My sister lives in England, in the Cotswolds. It is green, lush and beautiful, like Bucks County in many ways. She lives in a small – and I mean small – village with farms all around. I once asked her what her neighbor farmers produced. “Livestock, dairy, some crops,” she said. “Can you buy stuff from them?” I asked. Her answer, after a confused pause, was, “Uh, no. It all goes into a regional collective. We can’t buy directly.”

I was stunned. And that’s when it really hit me. I realized how fortunate we are here in Bucks County. Gosh, when corn or pumpkins are in season, you can’t drive a half-mile without seeing a farm stand. Or someone putting their garden’s bounty out by the curb with a small self-serve cash box and a hand-lettered sign.

At this point in my learning curve about local food, I’m also stunned when I meet Bucks County residents who still buy their fruits and veggies from the supermarket at the height of our growing season. Maybe I’m preaching to the choir here, but truly, the produce does taste better when we buy it locally. Sometimes it costs a bit more, but many times it doesn’t, especially in season. I like meeting the person who has grown the food. I really like knowing I am supporting the local agricultural economy so that we’ll continue to have fresh, local food in the future as well.

Changing shopping habits
Here’s what I discovered last summer. Once you get to know your local farmers’ market – be it a seasonal one, or one of the year-round markets – you start to change your shopping patterns. When I make my grocery list now, I know what I’ll buy at the farmers’ market each week, and what I’ll pick up at the supermarket. My supermarket visits also become more infrequent, which actually saves me money – less impulse buying. In addition to fruits and vegetables, I now buy bread, coffee, meat and cheese at my local farmers’ markets. That pretty much leaves toilet paper and detergent for my monthly visits to Wegmans.

Farmers’ markets everywhere
Seasonal farmers’ markets in Bucks County are growing – no pun intended. This year there will be ten eleven  seasonal markets in the county, and more farms are opening up farm stands each year. According to Robin Hoy, executive director of the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, the number of farmers’ markets in the county selling Bucks County grown and produced products has quadrupled since 2006. Attendance at the Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, one of the busiest, increased 20% just this past year.

Most farmers’ markets in Bucks County are now selling a wide array of goods, all grown or produced in Bucks or nearby. Products like delicious baked goods (including cookies, breads, tomato pies, Stromboli, and Greek pastries); Grass-fed Angus beef, pasture-raised pork, poultry, lamb and rabbit; eggs, cheeses and yogurt from pastured animals; pasta; ice cream; local unprocessed raw honey, maple syrup and beeswax candles; flowers and plants; jams, jellies, condiments and sauces; organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffees; prepared foods, hand-made soaps and lotions, artisan and handcrafted goods, and, of course, locally grown produce.

Many markets now have special events every week that really lend an air of festivity. Local chefs show shoppers how to use seasonal produce to create tasty dishes. Chefs David Zuckerman and Chris Tavares of Earl’s Bucks County in Lahaska will be at the season opening of the New Hope Farmers’ Market this Thursday, May 6th (for more details see list below). The Ottsville Farmers’ Market at Linden Hill Gardens has fun events every week, most geared towards the whole family.

Let’s not forget the great year-round farmers’ markets in Bucks. None Such Farm Market in Buckingham provides meats, cheeses, baked goods, grocery items, plants, and fresh produce from their farm across the street. Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, and at The Market at Delaware Valley College, also offer a wide variety of foods, in addition to fruit and produce from their farm and from the college. The indoor Newtown Farmers’ Market has been a mainstay in Newtown for years, with a diverse group of vendors from Amish, to Middle Eastern, to Asian and Mexican. In Ivyland, Tanners Bros. Dairy Market offers their own meat and dairy products (and ice cream!), and nicely priced produce. Carroll’s Seafood & Produce in Plumsteadville carries produce, milk, and a good selection of fish. Likewise, Bolton’s in Silverdale. In addition to local produce, you can get their fresh, hormone-free, antibiotic-free poultry year-round, raised on their farm adjacent to the store. And as you wind your way up Route 611, stop in at Trauger’s in Kintersville. They carry a huge variety of fruit and vegetables from their 9th generation-owned farm. The most recent year-round indoor market to open is the Stockton Farmers’ Market, open on Saturdays and Sundays in Stockton, NJ. [See our post on the Stockton Market here.]

