G'ville at 12 MPH (feelin' groovy)

“The 59th Street Bridge Song “ by Simon and Garfunkel could be the theme song for a bicycle lifestyle. “Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the morning last. Just kickin' down the cobble-stones, lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy.” There are so many things that would otherwise slip past if I was traveling at the posted speed. Accepting the slower pace is part of a process requiring that you anticipate some things and let go of others. It’s not solely about slowing forward progress, but that’s the first step. Aboard a carbon fiber road bike I would be much less aware of the simple things because the reason for spending all that money is to go faster, an obvious conflict.

Several places and things have converged recently. Here they are.

Across Archer Road from the 91st Street end of ABT are those Produce People. They’ve been there for “six or seven years” and in the produce business for “about 20 years.” Every Saturday and Sunday they set up their gear and present a nice selection of locally acquired produce. If it isn’t good they don’t sell it, so the selection is more seasonally limited than the nearby Publix. Recently, I bought a watermelon. It was damn good. I also have to thank my Travoy for making such a purchase possible! The tomatoes I also purchased were not as pretty as the ones available at Publix either, but they were also not treated with “supplemental ethylene to hasten ripening within a lot.” (http://nwrec.hort.oregonstate.edu/tomato.html) The result? They were damn good too!

At 12 MPH it’s much easier to stop and chat and learn something about such places and discover that when not on the southwest side of G’ville they ply their trade on the east side of town leaving G’ville for Hawthorne.

Even though much of the resistance to creation of a portion of ABT came from within the Haile Plantation community, Haile Village is pretty much bike friendly so visiting the Saturday Morning Farmers’ Market is a regular thing. It can be a bit too tony at times, but many of the things available there are well worth getting.


I discovered the fine people of Cypress Point Creamery a few weeks ago and have kept some of their cheese as my “table cheese of choice.” Their cheeses are made from nothing but Jersey milk (no, not New Jersey) and the results are worth the effort to go each weekend and select something. Their Loblolly (a Tomme) is wonderful!

Nearby are the folks from Caprihaven Dairy Goat Products. They weren’t of particular interest until I realized I could buy goat milk from them. Might not be a revelation to anyone else, but it was a voilà moment for me. Why? The reason(s) follow.

Ingredients:
1 pound flour (1/2 and 1/2 unbleached bread and whole wheat. Measuring by weight is the only way I can handle bread making)
2 Tablespoons chilled butter cut into pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup goat milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup liquid sweetener (Have been using Agave nectar, but honey and other liquids will also work, though taste will vary)
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast.


Yep, bread, and I have decided that it is the goat milk that makes the stuff so good. Now, I will be buying my goat milk in a Mason jar. If anyone needs the whole description for how to make the bread, lemme know in the Comments and I’ll give you my process.