Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Shop the Outer Aisle

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Have you ever heard the advice that if you wish to eat in the healthiest manner possible, you would do well to shop the "outer aisles" of the grocery store?  Well, in the nearby town of Douglas Flats, there is a produce stand cleverly called The Outer Aisle.  This place is loaded with wonderful fruits and vegetables from local farms.  Aren't those purple and green peppers in the photo beautiful? 

Sara and Baby E and I ventured over there today in search of fresh produce and we were certainly not disappointed.  I came home with beautiful peppers, an heirloom tomato, some fresh white corn, basil, and a loaf of sourdough bread from a local baker.  They had so much that I wanted to buy, but I had to limit myself so as not to waste anything.  The man in line ahead of us bought $212 worth of produce, can you imagine?  I hope he had hordes of people back at home to enjoy it!  I passed up peaches and black ripe figs and eggplant and a staggering variety of heirloom tomatoes.  But, you know what?  I can always go back tomorrow!

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Since my husband is away most of the week, I am on my own for dinner, which has its upsides and downsides.  The downside obviously is that I am on my own, but the upside is that I can eat exactly what I like.  No, not hot fudge sundaes.

Tonight, I am feasting on fresh corn and bruschetta.  I may be dining alone, but I am dining in STYLE!!!

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To make bruschetta, toast some sour dough bread slices and rub them with a cut garlic clove, then brush with olive oil.  Cut up a good tomato, some fresh basil, and a bit of  red or green pepper (if you like).  Add some grated parmesan, and toss with some good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper.  If you LOVE garlic, chop some into the tomato mixture for a stronger flavor. Top the toast rounds with the tomato mixture.  It doesn't get much better than this.

And the corn?  omg  It's August, and I hope wherever you are, you can get fresh local corn.  Incomparable flavor.  I remember one August when my husband and I were in Michigan, his cousin sent one of her kids out to the corn field to pick some fresh corn for dinner.  She tossed it in a pot of boiling water, right out of the field, and my husband ate eight ears of corn.  Seriously, it was that good.

32 responses to “Shop the Outer Aisle”

  1. Wish I was closer (than Michigan, I guess) cuz I would have invited myself over for dinner. YUM! Our corn is delicious right now – and I could eat 8 ears but I won’t…picking some up today at the farmer’s market stand near my physical therapy!
    Glad you had a good day, the three of you. Enjoy your weekend (and I may consider the hot fudge sundae if I didn’t eat too many ears of corn)! LOL

  2. Wish I was closer (than Michigan, I guess) cuz I would have invited myself over for dinner. YUM! Our corn is delicious right now – and I could eat 8 ears but I won’t…picking some up today at the farmer’s market stand near my physical therapy!
    Glad you had a good day, the three of you. Enjoy your weekend (and I may consider the hot fudge sundae if I didn’t eat too many ears of corn)! LOL

  3. Yum!!! This is why we’ve enjoyed our garden so very, very much.
    AMIL and I went to the Farmer’s Market yesterday, too. We needed peaches and hard country pears for making jam.
    Have you ever heard of leaving the husks on the corn and microwaving up to 3 ears for 3 min, turning them over for another 3 min.? Seriously, they are hot to shuck but this is the most flavorful way to prepare corn I’ve ever tasted. Give it a try!
    Please keep those of us on the East Coast in your prayers as Hurricane Irene goes by. I hope and pray Irene goes out to sea immediately. Yikes!
    I mean, what is up with an earthquake and a hurricane threat all in the same week??
    Be good to you!
    Hugs!

  4. Yum!!! This is why we’ve enjoyed our garden so very, very much.
    AMIL and I went to the Farmer’s Market yesterday, too. We needed peaches and hard country pears for making jam.
    Have you ever heard of leaving the husks on the corn and microwaving up to 3 ears for 3 min, turning them over for another 3 min.? Seriously, they are hot to shuck but this is the most flavorful way to prepare corn I’ve ever tasted. Give it a try!
    Please keep those of us on the East Coast in your prayers as Hurricane Irene goes by. I hope and pray Irene goes out to sea immediately. Yikes!
    I mean, what is up with an earthquake and a hurricane threat all in the same week??
    Be good to you!
    Hugs!

