Feed Your Head

Why reserve a day (or even a few hours) for meal prep?
•You’ll save time cooking throughout the week…
•You’ll have a healthy meal waiting for you when you’re experiencing fatigue or have an especially busy schedule….
•You won’t need to worry about stopping at the grocery store after work….
•You won’t need to worry about what you’re going to make for dinner – its already done!…
•You’ll save money by planning out meals and grocery purchases ahead of time….
•You’ll be more likely to reach your health goals (weight loss, muscle building, weight gain, etc.)…

One more note of love from your market manager…

I am, right at this moment, in my kitchen, with trays of local tomatoes all slow roasting in my ovens. Later, I will begin to sauté the rest of the ingredients for a few things this week.

Tomorrow, is the kick off for Cosmic Soup Season, at The Depot Coffeehouse. We rock the sandwiches and the soups in there!! The Depot has been my home away from home from the beginning of Cosmic Charlie. My breads are used for their sandwiches, and now, everyone gets excited for soup season!

Also, this weekend hosts another fun filled, great time of a local event…The Simon Kenton Chili Cook Off!!

Once again, I will be set up as a vendor with Oakview Farm Meats as we rock locally produced sandwiches, my breads, each of us sell chili, AND, you can even get a combo of Cosmic/Oakview chili!! It’s great fun, it’s an annual local event, and for many of us, it marks the end to a very long summer of multiple vending at various farmers markets, and festivals. Not all markets close down, but I am speaking from my markets…except for this year round lovely market.

ANYWAY…this time of year is when I turn back to the days when I was running my daughter to every activity, working a cool little part time gig, and making sure that when we arrived home, each evening, there was something healthy to pull out for dinner.

This is where I learned to make certain things, in larger batches, when items are in season, and then having them on hand for quick grab and go, give me a glass of wine, dinners…stress free, cost friendly, and super nutrition packed!

Back then, I wish this market had been in existence. I would have breezed through, placed my order, been able to race in, grab my order, feel good about shopping local, feel good about the cost friendly prices, AND, loaded up my pantry, fridge, and freezer, for quick, at home dinners…

Think about that as you get ready to place your orders before we close, this evening!

Right now, the trays of slow roasted tomatoes will come out of the oven, cool, go into containers for my fridge, and be ready to add to my Cosmic Soup of the Week, at The Depot, AND be ready when I am making Cosmic Veggie Chili to serve at this weekend’s event.

Do yourself a favor, show yourself some love, and do the planning/ordering/cooking to feed your head…

The market will close at 10pm, this evening…don’t be left with fast food options at the end of your busy evenings. Shop with us…let us be part of your evening dinner plans…

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Weblog Entry

Hello, customers/vendors/interested parties…

It’s Tuesday afternoon, so first, I would like to urge you to take the rest of the day and evening to get your market orders in!

Second, I would like to extend an invitation to attend the 3rd State Of The Plate event coming up…I have included a press release from the offices of our Chamber.

Thanks so much…and, you will not want to miss out, this year!!

Please make plans to join us at the State of the Plate Dinner on Sunday, October 4th.

This is a professionally catered dinner of locally grown and produced food, served in a restored barn that is on the National Registry of Historic Places, as well as an opportunity to talk with the people who grew the meal’s ingredients.

This unique experience for guests begins at 12:15 p.m. with registration and social time featuring local producers offering food sampling and items for sale. Opening remarks will be at 1 p.m., and will be followed by the local foods buffet.

During the dinner, local farmers and entrepreneurs will talk about the beginnings, growth, and success of their food production businesses. The speakers will include Lee and Jennifer Ruff of End of the Road Farm, Charlene Stapleton of Swisher Hill Herbs, Pam Bowshier of the Virtual Market and Cosmic Charlie Breads & Threads, and Sam Powell of The Bad Seed Mustard Company. The event will end at 3 p.m.

Reservations are now being taken for the limited-seating event, which will be held at the Pretty Prairie Farm of Todd and Jill Michael, 4440 Prairie Road, Urbana.

