Roma Green Beans and Yukon Gold Potatoes

In the 1980s-90s, my husband and I had a little house on two acres in a rural area called Blue Jay on the Ohio/Indiana border.  He had a huge garden and I did everything I could to keep up with the produce while still working full time.  He planted way too much of everything but two vegetables I never tired of  were Roma Green Beans and Yukon Gold potatoes.  We had them several times a week during the summer and they were always delicious.  My husband and his wonderful garden are gone now and I miss him and the baskets of produce he would carry into the kitchen every day (I don’t miss having to find a way to use all of that bounty).

David pointing out the progress of the Roma Green Beans in his garden

Yukon Gold potatoes were new at that time but now they are in the supermarkets.  Roma Green Beans, however, are almost impossible to find but every Tuesday, my daughter and I go to a farm market in the historic section of Loveland, Ohio, where one farmer sells freshly picked, beautiful Roma beans.  These beans are flat like snap peas, but larger and fuller.

We buy the beans on Tuesday  and every Wednesday this summer have had a meal of Romas and Yukons plus a dessert made from whatever fruit looked good at the market.  It’s a special meal for us.

I prepare the meal in the early afternoon and put it together quickly at suppertime.  First, I put some Yukon potatoes (with skins) in cold water in a big steamer pan and place over medium high heat.

While the potatoes start to cook, I break the ends off the beans, break them in half and place them in a steamer which fits over the pot of potatoes.

I place a lid on top and steam the beans until fork tender.  By the time the beans are done, the potatoes are usually also fork tender and I remove everything to cool until I’m ready to prepare supper.

To combine the two vegetables, I cut the potatoes in bite-size portions and brown in butter, sprinkling with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  When the potatoes are golden brown, I add the green beans with a little more salt/pepper and a couple of drizzles of olive oil.  Stir and toss the vegetables until everything is piping hot – then serve immediately.

My daughter doesn’t like onions, but I love sliced onions sautéed in olive oil while I’m steaming the beans and potatoes and used as a topping when the meal is served.

This week, we had some good corn-on-the cob and muffins made from fresh blueberries (recipe here).  A perfect summer meal.

Visits to a Farm Market and a Beautiful Park

The Meade House, Sycamore Township

Throughout the summer and now into fall, every Tuesday afternoon my daughter, our dog Addie and I have taken a 10-minute drive to historic downtown Loveland (Ohio) to visit their large farmer’s market.  In addition to fruits, vegetables ….

…herbs…

…and flowers…

…we’re also looking for something good for supper.  In the past we have had slices of Greek pizza, croissants stuffed with vegetables or ham/cheese, Thai noodle salad, chocolate filled croissants, cheese pastries, etc.  This time, my daughter picked up a small pumpkin for later use, croissants to be served with some good Swiss cheese, apple dumplings and a Chocolate Bobka.

Since our shelter dog Addie is afraid of men, shy around women and too enthusiastic around other dogs, I walk with her on the outskirts of the market while my daughter shops.

On the way home, we stopped off at a park in our neighborhood.  While my daughter took Addie for a long walk on the primitive trail, I found a bench in the back of the historic 1906 Meade House which is headquarters for the Cincinnati Horticultural Society.

Even though the flowers are starting to fade a little now, they are still gorgeous all around this graceful old home.

We came home to a delicious supper served on paper plates so there would be no cleanup required.  We had croissants with cheese and the rich delicious bobka – saved the apple dumplings for another day.  I had remembered Chocolate Bobka (or Babka) from an old Jerry Seinfeld TV episode.  We had no idea how utterly decadent and scrumptious this is.

We have just three more times to go to the farm market before they close for the season.  I wonder what we’ll find next week.

The Perfect Summer Supper

I was just telling my daughter yesterday that I don’t have much interest in food – nothing tastes really good to me.  We have nice meals here at home and eat out twice a week, but lately nothing seems to appeal to me.

Then, this afternoon, we visited two of our local farm markets (Loveland, Ohio) and came home to a simple supper with no recipes that was the best thing I’ve tasted in months:  Bi-Color corn on the cob (my favorite), a wonderful artisan bread with a tomato and parmesan topping, and my favorite Indiana Melon (canteloupe). The sunflowers just added to the beauty of the meal.