The Island Grown Initiative’s Mobile Market is back on the road this summer. This market on wheels contains and delivers affordable, fresh, locally grown produce and eggs. There are also some lightly processed Island-made items for sale, many of which are made using local ingredients. The produce is still brought to its various locations on wheels, but the truck then unloads and sets up tables for customers to shop, filled with veggies, lettuce, eggs, and much more.
The market is open to everyone on the Island, now through October. There is an option for online preordering — the deadline for these orders is 5 pm the day before — and there are also a few locations to shop at, depending on the day of the week. The Mobile Market will be at Howes House in West Tisbury on Tuesdays from 3 to 4 pm, with the online order pickup at 2:45 pm. It will be stationed at the Aquinnah Tribal Housing Building every other Wednesday, from 4 to 5 pm, with online order pickup at 3:45 pm. The market comes to St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven on Thursdays from 4 to 5 pm, with online order pickup at 3:45 pm.
The market accepts cash, check, credit cards, Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), SNAP/HIP, Farmers Market Nutrition Program Senior and WIC Coupons, and Mobile Market coupons for payment. And the market makes weekly deliveries as well, that focus on people who participate in food assistance programs.
IGI is all about innovation, advocacy, and education when it comes to food, and the mobile market is one of many initiatives that brings their mission — creating an equitable food system and expanding access to healthy food — to life.
I stopped by St. Augustine’s Church location this past Thursday to check it out. The tables were filled with vibrant, lush greens and an assortment of fresh veggies. It was a mini farmers market with a wonderful array of produce — a dream for an amateur chef like me! There were a variety of products for sale: spices, collard greens, kale, dried beans, microgreens, mushrooms, pea shoots, popcorn, honey, and much more. The prices were affordable, embracing IGI’s healthy food mission.
After checking out the collection, I picked out some perfectly ripe tomatoes and a zucchini to pair with a baguette I had back at home. With the tomatoes, zucchini, baguette, and a red onion I had in the fridge, I decided to cook up a summer favorite — panzanella salad.
There are many different ways to prepare a panzanella salad, depending on the vegetables available to you and your comfort level in the kitchen. I went a simpler route and stuck with my tomatoes, zucchini, and red onion, but feel free to add whichever veggies you like — cheese lovers, feel free to add in some fresh mozzarella.
I spent my Thursday evening the way I like to spend most of my nights — cooking in the kitchen with my family. While cutting the tomatoes and placing them in a large bowl, I couldn’t help but sneak a taste — they were so juicy and sweet. The zucchini was also a success — tender with a slightly sweet aroma as I cut through it. The produce from the IGI Mobile Market was shaping up to create a very tasty summer salad. After chopping, roasting, stirring, mixing, and assembling, the salad was ready.
With a warm summer breeze and a beautiful setting sun, my family and I enjoyed the panzanella salad over dinner together. It was a delicious start to the Fourth of July weekend, as well as an important reminder of the work IGI does — making healthy food more accessible to the Island community.
Panzanella Salad
For the bread:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 French baguette
For the salad:
3 tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
For the vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove, minced
½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Then warm up a frying pan with olive oil while you cut the baguette into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes of bread into the pan, and sprinkle salt on top. Mix around occasionally until the bread starts to char and crisp. Remove from heat and let cool.
As your bread is cooking in the pan, slice the tomatoes and red onion and place them in a large bowl. Cut the zucchini and place the pieces on a roasting pan. Cover with olive oil, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then remove and let cool.
As your bread and zucchini cool, prepare the vinaigrette. In a cup or dressing container, combine the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar (the more the tangier), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine. After the bread and zucchini have cooled, place them in the bowl with the tomatoes and red onion. Mix in the vinaigrette until everything is well-coated. Add more pepper and salt to taste. Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
For more information or to place a Mobile Market online order, check out igimv.org/mobile-market.