To make reservations and payment (cash or check please), call the Champaign County Extension Office at 937-484-1526 by this Friday, September 25th. Reservations may also be made during the Champaign Locally Grown Virtual Market order pickup, 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays through September 24th at the Champaign Family YMCA, 191 Community Drive in Urbana.

Cost of the dinner, catered by Amy Forrest of In Good Taste Catering, is $20. The event is being planned by the Champaign County Local Food Council, a cooperative effort of the Champaign Economic Partnership and the Champaign County Chamber, to help expand market opportunities for local food producers.

About the Pretty Prairie Barn

The rectangular, Pennsylvania Dutch section of the barn was built in 1840, and in 1896, a 12-sided, 42-foot diameter barn was added. The dodecagonal addition remains the largest of its kind on the National Register of Historic Places. The barn was used for steam threshers, storing hay and housing work horses. A third addition, built in the 1950s, housed beef cattle.

Todd and Jill Michael bought the farm in 1996, restoring the barn and house, which also was built in 1896. They now rent it for weddings and special events.

We hope you can join us on Sunday, October 4th!

Local Food, Food Of Love, Food That Nurtures

“When you have the best and tastiest ingredients, you can cook very simply and the food will be extraordinary because it tastes like what it is.”
? Alice Waters, The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution…

Alice Waters has been my inspiration, my idol, the model for me, someday, although I feel that I am moving along, in that direction, quite nicely, right now.

I began reading about, and following Alice Waters, a long, long time ago. To me, she IS food. She IS local food. She IS community food. She was my inspiration when I was learning to cook, I aspired to one day be her, after I lived on the west coast. She taught me the beauty of simple food. Her books and writings taught me what beautiful eating means. I learned that food is not just something that you throw down, toss up, grab to fill a void.

Food. Real food. Local food. Community food. Real dining. Intimate dining. It is all right there. It isn’t hard.

I am big on cooking. Cooking makes me happy. Cooking for other people, opening up bottles of wine, going to my friends’ houses for impromptu dinners…

Every night, I relax by making dinner. Every morning, I make breakfast. They are the rituals of my day. I light candles, I put on music, I pour a glass of wine. Wine for dinner, not for breakfast, although there are days…lol. Kidding. People love coming to my house. They always say that it’s the most welcoming feeling. That they feel happy as soon as they enter. They love my dinners or even just platters of appetizers for a lighter fare.

Like Alice…I know that the best conversations, the best memories, the best times in the kitchen, are all centered around food. Someday, in the dusty corners of my plans, I hope to aspire to run an intimate little place for dining, just like she has done over all these years. Not even a restaurant. More of a private dining invitation, just once in a while, for a few people, randomly.

I began thinking about this, last week, as I was making a dinner completely out of every single item I had purchased from this little local market of love…my passion for good food, simple food, the art of preparing, the art of serving it. Food…right from our own community. Each breakfast, each dinner, features all local items from this market.

Vibrant colors, smells, tastes…simmering sauces, crisp salads, wilted greens, seasoned with fresh garlic or dried herbs. I always have a freezer stocked with the locally produced meat of this market. (I’m a vegetarian/vegan, but realize people who dine with me, appreciate locally produced goodness of the meat kind). Breads for breakfast along with fruits, and jams.

I love smiling at everything I unpack, each Thursday evening, knowing that in the course of the coming week, I will turn things into lovely, delightful taste sensations.

And, when you buy fresh, locally produced, community spirit foods, you don’t need much else.

Great coffee for breakfast, and hey, we offer that, too! A great wine to uncork, well, you have to go use your own judgment at the local wine shops.

My point, this evening, as I begin an amazing pasta sauce using locally produced tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic is this…shop from this market, even for just one week. Don’t even have a shopping plan. Order colors, order something out of your comfort zone, order something that just jumps out at you.

Then, cook for those items. You have the basic, tasty, simple community ingredients…just from this market.

Let us know what you prepared! I can hardly wait to share your creations…

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Thanks For Always Being So Local!

