One not-so-secret recipe to a deeper connection and appreciation for our food is to take it and transform it into something delicious, with your own hands and skills.

While you might not be able to beat the sensation of biting into a crisp apple or the zest of a handful of fresh arugula, often a little additional effort can take a forgettable night of take-out and replace it with a memorable and comforting home-cooked meal. It doesn’t mean you need to suddenly learn all the James Beard award-winning chef skills, although some basic knife skills and pantry stocking might help. It just means you need to dedicate some time to preparing all of your market finds, so *tip* start cooking before you get hungry!

Bonus points if you share your recipes with friends and family. And us! In the next few months, we’ll be working on a market cookbook for you all to enjoy and will be asking our market people to contribute some of their favorite recipes. Cooking is community and we know we have a dedicated bunch.

Thankfully, our market vendors are already well aware of this and know how to take what they make and elevate it in your home kitchens. Shoutout to Dragonfly Hill Farm and Funny Farm Apiaries (attending NEXT week) for contributing some incredible recipes for us to share with you – both online and at the market! We have the recipe cards at our little red EBT booth for you. Grab one when you come get your Winter Warrior stamp!

Check out more of this week’s Fresh Market Picks, Recipes & Vendor Line-Up in our E-Newsletter!