Cajun Spiced, Orange Zest Trout and Father's Day Gift Inspirations...

The Market Inspiration

2017 continues to fly by and believe it or not Father's Day is just around the corner. For the Dad who loves all things food, the Farmer's Market is a great source for gifts offering unique Artisan items that Dad's, who if they are anything like our Dads and quite difficult to buy for, will love! The Farmer's Market has a wide variety of options for dad, such as barbecue sauce or spice rubs from a family owned sauce company or unique tea and local honey if your Dad happens to be a tea enthusiast.  Artisan salami and cheese make a great combination, especially when paired with a uniquely flavored loaf of bread from a local bakery. For dessert try a pie, sweet potato is a favorite of mine. Don't forget to take a look at the non-food vendors at your market, my market has a high quality wooden pen maker, a family who makes unique hand made signs, even individually crafted pieces of furniture, and a lot more. Check out the links at the bottom of this post for my local favorites.

For a Father's Day meal, choose something your Dad loves to eat or try something that you don't normally have for dinner on a regular basis to make it really special. Our pick this year: trout. It cooks quickly and needs very little preparation, so you can spend extra time with dad. Another highlight to making fish is that you can season each piece individually to everyone's taste. You can use a bold Cajun spice blend for Dad's fish like we did, and then if need be you can season another with a simple sprinkling of salt, pepper, and their favorite herb.

The Recipe (serves 2)

2 Trout fillets, skin on
1 Leek, diced
Zest of 1 orange
Cajun blend seasoning
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

In a heavy skillet on medium heat, drizzle with olive oil and toast the leeks until they start to brown. Remove leeks from pan and set aside. Turn the stove up to medium high heat. Season the flesh side of the trout fillets with salt, pepper and the Cajun seasoning. Add trout skin side down to the hot skillet. Top the fish with the orange zest and cook for 7-10 minutes. Add the toasted leeks and serve.

The Pairing
Father's and their relationships with their children are a popular subject in the movies (Father Knows Best, Father of the Bride etc.) but no movie puts the head of the household through the wringer quite like 1956's Bigger Than Life. It stars James Mason as a father and husband that develops a deadly heart condition that can only be treated by a new (and highly addictive) miracle drug, cortisone, which begins to deteriorate his mind. It may not be a traditional feel-good Father's Day movie, but it is one of the truest, most interesting analysis of fatherhood and family life.  -Z

Local Favorites
BBQ Sauce: https://www.facebook.com/jtsbarbqsauce/
Bread (Cinnamon Burst bread is divine.):  https://www.greatharvest.com/home
Honey: Chrystal's Honey (760) 598-0170 Vista, CA 92081
Seafood: http://drydockfish.com/
Soaps: https://songofasparrow.com/
Cheese: http://www.springhillcheese.com/
Salami: https://meatmenstore.com/
Sweet Potato Pie: http://www.booboospies.com/menu.html
Pens: Sam's Handmade Pen's and More
Signs: https://www.facebook.com/BrookesBeauty4Ashes/

My Markets: (Not all vendors listed attend any/all markets)
Saturday: https://www.facebook.com/oldtownfarmersmarket/
Wednesday: https://www.facebook.com/Promenade-Certified-Farmers-Market-139280616138917/
Sunday: https://www.facebook.com/murrietafarmersmarket/