farmers markets and storing veggies

[sweetgoatmama]

I'm going to be cookingfor DIY Camp and need to figure out how to get some fresh stuff for my crew. Can't seem to locate any of the farmers markets. Will be bringing lots of stuff with me so can also use ideas for making it last all week. This is my first year cooking for this big a group but I'm an experienced burner..

[Elderberry]

Join this group on Facebook Burning Man Kitchens, Chefs, Recipes & Menus

On that page, there is an interesting idea on making a cooler from the same insulation panels used for yurt construction and an air conditioner for keeping vegetables fresh.

There are even recommendations for having fresh groceries delivered on the playa which can really help with logistics and for making sure things are fresh.

We have four chest freezers which we use as freezers when transporting them first to the playa. Upon arrival, we then convert one of them to a refrigerator with this handy gadget.

I run a kitchen for about 50, probably more this year, so if you have any specific questions, just ask. I'm sure there will be others chiming in there too.

[LowePro]

I love to bring fresh veggies and have some tips. My farmer's market is on Tuesday so I stock up before burn week and make it last for 10+days.

1) broccoli and cauliflower are terrible. Get super funky when in tupperwares and coolers.
2) Hard fruit/veggies are best: carrots, radish, cucumber, snap peas, apples, oranges
3) buy slightly underripe tomatoes and they'll ripen on playa
4) Cabbage lasts a long time, and makes good fiber-rich salad green. Romaine lasts OK. Spinach wilts quick.
5) Wash, but don't trim your veggies at home. Whole, untrimmed veggies last longer. Trim on playa.
6)Keep in Tupperwares with a wet paper towel. Don't get them too cold tho, veggies can freeze and turn to mush. Pre-chill them and then put in coolers for the journey. Minimize warm-cool cycles. Take out what you need and leave the rest in cooler.
7) canned or jarred veggies mixed with your fresh veggies are great. Don't discount a good can of artichokes or olives in your salad.
8)Stagger. Use your soft or sensitive veggies first and save the robust stuff for later.

[melomel]

Last year I decided I was going to skip a cooler, but I still really wanted fresh fruits and veggies. All of these worked out well and by choosing a variety of ripeness-levels I was able to have fresh things throughout the week.

avocados (avocado + tomatoes or jarred salsa makes people extremely happy. I never had problems getting rid of extra)
tomatoes
peaches/nectarines
plums
kiwi
apples
banana (not too many - they are more for the beginning)
citrus

I'm sure there's things that would work with larger groups that I didn't want to bother with. I also brought some dried fruits and veggies and incorporated them into my meals. When it's cold, oatmeal with dried fruits kinda plumped up in the water while cooking the oatmeal is pretty awesome. I did something similar with dried veggies in some canned soup that was pretty awesome and made it a little more satisfying.

[Strata]

Several folks on another forum swear by those special green plastic produce bags for green or leafy veggies. I've not tried them, but could be worth a look.

[knobdyspcl]

Several folks on another forum swear by those special green plastic produce bags for green or leafy veggies. I've not tried them, but could be worth a look.

I've tried'um, do keep longer, but didn't time the days. not sure how they'd work in a cooler though.

Thanks for the reminder
.

[Madgirl]

Has anyone experimented with vacuum sealing cut fruits/veggies before throwing them in the cooler? Thinking apple slices, halved avocados, etc. Wondering if they will keep okay that way or if they get brown and mushy...

[Ratty]

There's a reason that food in those bags are forbidden by the nevada Health Dept. Sterilize everything if you are doing 'seal a meal' for yourself or your camp. Wash your hands and wear gloves. Use bleach on all cutting boards and counter surfaces. Good luck.

[trilobyte]

I'm not sure how big DIY camp is, but if your kitchen will be cooking for 125 or more people then you'll need to apply for/obtain a health permit and follow the NV health department guidelines. See this post for more info.