In a telephone conversation in mid-July, Jon Buck of Wood From the Hood in Minneapolis talked about reclaiming urban trees lost to disease, storm damage and construction, and putting some of that wood to a novel and beautiful use: kitchen cutting boards.

Q: Where did the idea for the cutting boards come from?
A: We happened to be at Seward [Co-op], we were making a conference table from elm trees that had been harvested from the same ZIP code as the store’s ZIP code. We saw that they were selling bamboo cutting boards made in China, and we said, ‘We can do better than that, we can make ones from wood here in the Twin Cities.’ We eventually came up with nine or ten different designs, and they liked the three graduated sizes [6 x 12 inches, 8 x 14 inches and 10 x 16 inches], with an arched top and a hole in them. The two smaller boards are one solid piece of wood, and the larger board is three pieces, glued together. We’ve been selling them for about three months now. They’re moving fast, because [the store] has been placing a new order for them every month.

Q: What kind of wood do you use?
A: Sugar maple. It’s a hard maple. The two predominant maple trees in the area are sugar maples and silver maples. Silver are considered soft, it’s not a wood typically used for cutting boards. We put them through the wringer, and the only thing that shreds them is the dishwasher. I ran one through my dishwasher and it came out as warped as a potato chip, so I’d say that they’re not dishwasher-safe.

Q: How did Wood From the Hood get its start?
A: We were seeing elm trees going down and we wanted to find a use for them. We started milling hardboard flooring, that was the first step. We started working with a local tree service; he was supplying us with logs. He gets a call to take down an elm or some other usable lumber, he brings the logs to us and we mill them into boards. We sell boards to local craftsman, we sell flooring through several retailers, we do custom millwork and cabinetry and we turn wood into cutting boards, picture frames and coaster sets. For flooring we have elm, ash, red and white oak and a little bit of maple.

Q: Is re-purposing the urban forest a new idea?
A: It had been tried in the Twin Cities in the early 1990s. I’m not sure who did it, though. It wasn’t successful. From what I understand, they had a hard time finding a market for it. Since then there have been a few books published on the use of urban wood. We just picked up a bunch of telephone poles. We’re going to mill them into lumber for decking and fences. It’s such a nice lumber, it’s been standing up for who knows how long, so it’s nice and dry, just a beautiful cedar.

Q: What’s next?
A: Right now we’re working on a conditioner for the cutting boards. The co-op has been selling a lemon oil conditioner for salad bowls, and we thought, ‘Gee, we could make that stuff.’ Ours is a beeswax/mineral oil combination. We’re working on the packaging and we hope to have it in stores soon. We’re using an all-natural beeswax from Rushford, Minn. There are no producers of mineral oil in Minnesota, so we had to go out of state for that.

Q: I like how you note the location of the tree on each cutting board. Do you do that with all of your products?
A: When we get a log in from the tree service, it’s got what we call a ‘toe tag’ on it that notes the tree’s species, its ZIP code, the tree service and the date that the tree was taken down. We nail that to the end of the log. That information gives people a sense of ownership, a place they can identify with. We get calls: ‘Do you have something from Edina?’ ‘What do you have from St. Paul?’ But it’s a pretty random process. We only get trees through construction or disease or storm damage; we don’t harvest.

Wood From the Hood cutting boards ($20 to $33) are available at Seward Co-op, Linden Hills Natural Home and Mother Earth Gardens.

Can’t make it to the farmers market? Consider becoming a regular at Farm Fresh Daily Market, which Tangletown Gardens co-owners Dean Engelmann and Scott Endres recently debuted at their enchanting south Minneapolis gardening oasis.

“I love farmers markets, but they’re often only on the weekends, when I’m working, or else they’re just one day a week, and that’s not enough for me,” said Endres. “We want people to come here seven days a week.”

The green-thumbed duo are doing their best to make that wish a reality, stocking just-picked produce cultivated on Engelmann’s family farm in Plato, Minn., and emphasizing wide selection, impressive quality and more-than-competitive prices. The fresh factor is instantly apparent, and an obvious selling point.

“Dean harvests in the morning, and it’s here in the afternoon,” said Endres.

When I dropped by last week, the ogle-worthy bounty made it difficult to zero in on a favorite. Was it the oblong radishes with their in-your-face flavor? The quirky purple kohlrabi? The gorgeous, off-the-beaten-path salad greens?

Look at these lettuces. Gorgeous, right? And at $2 per bag, they’re more than competitively priced, like all the produce at Tangletown Gardens.