To find more local farm stands and markets, check out the listing on the Web site of the Penn State Cooperative Extension, Bucks County. It’s organized both alphabetically and by type of product. So if you want to know where you can do “pick-your-own” produce, or who sells locally raised beef, it’s a great resource.

Here’s a listing of seasonal farm markets in Bucks, arranged geographically (going south to north). Most of the markets take place rain or shine. Some have email lists, a great reminder as well as source of what will be selling in the market that week. Click on the name of the market to go to their Web site and get even more information.

• Langhorne Farmers’ Market: Tuesdays 3:00 – 6:30 pm, at the Jesse Soby American Legion Post, 115 W. Richardson Ave. Starting June 28 until October 26.
• Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market: Thursdays 3:30 – 6:30 pm, at Edgewood & Heacock Roads in Yardley. Starting May 20 until October 14.
• Wrightstown Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm, at 2203 2nd Street Pike (next to the Wrightstown Township Municipal Building). Starting May 1 until November 20.
• Warrington Farmers’ Market at Valley Square: the newest market, just opening this year. Fridays from 3 – 6 pm, beginning May 14 (end date TBD). For more information, contact Christie Honigman at ch@grassholdings.com.
• Doylestown Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 7 am – noon, on Hamilton Ave. near West State St. Starting April 17 until November 20.
• New Hope Farmers’ Market: Thursdays 3:30 – 7 pm, in the parking lot of the New Hope-Solebury High School on 180 N. Bridge St. Beginning May 6 until November 18.
• Plumsteadville Grange Farm Market: Saturdays 9 am – noon, at the Plumsteadville Grange near the intersection of Route 611 and Keller’s Church Rd. Starting May 29 until October 30.
• Ottsville Farmers’ Market at Linden Hill Gardens: Fridays 3 – 7 pm, 8230 Easton Rd. (Rt. 611, between Rt. 113 and 412). Beginning May 28 until October 29.
• Springtown Farmers’ Market: Thursdays 4 – 6 pm, at the Springtown Fire House, 3010 Main St. (Routes 412/212). Starting May 20 until September 30.
• Indian Valley Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, at Penn Ave. and Main St. in Telford. Beginning June 26 until October 16.

Update: Just heard from Joe Ferry in Perkasie – “The Perkasie Farmers Market will return on (Saturday) May 22 after a few years hiatus. We have a great group of vendors lined up, plus some live entertainment and business specials.
It’s all part of ‘Saturday Mornings in Perkasie,’ which will happen on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month through the fall.”  Thanks for the info, Joe!

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Related posts:

1. Farm markets in winter
2. Bucks Food Calendar: May 14, 2010
3. Tidbits: Sprig & Vine, local markets

As I’ve learned more about food in Bucks County — and eaten more of it — I’ve become much more sensitive to what appears on my restaurant plate. Last August we were dining locally and steamed asparagus showed up as a side. Asparagus in August? I don’t know where it came from, but I do know it wasn’t nearby. (Asparagus likes spring weather, not the sweltering heat of a Pennsylvania August.) It was also thick with a tough skin. Hardly worth the trip it made from wherever. But even more surprising to me was the chef’s choice — asparagus, in August, when almost every other vegetable was growing within a 10-mile radius.

Connecting restaurants and farmers is harder than it seems. Chefs need quality, consistency and convenience. Bring me good stuff, when I can use it, and to my door. Farmers spend their days, well, farming and don’t have much time or gas money to run around to restaurants making small deliveries.

Despite these obstacles, more chefs are making the effort. In Bucks County, there at least three restaurants – Earl’s Bucks County in Lahaska, and The Down to Earth Café and newly-opened Maize Restaurant, both in Perkasie – that are focusing on locally-sourced food. On the other side of the river, in Lambertville, Hamilton’s Grill Room and Kindle Café both use local ingredients. I was intrigued. How were they doing it? What I discovered is that we are on the cusp, right here in the Delaware Valley, of a shift in thinking, practice and market demand. It’s been happening in other parts of the country – most notably California – but it’s just gaining momentum in Bucks County.

