Reading Terminal Market (Part 2)

[rlibkind]

Between being out-of-town and being sidetracked by some community issues in my neighborhood as well as the Rick's Steak brouhaha, I've been neglectful of reporting on my shopping excursions. So here's a report on my visit to to the RTM today, as well as a bit on last weekend's visit.

Over at Hershel's East Side Deli, Andy is hand-slicing salty belly lox again rather than relying on Acme's inconsistent pre-sliced product. Hooray!

Earl Livengood (hosting his annual corn roast tomorrow at his farm on the outskirts of Lancaster; call 717 464-2698 for more info) still has some sweet, dark cherries which he's been storing since the bountiful harvest ended a couple of weeks ago. While not as pristine looking as when fresh off the tree, they remain sweet and delicious, even at $6.50 a quart or $3.50 a pint. Earl also had sour (pie) cherries for $2.95/pint, and blackberries and blueberries at $4.25/pint.

If you want a Hass avocado for guacamole or any other purposes, OK Lee wants 99-cents each, while Iovine Brothers is up to $1.49; last week Iovine's only sought 50 cents each. (Prices almost as volatile as the stock market.)

Figs are in season. Small black figs, roughly 12-15 packed high into a half-pint carton, $4.99 at Iovine, with green figs $2.49. All red and green grapes, seedless or seeded, $1.99.

Cucumbers are plentiful. Persian cucumbers at Iovine's were $1.99 a pound, which gets you about three of these smaller, six or seven-inch "seedless" cukes ideal for chopped salads and other uses. Greenhouse grown English seedless cukes were priced at two for a buck. Over at OK Lee big, fat kirbys, about two inches in diameter and six inches in length, were selling at five for a buck.

While the organic and heirloom varieties of tomatoes at Livengood's and Fair Foods will cost you $2.49 or more, the Jersey and Lancaster County standard field tomato (no slouch in the taste department at the height of the season, as it is now) are a bargain 99-cents at either Iovine's or OK Lee's. Local canteloupes (musk melons), watermelons and peaches are also in abundance.

Everyone's got good local corn now, including Iovine's. But, as anyone who has tasted it will tell you, the Mirai corn sold at Fair Food is special. Only a few ears were left when I stopped by at 10 a.m., most of it having been sold Thursday and Friday. So plan your shopping schedule accordingly next week.

Iovine bell pepper survey: Green 50-cents, yellow $1.49, red $2.99, orange, $3.99. OK Lee: red and green, 99-cents, yellow and orange $2.99. This time a year, I buy whatever color sweet pepper looks good at Benuel Kaufman's stand; today it was a small purplish variety.

John Yi continues to have a nice selection of wild salmon, as well as farmed-raised Atlantic salmon from Norway and other sources. The Alaskan wild varieties included king at $16.99, sockeye (Copper River) at $10.99 (up from $9.99 last week), and Coho at $12.99. Last week I tried the Coho, but its exceedingly mild flavor disappointed me; others, however, might find this just right. Meanwhile, with demand for soft shell crabs at its seasonal high, the price shot up to $6 per. (Come on you crabs: Molt!) Returning to John Yi is char filet at $7.99; char is mostly farm raised in Canada and Iceland, but the farming techniques used for this salmonid are among aquaculture's most eco-friendly.

Later this week I plan to buy some lamb, so I priced it today. Harry Ochs asked $9.99 for a boneless leg, while Giunta's (for what they told me was New Jersey lamb) priced it at $6.99 on-the-bone, $7.99 off. Before applying this week's 15% discount, the frozen Meadow Run lamb at Fair Foods is priced similarly to Ochs; with the discount it's more in line with Giunta's price. I didn't check Martin's, but in the past they've generally been the least expensive lamb purveyor, sometimes pricing leg as low as $3.99 on the bone, $4.99 off.

This week's shopping list:

HARRY OCHS $26.47

Flank steak

Ground sirloin

Turkey bacon

KAUFMAN'S LANCASTER COUNTY PRODUCE $2.42

Bell pepper

Onion

FAIR FOOD PROJECT $2.20

Mirai Corn

EARL LIVENGOOD $10.65

Cherries

Plum tomatoes

Field tomato

IOVINE BROTHERS $2.07

Bananas

Garlic

White and red onions

HERSHEL'S EAST SIDE DELI $4.60

Lox

Here's my shopping list for the previous Saturday, July 21, where most of the vegetables purchased this day, and the following at Headhouse Square, went into ratatouille.