A definite highlight are the plastic bags crammed with just-picked herbs, more than a dozen in all (a larger - and probably fresher - selection that at my local natural foods co-op), including lemon balm, basil, peppermint, spearmint, dill, cilantro, oregano, sage, chives, Italian parsley and thyme, all incredibly fragrant and just $1 per bag. What a deal.

Along with some beautiful shallots and a few plus-size zucchini, I finally went with the All Red potatoes ($2 per box), an heirloom that boasts cranberry-tinted skins, unusual pale pink flesh and faintly buttery taste. Their low-starch content makes them ideal boilers for salads, and they’re one of 15 heirloom potato varieties that Engelmann and Endres are growing this year.

“The local food movement is contagious,” said Endres. “We’ve always grown our own food, and we feel that it’s an important philosophy of eating. We want to share that.”

Speaking of boilers, here are three different takes on potato salad.

CLASSIC MIDWESTERN POTATO SALAD
Serves up to 12.
Note: From “The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining” by Bill and Cheryl Jamison (William Morrow, $24.95).

5 lbs. Yukon Gold or other waxy, boiling potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
3/4 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. sour cream
5 tbsp. white or cider vinegar
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tsp. celery seeds
3/4 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. minced onion
5 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Coarse salt (either kosher or sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Boil the potatoes in enough salted water to cover them by at least 1 inch until quite tender when pierced by a fork. In a large bowl (while potatoes cook), stir mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard and celery seeds together. When potatoes are done, drain them. When cool enough to handle, chop potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Add them to bowl along with celery, onion and eggs. Toss to combine, season generously with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Serve chilled.

JULIA’S AMERICAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD
Serves about 4 to 6.
Note: From “Julia and Jacques Cook at Home” by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Knopf, $40).

2 lbs. large Yukon Gold potatoes or other waxy, boiling potatoes
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/3 c. chicken stock or potato cooking water
2/3 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
3 to 4 slices crisply cooked bacon, chopped or crumbled
2 to 3 tbsp. chopped pickle, sweet or dill
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced thin
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives or green onions, including a bit of their tender green
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c. mayonnaise
Sour cream (optional)

Directions
Peel potatoes and slice each one lengthwise in half, or in quarters if very large; then cut crosswise into half-round or quarter-round slices, about 1/2-inch thick.
Put slices in a saucepan with water just to cvoer and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt per quart of water. Heat to a simmer, and cook potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just cooked through. It is essential that they be just cooked through. Bite into a slice or two to be very sure. Immedately remove from heat and drain potatoes into a colander, but save a cup of cooking liquid for dressing the potatoes. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir cider vinegar with chicken stock (or 1/3 cup of potato water) and drizzle mixture over potato pieces, turning them gently to distribute liquid mixture evenly. Let sit 10 minutes to absorb liquid.
Add onion, celery, bacon, pickle, hard-cooked eggs and chives and season carefully to taste. Top with 2/3 cup mayonnaise (or a mixture of mayonnaise and a little bit of sour cream) and, with a large spatula, gently fold everything together until well blended. Taste salad and add more salt, pepper or mayonnaise as needed.
Cover salad and set aside in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. If refrigerated longer, let salad come back to room temperature befor serving. Taste and adjust seasoning again.
To serve, line a bowl or platter with red-leaf lettuce or other greens, and mount salad, garnishing (optional) with diced red pimiento, sliced hard-cooked eggs, tomato quarters or parsley leaves.

SPANISH-STYLE GRILLED POTATO AND PEPPER SALAD OVER GREENS
Serves 4 as a main course.

Note: From “A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen” by Jack Bishop (Houghton Mifflin, $35).

4 medium red potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.), cut into 1-inch wedges
Salt to taste
1 medium red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
1 medium yellow bell pepper, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 medium green olives, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp. freshly minced flat parsley leaves
1 tbsp. drained capers
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
8 c. packed baby spinach or other tender greens

Directions
Prepare grill. In a large pot (wide enough to hold skewers) over high heat, bring several quarts of water to boil. Divide potato pieces among four skewers. When water comes to a boil, add salt to taste and add potato skewers, making sure they are fully submerged in water. Cook until pieces are almost tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer skewers to a baking sheet. Brush potatoes and bell pepper halves with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt to taste.
Grill potato skewers and peppers, turning once, until streaked with grill marks, about 10 minutes. Holding skewers with an oven mitt, slide potatoes into a medium bowl. Cut grilled peppers into 1-inch pieces and add them to bowl. Add olives, parsley, capers, garlic, vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to bowl and gently toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide greens among four large plates. Spoon warm potato salad over greens and serve.