  5. I’m having serious corn envy! In our area of the country we had such a long, cool Spring the farmers just aren’t getting the normal corn crop. So much so that a local service club’s annual dinner this week-end will most likely substitute baked beans where corn is usually featured. bah-humbug!

  6. I’m having serious corn envy! In our area of the country we had such a long, cool Spring the farmers just aren’t getting the normal corn crop. So much so that a local service club’s annual dinner this week-end will most likely substitute baked beans where corn is usually featured. bah-humbug!

  7. It is the time of the year to enjoy all the fresh produce. Southwestern Ontario is rich in produce at this time of year, so we’re enjoying it all, too. It’s nice to see that you eat well, and elegantly (placemat, wine glass and all), even on your own. Enjoy!
    Debbie R.

  8. It is the time of the year to enjoy all the fresh produce. Southwestern Ontario is rich in produce at this time of year, so we’re enjoying it all, too. It’s nice to see that you eat well, and elegantly (placemat, wine glass and all), even on your own. Enjoy!
    Debbie R.

  9. If I shopped the outer aisles of my grocery store it would be produce, meat and wine. Not a bad combination. Our local corn hasn’t arrived yet with our cool spring, so looking forward to it.

  10. If I shopped the outer aisles of my grocery store it would be produce, meat and wine. Not a bad combination. Our local corn hasn’t arrived yet with our cool spring, so looking forward to it.

  11. Nicole, you are such a tease! If we aren’t drolling over your material, it’s your food.

  12. Nicole, you are such a tease! If we aren’t drolling over your material, it’s your food.

  13. Sounds wonderful! I’m from Michigan and the produce I had as a child was amazing! I’d sit on the back porch and eat whole tomatoes! The watermelons and musk melons were especially great. We’re lucky to live in the valley here. There are amazing farmer’s markets and fruit and vegetable stands everywhere.

  14. Sounds wonderful! I’m from Michigan and the produce I had as a child was amazing! I’d sit on the back porch and eat whole tomatoes! The watermelons and musk melons were especially great. We’re lucky to live in the valley here. There are amazing farmer’s markets and fruit and vegetable stands everywhere.

  17. Heavenly!! You and Sarah should swap cooking nights. You cook for 3 one night and take it over. She cooks for 3 the next night and she brings it over. YOu could even sit down and plan the meals for the week of what each of you are cooking and what night. That way all the produce gets used and you don’t have to cook every night. ;0
    It’s hard to cook for one. If I’m just cooking for me, I don’t cook. I consider it a night off! ;0
    Another trick with the fresh corn: take raw cobb and scrape off the corn. You can add it to salads, stir-fry, or bruschetta. Just another way to enjoy fresh corn.

  18. Heavenly!! You and Sarah should swap cooking nights. You cook for 3 one night and take it over. She cooks for 3 the next night and she brings it over. YOu could even sit down and plan the meals for the week of what each of you are cooking and what night. That way all the produce gets used and you don’t have to cook every night. ;0
    It’s hard to cook for one. If I’m just cooking for me, I don’t cook. I consider it a night off! ;0
    Another trick with the fresh corn: take raw cobb and scrape off the corn. You can add it to salads, stir-fry, or bruschetta. Just another way to enjoy fresh corn.

  21. I’ve never seen a purple pepper before or had any idea that they existed!
    One summer I’d like to spend some time canning and/or freezing freshly picked produce. We get fresh veggies here most of the year but canning just picked would be the ultimate!

  22. I’ve never seen a purple pepper before or had any idea that they existed!
    One summer I’d like to spend some time canning and/or freezing freshly picked produce. We get fresh veggies here most of the year but canning just picked would be the ultimate!

  29. Looks so yummy! I’m spoiled with our sweet Brentwood corn here 🙂 At CornFest, you would see the kids peel the ears and just eat it raw…such great pics! We also throw the corn on the bbq with the husks on, just make sure you put them on before everything else…the corn comes out perfect! Thanks for sharing your bruschetta tips..love it too. Hmmm, I’m thinking fresh fruit margaritas :0

  30. Looks so yummy! I’m spoiled with our sweet Brentwood corn here 🙂 At CornFest, you would see the kids peel the ears and just eat it raw…such great pics! We also throw the corn on the bbq with the husks on, just make sure you put them on before everything else…the corn comes out perfect! Thanks for sharing your bruschetta tips..love it too. Hmmm, I’m thinking fresh fruit margaritas :0