Comments on: Collards Challenge at East Lake Farmer’s Market

By: Doug Williams

Doug Williams — Mon, 03 May 2010 23:27:00 +0000

Thanks for promoting this! I am the Director & Founder of the ELF Market, and our first cook off was a hit. A local amateur, Adrienne Howard swept the amateur and peoples choice awards, and Watershed won for best Professional entry.
True, the most tender collards are in the fall, but they are certainly popular as long as they are available. We close after October till May, so opening the farmers market with a celebration for the season just ending seemed about right, and just enough of a challenge.
For next year, we are already planning to add a cornbread competition.
for more info visit elfmarket.org or cpome see us every Saturday from 9-1 at 2nd & Hosea

By: Grey Beard

Grey Beard — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:30:10 +0000

Collards will continue to grow until the weather gets too warm – June sounds about right. However, collards are a fall planting here in the south and taste best – many old timers say – if harvested after the first frost. I think of fresh collard as more of a Thanksgiving food than a spring food. I eat store bought collards year round but still think of them as a fall crop here in the south.

You can’t lose with a collard cook off. I personally would add a “pone” of cornbread.

By: Dean

Dean — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:21:33 +0000

According to Georgia Organics, Tom L, Collards are in season through the end of June.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3218554/Georgia-Organics-Seasonal-Calendar

Are you saying Georgia Organics doesn’t know what they are talking about, or do you not know what you are talking about?

By: Deanne

Deanne — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:47:42 +0000

I love collards! They are just about as green & Southern tasting as you could every hope to find in a food! It’s always most enjoyable to get them at a farmer’s market or a roadside stand. I don’t cook them with meat, but some of my favorite ways:

Southern style cooked in a pot with turnip roots & seasoned with 2 large veggie bouillon cubes & a big glug of olive oil (pretty good pot likker substitute.) A dash of peppered vinegar once on the plate is nice too.

Cut into ribbons & sauteed with LOTS of garlic in olive oil. Yum! (Fancy it up with pine nuts—or bacon– if you like.)

And I bag them up & freeze them too. Great for zapping a bowlful in the microwave, then drizzling with balsamic vinegar. Or adding a handful to a big old pot of soup.

I love all our Southern vegetables!

By: Tom L

Tom L — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:31:00 +0000

I like mine with corn bread.