A customer buys raspberries from Enderson Xiong, left, and his father Cha Fong Xiong, right, at the St. Paul Farmers Market.

It was a perfect Saturday morning at the St. Paul Farmers Market.

We found a decent parking spot, the Capital City Brass Quintet was playing an amusing version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and my eyes immediately landed on a table covered with one of my greatest temptations, pints and half-pints of gloriously ripe raspberries. The shopper standing next to me verbalized my thoughts.

“These raspberries are gorgeous,” she said, “the best I’ve seen all morning.” Same here.

Cha Fong Xiong and his wife, Nang Her, cultivate a diverse acre in Lake Elmo, and while most of their vegetables are still spurting toward maturity in mid-July, their raspberry patch is going crazy, yielding plump, ruby-red berries so juicy they look as if they’re going to burst. They taste that way, too.

“So far it’s been a good season for raspberries,” said Xiong. “Picking raspberries isn’t hard work, but it requires patience.”

If only the same could be said for raspberry eating. When it comes to this tenderest and sweetest of berries, what little self-control I have quickly evaporates into thin air. I managed to get them home before spending an afternoon sneaking them, one by one, out of the refrigerator. It’s a good thing I bought enough to cover both my snacking and baking needs.

Don’t wash raspberries until just ready to serve. (Here’s a tip from Fine Cooking magazine: Fill a bowl with cold water, gently add the berries, then lift them out with your hands - again, gently. Let them dry in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.) Raspberries will flourish a day or two in the refrigerator, but last up to 10 months in the freezer. Carefully rinse berries, transfer to a paper towel to dry completely, then arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking sheet and freeze. When firm, transfer berries to a tightly sealed container and freeze.

These muffins came together in less than five minutes, filled the house with an intoxicating aroma and flew off the plate at the office.

LEMON-RASPBERRY MUFFINS
Makes 1 dozen.

Note: From “How to be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking” by Nigella Lawson (Hyperion, $19.95).

1/4 c. butter
1 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Finely chopped zest and juice from 1 lemon, divided
Approximately 1/2 c. whole milk
1 large egg
5 oz. raspberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with 12 paper baking cups. Melt butter and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and lemon zest. In a large measuring cup, pour in lemon juice, then enough milk to come up nearly to the 1 cup mark (milk will curdle, but that’s just fine), then beat in egg and melted butter. Pour milk-egg mixture into dry ingredients and stir briefly; the batter should be scarcely combined. Fold in raspberries and spoon this lumpy mixture into muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes; muffin tops should spring back to your touch. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool for a further 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

RASPBERRY GRATIN
Serves 4.

Note: From “Sunday Suppers at Lucques” by Suzanne Goin (Knopf, $35). “Everyone has had berries in cobblers and pies, but when people see this gratineed dessert, their eyebrows rise in curious anticipation,” writes Goin, chef/owner of Lucques in Los Angeles. “The raspberries and custard are cooked briefly under the broiler, creating a delicious warm crust that only partially hides the tart berries and warm cream beneath. Once you learn this technique, you can use it with other berries, or even peaches or nectarines. In the winter, a gratin made with sauteed apples or pears with dried fruit is delicious, too. Choose an attractive dish that can go from oven to table.”

1 1/2 c. whole milk
3 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch, sifted
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Pinch of kosher salt
1 c. creme fraiche
1 pint raspberries
1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions
In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, bring milk to a boil then turn off heat. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, then whisk in 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cornstarch. Continue whisking until mixture thickens and is pale yellow color. Slowly whisk in hot milk, at first a few tablespoons at a time, and then more quickly. Return mixture to stove and cook over medium heat, alternating between a whisk and a rubber spatula, until pastry cream thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from stove and stir in butter and salt. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap on surface to keep it from forming a skin. Poke a few hole in plastic to allow heat to escape. Cool in refrigerator. When custard cools, fold in creme fraiche.
Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, toss raspberries with remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and scatter half of raspberries on bottom of a 9×9-inch (or equivalent) gratin dish. Spoon custard into dish and scatter rest of berries on top. Sift confectioner’s sugar over top and pass under broiler for about 7 minutes, until bubbling and gratineed on top. Remove from oven and serve at the table with a big serving spoon.