Ask most chefs why they want locally-sourced ingredients and they’ll tell you point blank it’s about quality and freshness – ultimately translating into better taste. “The food from out of state is, on average, coming 1,200 miles,” says Vincent Peterson, the chef and owner of Kindle Café, a vegetarian supper club and caterer in Lambertville. “It’s picked early so it will ripen on the road.” Buying local eliminates the transport time and extra handling. Ingredients are fresher, last longer and taste better. And, many local farmers are growing organic or nearly organic, a selling point with many customers.

Sourcing local also means chefs can be more hands on. “I can talk to the farmers,” says Maize chef Matt McPhelin, who likes to visit area farms to see how they grow, harvest and process the product. “They’ll show me what they have growing nice this season. Then I can plan the menu around that.”

What about the challenges of planning a menu around seasonal availability? Earl’s Bucks County, which recently re-birthed itself with a locally-focused menu, plans to change offerings to match the seasons. Maize, open just a short time, has already seen a dozen menu changes, depending on what McPhelin finds on his daily buying trips.

“It demands more creativity from me because I’m working with a limited palette,” Peterson says. “But it also makes my job easier because there are fewer choices.” As a diner, it means you may not find the same items every time you dine at a particular restaurant, but you will know it’s fresh.

Not to be diminished are the benefits that grow from supporting the local economy. “I like knowing that we’re helping local farms and that the money stays local,” says J. Ryman Maxwell, who opened The Down to Earth Café last September. Maxwell uses vegetables and fruit from two nearby farms, Blooming Glen Farm and Penn Vermont. McPhelin gets his meats from Hendricks (Telford), Blooming Glen Pork (Blooming Glen) and Bolton’s (Silverdale).

Maxwell has noticed that even in the short time his café has been open, farmers are coming to him, wanting to sell their goods and asking what products he’d like. Ultimately, this is how it should evolve, he says, with supply shaping itself to demand, and local producers putting themselves on firmer economic footing, knowing what their customers want and will buy. “I’m learning as I go, too,” he says, “I’m learning from the growers and they’re learning from us. The local farmer is realizing, I can branch out. There’s a market for this.”

How does the product get to the restaurant? Ah, therein lies the problem. Most of the chefs go and get it themselves. “It’s nice in theory,” Maxwell says, “but it’s a full-time job to work with all the different growers and farmers.” It takes a lot of coordination and time to meet with people and pick up orders daily or weekly.

Mike Azzara is very familiar with this problem. As manager of the seasonal Lawrenceville (NJ) Farmers Market and as a community outreach worker for the Northeast Organic Farming Association, he knew many farmers and chefs. And both would complain to him. The chefs wanted good-quality, local produce. The farmers wanted to get their goods to the restaurants. So, he decided to take things into his own hands.

In 2008, Azzara began Zone 7, a food distribution company. He picked up goods from 10 farms and delivered it to 15 restaurants, all in Central New Jersey. Last year, the operation grew to include 20 farms in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania and 50 restaurants in Central and Northern New Jersey, putting $200,000 in the hands of local producers and high-quality, fresh goods into the hands of grateful chefs.

Azzara convened a gathering of his farmers and chefs in early February at Nomad Pizza in Hopewell to thank them and share his plans for the coming year. But they did most of the thanking. One after another praised Azzara for his efforts, and for creating Zone 7. As Ted Blew, a family farmer from Pittstown, NJ, put it, “Growing is easy. Putting up a farm stand in front is the next step. But going beyond to restaurants is very hard. It’s expensive. You need a distributor to make it happen. This was the missing link.”

The final “link” is perhaps the most important – the restaurant patron. These chefs and farmers are pioneers, in a way, but ultimately they won’t be successful unless customers buy and enjoy their products, and demand more local goods from the other restaurants and markets. I really should have said something when that asparagus showed up on my plate, but I wimped out. Now, however, I ask more questions, and praise the restaurant when they tell me the food is locally sourced. I guess it’s not enough to simply eat and be merry. If we care about our food, and our local economy, we need to eat and be active.

