausages
• Broccolini - broccolini
• Eureka Nurseries - flowers and produce
• Mandeville Gardens - native plants
• Sweet Art - cakes and chocolates
• Nature's Corner - free-range eggs
• Clevedon Catering - Cornish pasties, Eccles cakes
• Alvita - fresh & roasted nuts
• Pilgrim's - organic lamb
• Clevedon Proteas - Proteas and Waratahs
• Blackwood's Gourmet Breads - freshly-made bagels and flatbreads
• Waiuku River Wines - red & white wines, verjuice
• Fancy Lettuce - lettuce; spinach; living herbs
• Market Espresso - great coffee and refreshments
• River Estate - premium olive oils and table olives
• Dullumbunda Farm - fruit; vegetables and herbs
• Hungarian Deli - traditional air-dried meats and sausages
• Clevedon Cuisine - gourmet provisions
• Listers - Passion fruit and preserves
• Clevedon Juice & Icecream - juice and icecream
• David's Garden - Asian vegetables a specialty
• Avoculture - Avocados
• Roses - Fresh cut roses
• Ness Valley Nuts - fresh roasted and chocolate macadamia nuts
• Kipdale Farm - free range chicken
• Day Wen Vineyard - Organic Grapes
• Peruperu Man - Maori potatoes
• Mamor - Exquisite hand made Chocolates
  

Clevedon Village Farmers Market
Every Sunday 8:30am-12 noon, Clevedon Showground, Monument Rd, Clevedon

Visit our website at www.clevedonfarmersmarket.co.nz
To unsubscribe to this email click here and type 'unsubscribe' in the subject line