I am opening the market, tonight, with a simple thank you to all customers, vendors, staff of the YMCA, and community…

You give us the love, each and every week! We love the support, we love the spirit, we love bringing you the best that local has to offer!

It’s Thursday night, it has been a beautiful week, and now I give you our market…think about what you may need, we are here to make shopping local easy!!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

The Local Groove!

Good morning, lovely customers of our little local market of love!

I am just sending you a little local groove line to remind you that if you are looking for something local to do, this weekend, you know where you need to be…

Freshwater Farms at their annual Ohio Fish and Shrimp Festival!!

It begins on Friday at 4pm, and it runs until Sunday evening…

It’s the best time, it’s another of my favorite festivals of the year, and they show local love!!

FFWF opens their festival to local farmer’s market vendors, they feature an amazing variety of local bands from not only surrounding counties but from right here in Champaign County, and they feature their own amazing food, showcased up in their al fresco restaurant area, and then they offer both local food vendors as well as amazing seafood vendors from all over.

Kids love the activities, it’s a great family weekend, it’s really a local groovy time!!

From this little local market, you will find Freshwater Farms, of course…then you will find, JC Growers, Sunshine Gardens, and you will find myself, along with Oakview Farm Meats bringing you the local goodness of Oakview’s local sandwiches, chops, brats, and wraps, AND, my own…Cosmic Pizza My Heart! Personal sized festival pizzas featuring a vegetarian version AND the debut of a Cosmic Shrimp/Bacon pizza…

Make your weekend plans but make sure they include a stop at Freshwater Farms!

An Apple A Day!!

Tomorrow, we welcome back Herr Family Farms!!!!

They will be set up, in the lobby of the YMCA, with their Golden Delicious Apples!!

YES!!! Apples from the Herrs are amazing!!!

The set up will be the same…enter the lobby, go to their table, pay them, directly, get your apple groove on!! Come early…they will be set up at 4:15…the supply will sell, quickly, and you don’t want to be left without the apple goodness!!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

It's Magic!

It’s magic you know…
Never believe it’s not so…
It’s magic you know..
(It’s Magic-Pilot)

The weekend…the weather…simply magic!! Well, a little too cold on Saturday, and it did rain on Friday, but, hey…today…today was one of those magical, glistening, clear skies kind of day!! Magic…where the whole day just keeps unfolding to show another layer of goodness. Of magic…
The kind of day that is perfect for adventure. The kind of day that is ready for anything. The kind of day that keeps you and out and about…seeking nothing but fun.

It’s Sunday, the market has been open all weekend, and will remain open until Tuesday night at 10pm!

I urge you to load up on all things, well, when I say ALL things, I REALLY mean…ALL THINGS. We have it all, and more will continue to be added!

Right now, we would like for you to take advantage of the produce, and berries! Seasonal, you know, not around for a whole long time…take advantage, now!

We now are once again able to offer you both Organic, AND NON-GMO layer mash!! It’s from Jim Karg of Rocky Ridge Farms…you are loving his eggs, so why not grab his organic and non-gmo mash!!

Duck eggs are now available from Anchor Acres!!

Raspberries will continue but the black and the golden berries are in short, short duration…if they are on the market, get them, pronto!

Look through the rest of the market…we boast a large variety of all local products!! You love us, we love, you…let the magic begin!

Take a bit of time, get your orders in, and then see how easy your week will become. Just like magic…let us take care of it all…

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Little Pink Houses

Oh but ain’t that America, for you and me…
Ain’t that America, we’re something to see baby…
Ain’t that America, home of the free, yeah…
Little pink houses for you and me, oh for you and me…
(Little Pink Houses-John Mellencamp)

So, this song…it means many things to me. It marks, in my mind, two events, one in 1982, a very happy, history making time in my life. A carefree time in college. A time when the chapter of my sorority signed their charter to become a sorority on campus. The Delta Zetas of the Xi Beta chapter were formed. I was among one of the first pledge classes. We made campus history. We, a strong band of diverse college girls, paved the way to what is now the strongest, largest, most active sorority on my old campus.

We had no idea that we were making history. We had no idea that we would be among some of the best women that would ever touch my life. We had no idea that we would now be honored, 33 years later, by our campus. Back then, we were just girls, helping girls, building our way, learning how life worked, learning how to be leaders, learning how to be true friends…

Little Pink Houses was a song that we adopted, when we were together, when we were out in the little bars of our college town. To us, it was Little Pink Houses of Delta Z…our hope was to always be united with our sisterhood.

The Delta Zeta Creed…
To the world…
I promise temperance, and insight, and courage…
To crusade for justice…
To seek the truth and defend it always…
To those whom my life may touch in slight measure…
May I give graciously of what is mine…
To my friends, understanding and appreciation…
To those closer ones, love that is ever steadfast…
To my mind, growth…
To myself, faith…
That I may walk truly in the light of the flame…

The creed which I have tried to live my life. Along with the Golden Rule that my grandfather had me live.

Bonds, beliefs, actions.

September 11, 2001…no words. It was not the happy history making event of my Sept. 11 in college. It was history making for all of the wrong reasons. We know it. We felt it. We were broken by it, for a moment. We grieved, we tried to understand. We were horrified.

As a former flight attendant, I watched in horror. I knew the steps that those very brave airline crews were taking to ensure their passengers were comfortable. I could recite, in my head, the emergency drills that were needed, step by step. My heart broke, I cried, I felt for all families, all loved ones, each person on that day, in the days to come. In the years to come.

I often turned to the Delta Zeta creed, to try to understand how I could be of service. Because the creed speaks the most brave words to live by, to guide by, to live by. And, I continue to walk in the light of the flame…

This little local market of love is here, trying to be just a small light…and, tomorrow, our thoughts are with everyone…and, in my own heart, I hope that I serve my creed proud, and that I forever offer a sense of peace…

I open the market, tonight…may we offer all of you, a sense of love, and peace, strength, and pride…

(PS…I, in now way, can convey what each person went through on that day. I can only offer my own thoughts, and how I strive, to bring peace, love, and joy…)

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Market Musings

So, while I sit, waiting on bread to come out of ovens, more trays to be loaded, and getting ready to open my shop for the day, I thought I would touch base on a few market thoughts…

Today is order pick up…as a reminder, our hours are now 4:30-6pm. We changed our hours a while back. We understand if, at times, you are running late.

If you are going to be late…try to touch base with me. My number is 926-4833. It’s also posted all over the market pages. Just let us know, so it makes it easier on us, and on the staff of the YMCA.

If orders are left, I give a courtesy call. Thank you to everyone who then makes a hasty drive to retrieve orders.

If your volunteers need to leave, before you arrive, we make notes on your paperwork reminding you to grab items out of the fridge and freezer.

What makes it very hard for us are any orders that are not picked up, no contact has been made, no payment arrangements.

Thank you for your courtesy in all of the above notes…we LOVE our customers, the market, the YMCA…we love it all to be peace, love, and harmony…

We realize that we have a void, at the moment, of cookies/pies/quick breads/cakes. We have taken care of this void, and in the coming weeks, we will announce some of the sweets bakers who will be joining to help all of you with a sweet tooth.

Local honey will be making it’s return in just about a month! Honey Boy Honey will return!! YAY!

Many local events and festivals will be coming up in the next few weeks. I will be sending out updates to all of these as they are market related.

I am contacting Volk Fruit Farms to see if they are able to return with their amazing apples!

Thank you, so much, for making this market your market of choice. We realize that you have many choices where you can spend your money. We love you for keeping it local…We thank you for using our Locally Grown year round market…

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam

Checking The Time

It’s that time…it’s a Tuesday evening, the bewitching hour is near, and the market will be closing in just 30 minutes.

Get the seasonal produce while you can…this is the time of the season when it begins to phase out…

Go, look through the market, make your selections, see how easy it will make your life!

Peace, Love, Good Vibes…
Cosmic Pam