It’s that magical time local food producers prepare all year for; when the warm Nova Scotia sun yields a bountiful harvest of the season’s most sought after fruits and vegetables.  With a quick visit to your nearest farmer’s market you’ll be sure to find the freshest and finest produce selection available. 

Inspired by the simple and pure, yet dynamic flavor of a fresh fruit or vegetable, I decided to keep the focus of this meal on the bare essentials.  In the summer time I love eating light meals that can be prepared quickly.  This is a typical breakfast from my kitchen using fresh garden produce. 

From my personal container garden I picked a few fresh and juicy tomatoes accompanied by some aromatic basil, which was transplanted from Shubie River Vineyards.  I decided on fresh cut rosemary and thyme to season the eggs that I picked up from Hillcrest Farm and of course some fresh garlic that’s available from several vendors in the Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market. 

In a frying pan, I melted 1 tsp of butter, then added 1 clove of minced garlic, a chopped sprig of both rosemary and thyme.  Once the herbs and garlic became aromatic, I cracked a couple of eggs over medium heat and took them off after just a few minutes to achieve the “sunny side up” style.  I sliced the tomatoes, drizzled them with olive oil and tossed them with fresh chopped basil and a pinch of salt and pepper. To finish things off I added a few slices of fresh cucumber from Noggins Corner Farm Market.  After about 8 minutes of prep and cooking time I had a delicious Garden Fresh Breakfast thanks to my own garden and the wonderful vendors in the Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market. 

Take advantage of the amazing produce this season has to offer!  Stop by your nearest Farmer’s Market this Saturday, August 4th, as Nova Scotia hosts Canada’s first Farmer’s Market Week; a celebration of our province’s local producers and artisans.  For more information and a full calendar of events, visit Farmer’s Markets of Nova Scotia.

By Julie Hallett