Final Growers' Market for the Season

Saturday was our final Growers' Market at Ut si for the season but I really hope to see it up and running again next spring.

It was one of those almost too perfect days. The perfectly still day full of sunshine and warmth, when the sky is so blue it hurts your eyes.

I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Collette and her team for hosting the market.

Collette's drive and creativity really brings it alive and I love her dedication to community and ethical eating.

I know sometimes she thinks she is banging her head on the proverbial brick wall but she IS making a difference. She IS doing something very important. She IS a light in the dark...quite literally when she is up well before dawn trying to coax her naturally levened bread to rise!

Ut si also have a beautiful organic garden out the back that supplies their kitchen with wonderful, fresh produce. It is common to see Chef popping out to pick for the changing seasonal menu.

These are some of the beautiful heirloom tomatoes that they were also selling yesterday.

Little Jenny Wren popped in to say hello and filled her basket too. She looks wonderful and is doing really well. She has a wonderful warm philosophical outlook on life.

While she was there she and her husband also had a chance to chat with Papa about the wood fired oven where Ut si bakes their own bread.

I didn't have any excess produce to sell as the garden is ticking along with only enough for our needs at the moment.

I figured there would be lots of tomatoes and basil so I converted my hens eggs into fresh pasta.

It wasn't a promising start when one of the first locals through said:

"Uurrghh, what IS it?"

"It's spaghetti"

"Urrrggghhh! What do you DOooo with it?"

"You boil it"

"urghh"

I thought Oh no, is this what I stayed up till 2.30am for! Craig and I will be eating pasta for a week!

Happily it was recognised by other customers and I'm pleased to say it was a sell-out.

Phew!

Do pop in and visit Collette at Ut si (Latin for "as if") and take a wander through her beautifully landscaped garden. Sit with a mezza plate under the spreading tree in the sunshine and you will think you have been carried off to somewhere exotic for a mini holiday. But perhaps you would like a second opinion? They have also been featured in Gourmet Traveller and you can read this great post from Spicy Icecream.