Must we admit that Labor Day is just four days away? Where has the summer gone? If you're like us, you haven't figured out what you'll be making for this annual end-of-summer long-weekend celebration. So, we'd better get cracking on ideas for how to use the Market bounty to its fullest.

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Vendors Up!

Weekly: Big Sky Bread, Frecon Farms, Freeland Market, Fruitwood Farms, Green Zebra Farm, The Icery, Kia's Cakes, MyHouse Cookies, Poniton Farm, Rebecca's Dumplings, and Wilsons Curiously Good Foods. Biweekly: The Cottage Kitchen, Creative Shepherd Farm, Mediterra, Mitchell & Mitchell Wines, MoJo's Pop Co., Relishing Grannies, Taste of Puebla, and Vera Pasta. Soap: Kiss My Soul Naturals.

This week will be The Icery's last week providing life-saving water ice to Marketgoers in the spot between Fruitwood Farms and the café. Starting September 10, Bonnie's Wondergardens will return to that venue, offering up fall favorites to spruce up your garden. Remember that The Icery's store is right across the street, in case you need to get a water ice, gelato, or other cold concoction/infusion to feel chill again.

Rebecca's Dumplings' pork and vegetable dumplings are moving from biweekly to weekly this Saturday through the end of the season.

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Cook's Corner

If you want to up your Labor Day or late-summer dinner game, here are a few ideas using fresh Market ingredients.

Apps:

• Need a delish dish to bring to the barbeque? How about this hot corn dip?
• Fruitwood Farms has had some nifty grapes that are ready for good eatin' out of hand or to accompany a cheese plate, but these pickled grapes with cinnamon and black pepper are even better! (Don't turn your nose up until you've tried these overnight wonders.)
• Sometimes you find the strangest combos online. But when you try them, boy, are they good! Three words: peach tomato salsa.

Main event or sides:

• Our friend Bob gave us a slice of savory tomato pie that absolutely burst with bright tomato flavor balanced by a custardy layer of cheese and mayo and a supermarket pie crust (or the one linked in the next section). Bob's version is heavier on the basil and he swaps out curry powder and cumin for the salt, but it's essentially this Paula Deen recipe.
• Diners will absolutely swoon over this quick creamy tomato and shrimp pasta.
• Go low-carb/grain-free with zucchini noodles, AKA zoodles, like this, these, or that one.
• Szechuan spicy eggplant, anyone? (Us, please!)
• Grill veggies the right way, no matter their size.

Desserted:

• Apples have begun showing their red and green faces on the farmers' tables these past few weeks. If the video on this page doesn't make you want to make apple tarts right now, you're jaded.
• More ambitious? Expand your pie knowledge by making grape pie or purple plum pie.
• Speaking of pie, this is the only recipe/technique that you'll ever need for a foolproof pie crust.
• Chill out with watermelon popsicles or strawberry popsicles. Because it's summer.

Drinksies:

• Four words: spicy frozen bloody Marys.
• Two words: strawberry milk.

Alternatively, make the holiday easy on yourself by checking out the many prepared foods available at the Market this and every week.

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SPONSORED LISTING

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Want to advertise in this space? Learn more.

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Next Week!

Next Sunday, September 11, the center of our 'Downe Town will be transformed into a vibrant street fest from noon till 6:00. Introducing the Lansdowne Arts on the Avenue Festival! If you've been a fan of the Lansdowne Arts & Music Festival at the Twentieth Century Club for lo these many years, this is the new and improved format and venue for that community favorite. What's the lineup, you ask? More than 30 artists and makers of all sorts! Live music! A YMCA Kids Zone in the municipal parking lot (aka the LFM lot) featuring an inflatable obstacle course! Arts and crafts workshops for children and adults! A food court with a one-day-only-licensed craft beer garden in the rear lot behind the Lansdowne Theater and the Avenue Delicatessen! Obviously, Lansdowne Avenue will be closed from Baltimore Pike to E. LaCrosse Avenue to accommodate all this cultural goodness. The countdown starts now!

After you've enjoyed the festival, stop by the 20*20 House at (naturally) 20 Lansdowne Court from 5 to 7 pm for the opening reception of multimedia artist Elisabeth Nickles' exhibit Process: New Work from Nepal.

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Housekeeping

We've been totally off our game this season when it comes to distribution of Market Bucks. We just keep forgetting to include little "tasks" to earn them in most newsletters. But this week we're looking ahead and going for an old favorite: wear any T-shirt promoting the Lansdowne Arts Festival in years past and a Market Buck you shall have!

You know who's the best? You people who read the newsletter are the best. And you subgroup of people who read the newsletter, see our pleas for help, and then show up to lend a hand (or send a hand) are the best of the best. Thank you, yous guys.