Walking Long Distances is Always Better with Cupcakes

When we moved to DC I worried that I would miss out on the local produce that is so abundant in Vermont, and that there would be no farmer's markets in the area. Geesh, what a dorkus I was. My worry was put to rest during our first weekend in the city, when we ran by a great market in Dupont Circle. It wasn't until yesterday that Tom and I finally had a chance to check it out. 

The day greeted us with cooler temperatures, blue skies, and plenty of places along the way to stop and eat our goodies. One woman remarked that it felt like September. It was a perfect day.

Free samples of peaches, nectarines, watermelon, and cantaloupe were served at every stall, and some vendors even welcomed customers to taste the berries before purchasing. We fell in love with the peaches and snagged a few at one stand, then purchased a box of organic raspberries at another. Farm-fresh fruit is so much more flavorful than supermarket fruit, and I love being able to see the farmers (or at least their staff) that I am supporting. 

Tomatoes are definitely in season and there were a wide variety of tomatoes found at each stall. We decided not to buy any since we're leaving for VT this week. It would be a shame to have veggies go bad while we're gone. 

Tom lucked out. He's been without Rosie's Beef Jerky for a few weeks and found this Buffalo Jerky to hold him over until we can get back to Vermont to replenish his stock. 

We stopped by the fountain to enjoy the jerky and peaches, and to soak up the sun. 

We also stopped at Hello Cupcake's Dupont Circle location for an afternoon pick-me-up. I mean, if Tom can get beef jerky, then I certainly need a cupcake. It took me a while to decide between the strawberry lemonade cake and a more traditional, vanilla cake and chocolate frosting. Ultimately I went with the classic. I'm trying to find one that is just as good as the my little cupcake version, and after this one, I am still looking.

We stopped at a mini-park on our walk back home to enjoy the cupcakes. Note: If you want to make sure that I have fun and am in a good mood on a 1.7 mile walk, then be sure to give me a cupcake half way through. They were a little melted by this point, but were still just as effective!

 The frosting tasted great, but the cake was lacking some flavor. It was a nice, fluffy cake, but it did not taste like vanilla. Yikes! I'm starting to sound like a cupcake snob. Anyway, I enjoyed the cupcake, but have had more delicious ones. Will I go back? Yes! I need to try the strawberry lemonade.

 

Tom opted for the Root Beer Float cupcake. At first it tasted like a gingerbread cupcake. It wasn't until I was done eating it that I could really taste the root beer. It's funny how he always goes for unique flavors and I tend to hit somewhat boring chocolate and vanilla combos. 

That evening we enjoyed some of our farmer's market finds with our dinner. Tom found two great recipes on tastespotting.com and was the chef of the evening. He made really delicious corn on the cob, green beans with walnuts and balsamic, and honey-dijon glazed chicken. We'll definitely be using those recipes again in the future! 

Hope you all have a Happy Monday!

Fall Farmer's Market

I woke up to this  morning to the sounds of the heat turning on in our apartment and geese flying overhead outside. Geese this time of the year means one thing: winter is on the way. I was even more assured of this when I checked my phone and saw that it was a chilly 33 degrees outside. 

After Tom woke up we made our way down to the farmer's market. This is one of the last weeks it will be outside before winter. There were tons of fruit and veggies, including apples and apple cider.

We picked up some corn, peppers, and beans (we didn't get any in our CSA this week) and made our way to the flower lady. She's had gorgeous bouquets all summer and I've eyed them every week. Today they were so colorful and pretty! Tom must have thought so too because he insisted that I pick out a bouquet so he could buy it for me. What a guy!  

Holy Onion, Batman!

I don't anticipate buying much when I go to the farmer's market but it's been difficult over the last few weeks.  Everything seems to be in season.

Especially the onions! I spotted this baby last Saturday and knew I had to have it! It cost a whopping $4, but seriously, have you ever seen such a GIANT onion? 

And an onion this large calls for one thing. ONION RINGS!

Before you even dismiss the thought of onion rings you need to stop! Actually GO! Go out to your nearest supermarket and get Don's Chuck Wagon Onion Ring Mix. I grew up on this stuff and have never tasted a better onion ring. In fact, one of our friends, who dislikes onions very much, found herself heading back to the plate of rings. They're that good. 

Tip 1: Salt them immediately after they come out of the fryer.

Tip 2: Let them sit for about 3 minutes on paper towels (to get rid of the extra oil and allow them to cool).

Tip 3: Consume IMMEDIATELY! There's no need to wait until the rest of your meal has finished cooking. Waiting even 30 minutes may cause them to get soggy. There's nothing worse than a soggy onion ring. 

Sorry I don't have any photos of the onion rings. My mind was too distracted with crunchy deliciousness to even think about taking one.