Farmers Market Round Up: Presidential Edition

From Stephanie Willis. Email her at [email protected], follow her on Twitter @shaw_girl.

Presidents’ Day weekend is upon us once again, Borderstanis. It’s time to reflect on the rich heritage of the American Presidency … by sleeping in and going to brunch. In honor of this upcoming holiday, I decided to investigate the eating habits of a few of our forefathers.

After some extensive research (mostly via Google), I discovered that Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were both quite avid meat eaters. In fact, Mount Vernon had its own smokehouse to smoke freshly slaughtered meats for the Washingtons and their guests. Talk about your original locavores!

So what better way to honor these men on their federally appointed day than to add fire to meat?  The Dupont Circle Farmers market has a nice selection of meat purveyors and below are some local bloggers’ carnivorous contributions.

• Pick up a package of buffalo short ribs from Cibola Farms to make these Coffee Marinated Bison Short Ribs. This recipe had my mouth-watering from the beginning and it’s definitely going on my “must-try” list.
• The lovely Mrs. Wheelbarrow assures us that lamb necks and slow cookers go together like peanut butter and jelly. Her Braised Lamb Neck recipe is the starting point for her Moroccan-inspired lamb sandwiches. Stop by Virginia Lamb & Meats and ask about lamb necks on Sunday.
• I love the idea of marinating pork in fruit juice, so this POM Marinated Pork Tenderloin recipe from Mango & Tomato immediately caught my eye. Smith Meadows, Eco Friendly Food and Cedarbrook Farm all have fantastic pork products to satisfy your piggy cravings.
• Speaking of piggy cravings, if you have them, might I suggest Albondigas? These Spanish meatballs are a staple on tapas restaurant menus, but our very own Alejandra Owens described how to make them at home.
• This Classic Beef Stew from Metrocurean is perfect for the brief chill that is coming into the DC forecast on Sunday. I often get my stew meat from Smith Meadows on Sunday and prepare enough stew for the week. It’s easy to freeze in individual portions, and easy to reheat on a hectic weeknight.
• Chicken lovers crying fowl over the lack of poultry pontification? Fear not — I bring you Chicken Under a Brick! I’ve had a variation of this recipe at Dino in DC and loved it. In case you were wondering, you don’t really have to put the chicken under a brick. Any heavy object will do – building supplies not necessary.

This weekend, I say we raise a picked-clean meat bone in salute to the great presidential leaders of our past! To boot, feel good about the meat you’re serving by buying it locally and fresh. Old Georgie would be proud.

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