Indiana is surprising me more and more every week. I’m finding gems that are making me swoon for the mid-west. Last weekend, my friends and I went to the Carmel Farmer’s Market. The town is about north of Indianapolis and more of the suburbs. Not only is the name adorable – I mean come on, it’s named after candy! – but it’s so quaint. The downtown area has boutiques and public art. The residents are the cutest young families. The houses have gardens and are painted pastel colors.

This farmer’s market is behind the Palladium, this stunning building that houses the Center for the Performing Arts. Green grass, blue skies and warm sunshine painted the perfect scene for us while we walked around scoping the produce, drinking iced coffee and eating donuts. My hands were full and my stomach was happy. What more can I ask for?

I’m searching for just the right way to use the sweet corn, zucchini, squash and onion I bought. I want to preserve the natural flavor of the produce because it’s so dang fresh. And with most meals in the summer, I’m hoping to spend as little time in the kitchen so I can savor the beautiful weather. If I can make my way down to our community grill, I may grill up the corn with some turkey burgers this week. The zucchini, squash and onions may get tossed in the oven for roasting so I can drink a glass of wine on the patio while I wait.

I think this farmer’s market is going to have to become a weekend tradition for the next few weeks of summer. Next time I think I’ll snag some heirloom tomatoes for a caprese salad and some cherries to eat by the pool. What are your favorite farmer’s market finds?

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela