Strawberries, yes, strawberries. While most local strawberries won’t be coming in until later in May, you could say this weekend is the official welcome of the lovely spring fruit. Peddler’s Village will celebrate on Saturday and Sunday with their 41st Annual Strawberry Festival. Earl’s Bucks County will be serving a special Strawberry Arugula Salad and – are you ready? – “Chocolate Covered Strawberry Beer” (Lancaster Brewing Company Strawberry Wheat Beer finished with Rogue Chocolate Stout). Town Crier Bakery has everything from chocolate covered strawberries to strawberry pie to strawberry fritters.

And if you’re about to complain that strawberries aren’t “local” yet, Shady Brook Farm reports that their strawberries will be ready for “pick-your-own” this Monday. For an update on their crops, call 215.968.1670.

To market, to market. The Wrightstown Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday, May 1st with Personal Chef Karen McGinn giving cooking demonstrations on spring vegetables. The New Hope Farmers’ Market starts their season this Thursday, May 6th, with Chef David Zukerman of Earl’s Bucks County providing a cooking demo. And of course the Doylestown Farmers’ Market started a few Saturdays ago. Look for spring greens – spinach, lettuce – and radishes, rhubarb, herbs and bedding plants. Market products also include flowers; pastured beef, chicken and lamb; cheeses and yogurt from pastured animals; pastured eggs; bread and baked goods; preserved products; handmade soaps and lotions; honey, maple syrup and beeswax candles; organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffees; and prepared foods.

Fresh produce for those in need. The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, who run the Wrightstown Market, is partnering with the Bucks County Housing Group and market shoppers to provide fresh produce to the Housing Group’s food pantry on Durham Rd. in Penndel. They are inviting shoppers to purchase fresh produce items at the market and donate them. The (tax deductible) produce donations will be collected at the Foodshed Alliance table and delivered at the end of the market each Saturday. Volunteers are needed to help with delivery too. See the Foodshed Alliance table at the market for more information.

Bucks County Wine Trail. Not only is this weekend the Bucks County Wine Trail’s Spring Fling - celebrating the first wines of the season – but the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce is holding its very popular Bucks County Wine Tour on Sunday (Oops. Sorry, it’s sold out). What a great weekend to sample some local wine – sun, warmth, sitting outside sipping wine. Does it get any better?

The Doylestown Food Club is becoming the Doylestown Food Co-Op…and you can be part of the process. The five month old Doylestown Food Club, a collection of 50 households who buy locally produced goods and produce collectively is moving quickly towards a co-op structure. This Sunday, May 2, from 2 – 4 pm, and Thursday, May 27, from 7:30 – 9:30 pm, the Food Club will hold Town Hall meetings to gather input and answer questions about the development of the co-op. If you are at all interested, please come! You can also get on the Food Club/Co-op’s email list to stay in the loop.

For more details, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a lovely weekend!

Friday, April 30th:
Forecast – Sunny, 81°

• Jim Popik @ Pennsylvania Soup & Seafood Company, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
• Barbara Trent @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [7 - 11 pm]
• Kindle Cafe Supper Club @ Rojo’s Roastery, Lambertville [7:30 - 9 pm]
• Simon & Garfunkel Tribute @ New Hope Winery, New Hope [8 - 10:30 pm]
• Dave Marion Duo @ Vader’s Bar & Grill, Southampton [8 - 11 pm]

Saturday, May 1st:
Forecast – Sunny, 88°

• Spring Fling – Bucks County Wine Trail, Various Bucks County Wineries
• Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
• Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am - 1 pm]
• Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am - 3 pm]
• 41st Annual Peddler’s Village Strawberry Festival, Lahaska [10 am - 6 pm]
• Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton [12 - 5 pm]
• Beerfest @ McCoole’s, Quakertown [12 - 9 pm]
• Family-Style Roast Beef & Ham Dinner – Trinity UCC, Pleasant Valley [4 - 7 pm]
• Ham Dinner @ Riegelsville Fire Company, Riegelsville [4 - 7 pm]
• Ham Dinner @ First Baptist Church of Lambertville, Lambertville, NJ [4:30 - 7 pm]
• Jazz Night! featuring Eric Mintel Quartet, Michener Art Museum, Doylestown [8 - 11 pm]

Sunday, May 2nd:
Forecast – Sunny, 87°

• Spring Fling – Bucks County Wine Trail, Various Bucks County Wineries
• Breakfast Buffet @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [7 am - 12 pm]
• Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown [9 am - 1 pm]
• Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am - 3 pm]
• 41st Annual Peddler’s Village Strawberry Festival, Lahaska [10 am - 6 pm]
• 2010 Bucks County Wine Tour – Bucks County [12 - 5 pm]
• Doylestown Food Club Town Hall Meeting, Doylestown [2 - 4 pm]

Monday, May 3rd:

• Complimentary Wine Sampling @ Yardley Inn, Yardley [5 - 9 pm]
• Entertain with Ease! @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]
• Dim Sum and Other Asian Treats @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]
• A Tasting Tour of Spain @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 9 pm]
• Soupcon Salon by Kindle Café, Lambertville, NJ [7 - 9:15 pm]

Look for Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter!

Related posts:

1. Bucks Food Calendar: May 14, 2010
2. Bucks Food Calendar: May 7, 2010
3. Bucks County Farmers’ Markets 2010

Ms. Mantz, development officer, will present the Housing Group’s role and mission, as well as open a dialogue regarding a partnership between BCHG and BCFA that would enable the pantries to offer fresh food during local growing months. The discussion will revolve around the logistics of such an undertaking, engaging farmers and market vendors to participate, developing a volunteer base to deliver produce and considering how to fund it. BCHG also is considering offering its Penndel site as a setting for a farmers’ market.

The housing group’s three Community Food Pantries in Penndel, Doylestown and Quakertown served 39,000 individuals in 2009, with community food donations providing the bulk of the support.

BCFA members and interested others are invited to participate with ideas and questions. The Wrightstown Village Library is at 726 Penns Park Rd., Wrightstown 18940. There is no charge, and refreshments will be served.

Related posts:

1. Bucks Food Calendar: April 30, 2010
2. “Ingredients” at BCFA meeting this Wednesday

Here’s their suggested menu for the holiday meal baskets. The Thanksgiving Baskets are due Tuesday, November 17th, which is just next week, so consider it while doing your food shopping this week.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Baskets
Provide a meal for a family of 4-6 people.

“Fixings” include:

• Potatoes (fresh or boxed)
• Stuffing (Stovetop is fine; if not include seasonings)
• Vegetables (canned or fresh is fine)
• Dessert ( pumpkin pie mix and crust mix or brownie mix)
• Cranberry JELLY
• Gravy (jarred)
• Beverage ( iced tea mix, coffee etc.)
• Aluminum roasting pan
• $25 gift certificate to cover cost of turkey and perishables ( milk, butter, eggs and CoolWhip)

Some people add holiday touches like special paper plates or napkins candles or candies. Feel free to bake some cookies too–just make sure they are packaged well!

Put everything in a sturdy box.

THANKSGIVING- all food needs to be at the pantry no later than November 17 2009

CHRISTMAS- all food needs to be at the pantry no later than December 18 2009

Drop off at Penndel Pantry located at 349 Durham Road in Langhorne: Email ddaniels@bchg.org for time

Drop off at Doylestown Pantry located at 470 Old Dublin Pike in Doylestown: Email kbianchini@bchg.org for time

Drop off at Milford Square Pantry located at 2155 Milford Square Pike in Milford Square: Email kjenei@bchg.org for time