Look for Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter!

Related posts:

1. September farm-to-table dinners
2. Earl’s Bucks County goes local
3. CSAs: It’s like having your own farm

First, let’s get the whole price thing out of the way. Most people I know (“locals”) have avoided Earl’s for the last few years due to a rather expensive menu and bar. Good, interesting food but…

So if that’s been keeping you away, it’s safe to come back. Both the menu and the price point have changed – the former toward an all-day, “family-friendly” yet still sophisticated selection, and the latter downward, to a reasonably priced and varied choice of items (tapas, small dishes, salads, sandwiches and entrees).

I’m not going to do a traditional restaurant review of the food. As we’ve mentioned, we don’t see ourselves as critics. That said, we have eaten our share of good food (!) and we enjoyed the samples of the new menu served at the preview party. It was an interesting variety of tastes, flavors and influences, fresh, and beautifully presented [see the photos]. And, need I say again, at a reasonable price for the ingredients, preparation and service.

Of most interest to me is the local food connection that Earl’s – now called Earl’s Bucks County – is aiming for. General Manager David Zukerman is focused on bringing in local ingredients and doing great things with them.

 And he’s done his homework. David has spent the last six months or so visiting local farm markets in Bucks and nearby, talking with food producers, meeting vendors and tasting. From my knowledge of local food sources, and from chatting with David last night, he’s obviously gotten around. He’s already bringing in some of these products and with a menu that will change with the seasons, plans to bring in more when the growing season starts. For example, you’ll see on the menu right now a cheese plate with local cheeses from Valley Shepherd Creamery, Cherry Grove Farm and Bobolink Dairy Farm, and a Speck Ham dish with apple marmalade made from Solebury Orchard apples. One of the entrees is an olive-brined chicken from Bolton Farms. You’ll also see Blue Moon Acres greens popping up here and there.

These, you might say, are the “slam-dunks.” Kind of easy local sources to go with. But it is February, after all. There’s not a lot growing around here. It will be interesting to see how the menu continues to evolve as the seasons change. David says he is still working on his beef sources, although his fish purveyor is sending him only sustainable seafood. There are also plans to grow a restaurant garden on the property and serve guests at a “Chef’s Table” al fresco.

The local/organic/sustainable approach doesn’t stop at the food. Earl’s wine list has been revamped to include some organic, sustainably grown wines and some local wines. A new feature will be a “Local Pour” – a glass of local Bucks County or Pennsylvania wine, always available, and starting with some of Chaddsford Winery’s best. And if you’re watching your budget, come to Earl’s on a Tuesday night with your own bottle. They’ll be happy to open it with no corkage fee, and will also offer 25% off wine on the restaurant’s list. They are even offering some organic alcohol at the bar – 360 Vodka  - and organic tequila and gin (who knew?).

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the service and ambiance at Earl’s. During the three weeks the restaurant was closed for renovations, the staff – many of them long-time employees – received training in the new menu, seeing how the food was prepared and getting to taste everything. They’re happy to describe any dish, and they do it with relish (no pun intended). In fact, in addition to a warm, friendly atmosphere, there is a palpable excitement among the staff – like they can’t wait to open the new Earl’s and start sharing the good stuff.

Earl’s Bucks County
2400 Street Road
New Hope PA 18938
215.794.4020
Open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 11:30 am – 10 pm
Sundays, 11:30 am to 8 pm

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Related posts:

1. Getting local food on the local table
2. Tidbit: Earl’s Bucks County starts a garden
3. Going out for Thanksgiving

It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You can go out for Thanksgiving instead of making it at home. In fact, so many people are doing it these days that more and more restaurants are staying open and offering prix fixe deals for the day. Some places are also offering “Turkey To Go,” so you can bring the whole meal home. Your guests need never know…

I did a little bit of research and found seventeen Bucks County restaurants (and three in Jersey) open with Thanksgiving special menus. There are probably more. Let me know of any others by all means, and I’ll add them to the post. These are in alphabetical order with any interesting details I could find. Following the listing are a few of the places who are offering Thanksgiving meals for take-out.

