Somehow, we all still managed to feel the joy of being at HPM on this rainy, cold, grey day. Agi neni made it into market early and in smart blue for town ‘neni’ gear, greeted us warmly so pleased to be able to give us, in person, what she’d collected the previous day in the Alunis garden. I introduced her to Ibolya neni who was keen to learn how Agi and we work together. Then Beti arrived from Cluj, bright in the miserable cold.

Very few producers made it into town, which is why your box isn’t as bumper as usual, but those who did managed to surprise us like Marianna from Ciuleni/Incsel with her apple, grape and beetroot juice, and her small walnuts in their shell which somehow seemed to pull winter closer to us with cheer.

When, into our pattern; the eternally changing pattern of HPM, walked Paul, Riki, and Liviu. Paul is a chef and the small group arrived to see the goodies on offer at HPM and if there is any interesting food aspect that Paul, other chefs, connected with the Ratiu foundation may like to develop here. It was so interesting for us to see the very positive effect the visit had on the market. Paul met and talked with so many of the local producers. Kadar Kati (resplendant in silver blue waterproof cape) was REALLY cheesed off that she couldn’t understand his English and needed me as go between! Zsofi neni was delighted to sell him a bottle of her tomato juice. To me, it is always very exciting to know so much about the market and those who regularly come to it. It is a kind of honour to be able to share it with newcomers, especially those you feel can hear it’s heart beat.

Damp, cold, and desperate for coffee and placinta; (basically anything hot) we all spread out over ‘Quatar airline’ tablecloths and had a bit of a chat in Jenica’s. (see photo .. Thanks to Beti!)

As our new friends set off to meet local tourism/food tourism leader, Vincze Kecskes Istvan in Szentkiraly; we all dashed to the house and garden to pick up pre-collected (Douglas 7.20 this morning from Levente, school bus driver, Valcau!) goodies; kale, chard and leaves (super fresh!) for your salad; before returning to market to prepare the boxes ect, while trying to work out how Liviu was going to get the cheese and jam from Szilard! Fortunately Liviu resolved the problem, and Douglas managed to capture the moment! (see photo)

Newsflash – I got some good news that Julia in Valcau has carrot juice! I’m seeing her at the weekend to give it a taste. It is 15lei for 2 liters from Valcau bio.

(other photos .. a bleak market finale … and a little Ceaucescu time basket from Damos that is still good!)

Here is your box this week; who grew it/who collected it and where!

Fresh tea herbs/verdeturi de ceai/teat – spearmint/mentha– Damos. marigold/calandula/korom virag (make a tea, or pop the petals into the salad or pop them into a vase) and lemon balm/melissa/citrom fu- Agi neni, Alunis

cooking herbs – ; chevril – Agi neni, Alunis and Beti, Huedin, , chives/snidling/metelo hagyma -‘Douglas, Damos and Huedin., spring onion – Agi, Huedin.

Salad – – an incredible variety of leaves – rucola, chevril, endive, chicory, pea top, sorrel, corriander, small (hairy) borage leaves, mallow, nasturtium, cresson, lambs lettuce -,..collected by Douglas, Agi, Emese in TKD gardens (Damos, Huedin and Alunis)
Zsofi neni, Huedin little lettuce

red radish – Nicu, our neighbour in Huedin! Nicu appeared late at market with these little, almost spring like goodies!!

Tomatoes – the last I am sure of Zsuzsi’s Bicalat variety.

Red wine – Buske neni, Bicalat and Eva, Ketesd and white wine from Maria, Huedin. Now Domi in Huedin is determined to make white wine too!

garlic/ustoroi/fokhagyma – Rodica, Bolici

kale/kel levelet/Varza furaje and swiss chard and perpetual spinach – Douglas, and Agi neni, TKD gardens .. eat the stems .. cook these first for a few minutes before you throw in the leaves

Hokaido and similar– pandur Erzsi neni, Valcau, lovely texture and taste! Roast the seeds (like GK supporter, Simona!)

Radish/retek/ridiche – Zsofi, Huedin; Grown from ‘hazi mag’ (her seed) and not ‘uzleti’ (bought in a packet from a shop). Zsofi’s radish are amazing.

Onions/ceapa/hagyma, – Zsofi, Huedin; Grew the yellow onions from small bulbs which she had raised; Marianna, Ciuleni grew the red onions from arpagic bought in Crazna.
Carrots, murok, morcov – Magdi, Horlacea.
Hamburg parsley/Petrinzsel radacine – Farkas Eva, Ketesd; grown from Eva’s saved seed; and Ibolya Damos. ;

Ponic, Kormos, Jonaton, Marianna, Ciuleni, mixed with a few of our batul and some winter pears, Alunis and Damos.
In the shell – Nuts/nuci/dio – Marianna, Ciuleni

Other .
Eggs/Tojas/Ouale – Agi, Huedin

Cheese/sajt/cascaval maturat – from cow milk – Szilard, Alunis. Szilard has sadly run out of sheep cheese for this year.

faina, liszt, flour from wheat – Kadar Kati.

Pasta/taietei/laskas – was made by Annas neni;

Apple, grape and beetroot juice. Locally pressed in Nearsova,from Marianna in Ciuleni’s apple varieties, Ponic, Kormos, Jonaton, and her own grapes, local varieties and beetroots.

Szilveszter’s in Damos sea buckthorn syrup/sirop de catina/homoktovis sziropot

Honey from Nelu and Olimpia, salcam and poliflora

Csipkeiz/Gem de magiun/rose hip jam – Szilard made in the traditional way in a copper cauldron using sugar but no preservative. Rose hips collected by Erzsi neni, in Alunis.

Healthy biscuits, sweet or salty– Both Kati, Valcau. Both Kati uses adapted Cranks(pioneer veggie restaurant in the 1960s in UK) recipe (adapted to be rich in Kalotaszeg ingredients!) .. they are made of Kati’s flour; her sheep milk butter; rye/barley flour from Torok Erzsi in Damos; bran from Kadar Kati in Damos, Honey from Mori in Valcau, herbs from her and our Valcau gardens.

We hang the cheese (wrapped in paper) in net bag on the tarnat