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| Coastal Coffee Roasters |
Many of us had missed our weekly jaunts to local farmer's markets, so this was a much anticipated trip. Luckily the weather cooperated.
Driving down Highway 261 through Pinewood and Summerton to Interstate 95, we had a quick stop at the rest area at Santee where we met up with 2 more friends going to the market with us. After meeting up and stretching our legs, it was off for the rest of the drive to Summerville.
Taking a turn onto Interstate 26, and with just 30 more miles to go to reach our destination, we were all getting excited to get there.
The winter farmer's market is located at 108 E. 3rd N. Street, Summerville, South Carolina inside the popular local business, Coastal Coffee Roasters.
"Coastal Coffee Roasters began as a simple idea... to share our family's passion for fresh, sustainable coffees with the world. We use Organic, Fair Trade, Rain forest Alliance, Bird Friendly and Swiss Water Process certifications and are always looking for the best practices We love the coast as much as we love our coffee, so we headed toward the South Carolina coast with our vision for transforming the best organically grown beans into the most amazing, freshly roasted coffee. We use a creative, locally roasted process to bring our passion for great coffee to life in every bag. We want our name to be synonymous with the best cup of coffee that you have ever tasted. Period. Coastal Coffee Roasters is passionate about bringing the culture of coffee to your cup."
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| Coastal Coffee Roasters |
Outside and inside, the Winter Farmer's Market is bustling with many people coming out to buy and support local. There is on-street parking, or convenient off-street parking just across the road.
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| Checking out the pork products at Sunny Cedars Farm |
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| David Gravelin, Wishbone Heritage Farm |
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| Solo Verdi Meats |
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| Taylor Family Farm |
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| All Natural Dips |
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| Caladiums Creations |
My personal haul included Beef Shanks/Ossobuco, Beef Tenderloin Filet's/Filet Mignon from Solo Verdi Meats and Beets and a Pheasant from Wishbone Heritage Farms.
In a word, it did not disappoint; the food was fantastic! From Fish Tacos and the Classic Cheeseburger to the Hot Turkey Melt Croissant, it was all delicious (see lunch menu).
If you are ever in Summerville, I highly recommend Oscar's of Summerville. The meal was outstanding!
Traveling home we all talked about what a great day this was. We got to see a couple of farmer's we've done business with many times in the past, as well as meet some new ones.
It was definitely a wonderful day and I was happy to once again "practice what I preach" and support local.
Once home, I was already planning when I'd make a traditional Ossobuco! What is it? Ossobuco is a Milanese specialty of cross-cut veal or beef shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth (wikipedia)
To see my recipe for Ossobuco using Solo Verdi Meats crosscut beef shanks, click here.
Until the next time ...
Enjoy,
Mary
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| My haul |
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| Beef Shank or Ossobuco |
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| Beef Tenderloin Filet or Filet Mignon |
Lastly, we were lucky to have Pearson King, of Solo Verdi Meats, give us a brief explanation of the farming practices at Solo Verdi Meats, and the breed of cattle they raise.
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| Cattle at Solo Verdi Meats |
"Solo Verdi Meats unique Romagnola and RomaCross lineage make for naturally tender, delicately marbled beef. Our farm is located in the heart of the Southern Lowcountry region of South Carolina in the small farming community of Varnville.
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| Cattle at Solo Verdi Meats |
Unlike many other farms and beef producers, our cows are all born, raised, and finished here on premium quality grasses. There is no corn, no soy, and no wheat – absolutely no grain of any type – in their diet. While many farms will give grain to their grass-fed livestock during the last weeks of their life, a process called on-farm grain finishing, we prefer to preserve the quality and nutritional value of our beef product.
Maintaining our farm at the highest standard of care means that our livestock receive the utmost humane treatment. Our cows roam freely on lush, liberally-fenced pastures. Our happy herd lives a highly social and stress-free life, something that improves their quality of life as well as the quality of the finished product."
See more about Solo Verdi Meats here:
Superior Genetics
We work to maintain a herd with ideal genetic composition. Our cows can be linked to a subspecies of Bos primigenius taurus – the long-horned aurochs that roamed Eastern and Central Europe during the Bronze Age!
Premium Forage
At Solo Verdi we like to say that we are actually just grass farmers. Just like any other farmed product, the value of our grass is dictated on the plant type and quality of care. Our Coastal Bermuda grass is the forage of choice for subtropical coastal climates. It requires more care than many other grasses, but it’s worth the effort to produce the best forage possible!
Humanely Raised
Our farm has always maintained the highest standard of care for our cows. Our open pastureland allows the family herd plenty of space to roam. As a smaller farm, we are able to attend to each individual animal very closely and can guarantee the quality of life of each of our cows!
Dry Aged
There are many different ways to age meat – all of which increase the tenderness of the finished product – but dry-aging is the best choice for creating an aromatic and flavorful cut of beef. In dry-aging, water evaporates from the meat, reducing the weight by as much as 20 percent and concentrating the flavor into each intensely tasty bite!
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| Dry Aged Beef - Solo Verdi Meats |
After learning about the farming practices, breed of cattle raised, and humane husbandry from Pearson King, we were ready to head out to our next stop. We said our good-byes, and exchanged a few hugs, as we headed out the door.
With coolers loaded up, we drove just a few blocks to our lunch stop at Oscar's of Summerville.
In a word, it did not disappoint; the food was fantastic! From Fish Tacos and the Classic Cheeseburger to the Hot Turkey Melt Croissant, it was all delicious (see lunch menu).
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| Classic Cheeseburger |
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| Fish Tacos |
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| Hot Turkey Melt Croissant |
Traveling home we all talked about what a great day this was. We got to see a couple of farmer's we've done business with many times in the past, as well as meet some new ones.
It was definitely a wonderful day and I was happy to once again "practice what I preach" and support local.
Once home, I was already planning when I'd make a traditional Ossobuco! What is it? Ossobuco is a Milanese specialty of cross-cut veal or beef shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth (wikipedia)
To see my recipe for Ossobuco using Solo Verdi Meats crosscut beef shanks, click here.
Until the next time ...
Enjoy,
Mary