The Black Bass Hotel is offering a seven-course dinner, served from noon to 8:30 pm, at a prix fixe of $47.95 per person. The inn is at 3774 River Road in Lumberville. Phone: 215.297.9260

The Brick Hotel at 1 East Washington Ave. in Newtown is putting on both Thanksgiving Brunch and Dinner. Brunch starts at 9:30 am and goes to 4:30 pm (last seating at 3 pm). Price for adults is $32.99  and for children, $15.99. The a la carte dinner is from 5:30 to 10:00 pm. See the above links for more menu details and call 215.860.8313 for reservations.

The Buck Hotel is offering a “Family Style” Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 6 pm. Price for adults is $31.95 (plus tax and gratuity) and $15.95 for children. The Buck is at 1200 Buck Road in Feasterville. You can reach them at 215.396.2002 for reservations.

The Cascade Lodge is cooking a whole turkey for parties of 4 or more, including all the traditional fixings. And you can even take home the leftover turkey! Cost is $27.95 per person (plus tax and gratuity). The Lodge is at 5065 Lehnenberg Rd. in Kintnersville, and will be open from noon to 7 pm. Phone: 610.346.7484

The Freight House in Doylestown will open at 11 am on Thanksgiving Day and offer a range of special entrees including Maple Glazed Turkey Breast, Peppercorn Crusted Beef Tenderloin, Rosemary Garlic Prime Rib, Roast Leg of Lamb and Tea Smoked Pork Loin. For reservations, call 215.340.1003. The Freight House is right by the Doylestown Train Station on 100 S. Clinton St.

The Indian Rock Inn is offering a four-course All American Thanksgiving Feast from noon to 7:30 pm, for
$38.00 per person (children under 12 years: $19.00). Seating is limited and reservations are required. Phone: 610.982.9600. The Inn is at 2206 River Road (Route 32) in Upper Black Eddy.

The Logan Inn in New Hope is hosting Thanksgiving Day Dinner from noon to 7 pm, offering a variety of entrees, for $32.95 per person. All dinners come with soup, salad, dessert and coffee. Entrees include Turkey, Ham, Grilled Long Island Duck Breast, Sauerbraten and Herb Encrusted Filet. Children have a choice of Turkey or Ham Dinner ($12.95) or Pasta with Marinara Sauce ($10.95). The inn is at 10 W. Ferry St. Phone: 215.862.2300

The Mansion Inn, also in New Hope, will be serving a special a la carte Thanksgiving menu from noon to 8 pm. Try the Pumpkin Bisque Soup, or for entrees, Roast Turkey, Glazed Ham, Butternut Squash Ravioli, or Grilled Salmon. The Mansion Inn is at 9 9 South Main Street. For reservations, call 215.862.1231

Marsha Brown will be open from noon to 8 pm with a Creole-inspired Thanksgiving menu that makes you want to move to Louisiana. Choices include a Lobster, Shrimp and Crawfish Bisque, Turkey with Corn Bread Andouille and Chestnut Stuffing, Duck and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya, a 10 oz. Filet with Béarnaise Sauce*, and Eggplant Ophelia. Side dishes are served family style and dessert is also part of the $49.95 per person deal (*$59.95 for the filet). Marsha Brown’s is at 15 South Main Street in New Hope. Reservations: 215.862.7044

At Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, the options are varied. The Cock ‘n Bull is hosting a Thanksgiving Harvest Feast Buffet from noon to 6 pm. Adults: $27.95 and children: $13.95. Both Earl’s and Sweet Lorraine’s will do a regular menu with some “off the menu” Thanksgiving items. People can either pick and choose the Thanksgiving items or can have a three course prix fixe option from those choices. Click on the links above for more information, including phone numbers for reservations.

The Richlandtown Inn in Upper Bucks County is offering a fixed menu with five dinner options, including turkey, ham and seafood for entree choices. The inn will be open from noon to 8 pm. Prices vary depending on your entree choice from $16.95 (Turkey) to $30 (Filet Mignon). For reservations, call 215.536.6239. The Richlandtown Inn, sometimes referred to as the Richlandtown Hotel, is located in the center of Richlandtown on Route 212 (101 S. Main Street at Union St.).