What a glorious sight: Heirloom tomatoes at the Minneapolis Farmers Market

When I saw the gnarled, cat-faced heirloom tomatoes ($4.99 per pound) lined up in rows at the Real Foods stand at the Minneapolis Farmers Market, I quickly consulted my internal calendar. Tomatoes, plump and heavy with juice, in late June in Minnesota? No way.

Turns out the Bauman family — parents Abraham and Rebecca and their sons Titus and David — starts cultivating tomatoes in mid-April under the shelter of a roof — a “high tunnel” is how David described the structure — on their organic farm near Wausau, Wis., skipping the hydroponic route and planting them directly in soil. Along with a wide range of vegetables, the family raises roughly 30 tomato varieties, from familiar ruby-red beefsteaks to a gaggle of variegated heirlooms that beautifully jumble the color spectrum.

I watched as noon-hour shoppers stopped dead in their tracks and asked David and Titus if they were selling “real” tomatoes. “We hear that a lot,” said David. “They may be covered, but they have as much flavor as you’ll find in a tomato in the middle of summer.”

David Bauman, foreground, and his brother Titus, rear, hawking early-season heirloom tomatoes at their busy stand at 6th Street and Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.

You know what? He was absolutely right. The two large tomatoes I purchased went straight into BLTs, and the results were glorious; the cherry tomatoes perked up a chicken salad. Yeah, I’m definitely going to be a regular Real Foods customer (the family sells on Thursday at the market’s Nicollet Mall outpost and on Saturday at the main market on E. Lyndale Av. N.). Here’s my plan for the Bauman’s tomatoes for the upcoming holiday weekend:

The heirloom cherry tomato selection at Real Foods.

BREAKFAST BRUSCHETTA WITH TOMATO, EGGS AND PANCETTA
Serves 6.

Note: From “Outdoor Entertaining” by George Dolese and Steve Siegelman (Williams-Sonoma, $24.95).

For bruschetta:
6 slices baguette
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 thin slices pancetta
1 c. assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For scrambled eggs:
8 eggs
1/3 c. creme fraiche
1/4 c. snipped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Parmesan cheese shavings for garnish
Fruity extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions
To prepare bruschetta: Position a rack 6 inches from heat source and preheat broiler. Lightly brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Place bread under broiler and toast until edges start to turn golden, about 30 seconds. Turn slices over and toast until second side is golden, about 30 seconds longer. Wrap toasted bread in aluminum foil and keep warm until ready to serve.
Arrange each pancetta slice in a single layer on a separate rimmed baking sheet. Place under broiler and broil until edges start to curl and turn brown, about 2 minutes. Wrap pancetta in foil and keep warm until ready to serve.
Slice tomatoes in half through stem end and place them in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, gently toss to season evenly and reserve.
To prepare scrambled eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, creme fraiche, 1/4 cup chives and salt. In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add egg mixture and let cook undisturbed for about 1 minute to warm through. Using a silicone spatula, gently turn over areas of eggs as they set, then fold and stir them into soft and slightly runny crusts, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
To serve: Place a toasted bread slice on each individual plate. Top each bread slice with scrambled eggs and tomatoes. Garnish with pancetta curl, Parmesan shavings, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of chives and serve immediately.

TOMATO AND SWEET ONION SALAD WITH CREAMY HERB VINAIGRETTE
Serves 6.

Note: “A crumble of sharp blue cheese like Stilton, Maytag Blue or Roquefort is fantastic on this salad,” writes author Katy Sparks. From “Sparks in the Kitchen” (Alfred A. Knopf, $30).

For croutons:
3 tbsp. butter
3 slices country rye bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For salad:
2 lbs. assorted heirloom tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Vidalia or other sweet onions, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings
For vinaigrette:
1 pasteurized egg yolk
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, mashed with a pinch of salt with the side of a knife
6 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. freshly minced tarragon or chervil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
To prepare croutons: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add bread cubes and stir periodically until they are toasty brown. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and reserve.
To prepare tomatoes: Cut larger tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices and cherry tomatoes in half. Other tomatoes can be cut into wedges; the goal is visual diversity. Arrange tomatoes on individual plates or a platter, season with salt and pepper and arrange onions over tomatoes.
To prepare vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolk and cream together. Whisk in mustard, vinegar, lemon juice and garlic. While whisking, pour in olive oil, drop by drop, to start an emulsion. When all oil is incorporated, stir in minced herbs and season with salt and pepper.
To serve: Dress tomatoes generously with vinaigrette, scatter croutons on top and serve.