HOT SPRINGS AR FALL FARMER'S MKT AND FEST

I really enjoyed attending the last day of the Farmer's Market in Hot springs on Sat. Oct. 25th. It is a shame I could not attend more often thru the growing season. There were so many vendors there, with all sorts of foods, all of which are organically grow, along with various crafts, handmade by local folks, as well as those in the surrounding region. No junk here folks! This being the last day, it was truly an ol'fashion type "get together". Live music(Bluegrass), a petting Zoo for the kids, face-painting, plenty of pumpkins for decorating, BBQ cookin' (with bbq sauces made by the pit-master for sale.)
Of course, my main interest was in all the assorted foods and fresh vegetables for sale. An avid "Chile-Head" myself, I was particularly attracted to all the beautiful and assorted varieties of chiles I found there. There were California Chiles, Anaheims, Jalepenos, Poblanos (great for stuffing, more on these at another time!) Cayennes, and the best assortment of Habaneros and Scotch Bonnet Chiles I have ever seen.

Aside from the Chiles, there was organic honey, as well as Longhorn Cheese made from fresh whole milk. (A sample of this made me realize just how special fresh cheese like this is.)The Hot Springs Farmer's Market has had so much to offer thru this growing season. Fresh Herbs, Green Beans, all types of vegetables, beuatiful Tomatos, eggplant, zukini, and so much more. Many Chefs in the city shop there for thier kitchens. I will certainly make it a point to visit there more myself next season, mainly for the chiles, since I prepare various salsas, sauces, and other Mexican foods. To finish off, I am going to offer you a basic recipe for a good table sauce. It is not too hot(depending on your tastes, of course). It is great on alot of foods, especially on tacos, enchiladas, just about anything you want to "kick" up.

JAPELENO HOT SAUCE

2 LBS Fresh Chiles Stemmed and seeded, cut lengthwise.
1/2 lb white onion coarse chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbls. Salt
1/2 Tbls. Ground Comino
5-6 Sprigs Cilantro

Bring 4 cups water to a boil and add all but the Cilantro, let simmer for about 30 min. Let cool somewhat, then puree, adding the Cilantro and 2 cups white vinegar. Since there is so much vinegar used, it is well preserved. It is now ready to use, however, the "longer it sets, the better it gets! (2-# wks. This is really a simple, basic sauce, yet very versatile to use with many foods. The simplicity also opens the door for the home chef to create his or her own variations.

THANKS FOR READING AND BE SURE TO LOOK FORWARD TO MY NEXT OFFERINGS!
STEVO