The Temperance House is presenting a gourmet Thanksgiving Grand Buffet featuring a hand-carved turkey station and steamship of beef with all the fixings for $24.95 per person (adult) and $12.95 (child). The Temp is at 5 N. State St in Newtown. Call 215.860.9975 for reservations.

Vaders Bar & Grill in Southampton is offering a great deal — a Thanksgiving Turkey meal for $16.95 per person ($6.99 for kids). In addition, their regular menu will be available. Reservations are being taken for seatings at 2/2:30 pm, 4/4:30 pm and 6/6:30 pm. Call 215.953.7575 for more information. Vaders is on 727 Second Street Pike. You can also get a turkey dinner to go. Details below.

The Washington House is seating for a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner including choice of soup or salad, entree, dessert and coffee for $29.95-32.95 (adult) and $9.95 (child). A la carte menu also available. You can find them at 136 N. Main Street in Sellersville. Phone: 215.257.3000

The Waterwheel Restaurant in Doylestown is presenting a Grand Thanksgiving Day Buffet from 2 to 6 pm. $35.00 per person, kids under 10 y.o. half-price. Check out the menu and call for reservations at 215.345.9544. The Waterwheel is at 4424 Old Easton Rd.

The Yardley Inn Restaurant and Bar will be serving dinner 1-7 pm on Thanksgiving Day. In addition to their regular menu, they will offer a special menu for the holiday. Entrees range in price from $19 to $38. You can find the Yardley Inn at the corner of Afton Ave. and River Rd. in Yardley. For reservations, call: 215.493.3800.

And nearby, on the Jersey side of the river:

Erini Restaurant at 1140 River Rd. in Ewing will be open on Thanksgiving from 2 to 6 pm, offering 4-course dinners, based on the price of the entree. You can reach them at 609.882.0303

Hamilton’s Grill Room will be offering a Thanksgiving Family Dinner Dinner, served from 1 to 5 pm. Call the restaurant for more information and reservations at 609.397.4343. Hamilton’s is at 8 Coryell St. in Lambertville. And don’t forget, they are also BYOB.

The Lambertville Station Restaurant is offering a traditional turkey dinner entree as well as a variety of other selections (ranging $18-$32) on Turkey Day. The restaurant, at 11 Bridge St. in Lambertville, can be reached at 609.397.8300 for more information and reservations.

Interested in Turkey-to-Go? Here’s a few places that are offering a cooked turkey with all the fixings:

Earl’s in Peddler’s Village is offering a Thanksgiving Feast to Go including a Bolton Farm Tom turkey (raised locally in Silverdale), giblet gravy, butter whipped mashed potatoes, apple sage dressing, green beans, candied yams, cranberry chutney, assorted rolls and a choice of apple, pumpkin or pecan pie. Pricing: for 4-7 guests $160 (one pie) and for 8-12 guests $230 (two pies). Add an additional 14 to 16 lb. turkey for $70. Easy and convenient curbside pick-up on Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the rear of Earl’s. Orders must be received by Sunday, November 22. Call: 215.794-4020.

Vaders Bar & Grill in Southampton is offering  a Thanksgiving Dinner to feed “at least” eight people for $79.95. You can get the 20-22# turkey fully cooked (just warm it up when you get home) or partially cooked, with you finishing the last 30 minutes in your oven. A $20 deposit is requested Call 215.953.7575 for more information.

Wegmans in Warrington has lowered the price on their famous take-out Thanksgiving meal this year and is offering some new options. A Premium Turkey Dinner is $79.99, serves 8-10 and includes 4 sides, gravy and cranberry orange relish. A hand-carved Roasted Turkey Dinner is available in two sizes: the medium serves 5-6 and cost $99; the large serves 10-12 and costs $179. Both include 4 sides, gravy and cranberry orange relish. You can also order the items a la carte. See  more details online and call the Catering Department at 215.918.3908 to order.

Related posts:

1. Going out for Easter
2. Earl’s Bucks County goes local
3. Mad about shad – or not – it’s still a fun festival