SPICE TERMINAL $4.25

Pine nuts

GIUNTA'S PRIME SHOP $5.09

Turkey bacon

HERSHEL'S EAST SIDE DELI $4.50

Lox

SALUMERIA $6.58

Olives

Cream cheese

JOHN YI $11.30

Coho salmon

OK LEE $0.99

Cilantro

EARL LIVENGOOD $9.60

Blueberries

Squash

Eggplant

Yellow squash

Onion

Lettuce

TWELFTH STREET CANTINA $2.99

Tortilla chips

IOVINE BROTHERS $2.99

Bananas

Avocados

Scallions

[MarketStEl]

Thought I'd just note that I stopped by DiNic's on Friday at lunchtime for a roast pork Italian, which you can now get there thanks to their recently-announced experiment with broccoli rabe.

This, folks, is pure sandwich ecstasy -- the ideal marriage of savory, tangy, meaty and sweet. That didn't stop me from doctoring it with a touch of sweet heat in the form of pickled banana peppers, though. And while I can't imagine anyone defacing this sandwich with ketchup and mustard, I note that they provide these condiments anyway, along with the more understandable horseradish (they offer roast beef as well).

I think I spied jtnicolosi hard at work, but I'm not sure it was him.

Tony who?

[mod*betty]

Does anyone know if any of the Amish stalls in the RTM carry whoopie pies? I've been asked to bring some home when I return to Mass later in the week and hoped to swing by the Market en route to the airport. Also, I know I've read that the Amish close early, does anyone know when they start closing down?

Thanks!

[rlibkind]

Does anyone know if any of the Amish stalls in the RTM carry whoopie pies? I've been asked to bring some home when I return to Mass later in the week and hoped to swing by the Market en route to the airport. Also, I know I've read that the Amish close early, does anyone know when they start closing down?

←

I think Beiler's Bakery carries them (in the Pa. Dutch section in the Arch/12th Street corner). They're closed Sunday-Tuesday; open Wednesday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (though it's possible they might shut a bit earlier).

You might also want to visit Flying Monkey. No whoopie pies, but your friends (or you) might like the cupcakes!

[scase805]

That was jtnicolosi - I know because the man himself handed me some of DiNic's pulled pork, straight out of the oven. Guys, their pulled pork is unbelievably good! I had already ordered my roast pork italian, but I am eagerly awaiting my next DiNic's sandwich this Thursday (thankfully, their booth is within sight of the Fair Food stand, which I will be watching with hawkeyes, waiting for the new shipment of mirai corn to come in...)

Mr. jtnicolosi, hope you've got that pulled pork ready!

[Holly Moore]

I had my first DiNic's pork sandwich with broccoli rabe. Life just got more difficult. Now a decision where before there was none. I'm thinking ordering my pork sandwiches half and half - rabe on one end, greens on the other.

As I was there for the press conference I was eating my pork sandwich at Rick's Steaks. See, I am impartial. Unfortunately the CBS 3 camera guy there for the rally zoomed in on my pork sandwich for an establishing shot. He was kinda disappointed when I told him it wasn't a cheesesteak and I didn't get it from Rick's Steaks. "Damn, that really looks good."

[Bluehensfan]

I had my first DiNic's pork sandwich with broccoli rabe.  Life just got more difficult.  Now a decision where before there was none.  I'm thinking ordering my pork sandwiches half and half - rabe on one end, greens on the other.

←

I did order that exact sandwich (with provolone of course) for lunch today.

It was indeed nirvana...alternating a bite of one half with a bite from the other, back and forth ultimately covering oneself in delicious pork juice at the neverending expense of trying to determine which half was better but ultimaltely being unable to answer the question.

I guess more taste testing is in order.

[MarketStEl]

For me, it's rabe, hands down.

My new dilemma is: Roast or pulled pork?

[rhinopias]

I'll be in town from Chicago in September. What days and hours is the market open?

[Bluehensfan]

I'll be in town from Chicago in September. What days and hours is the market open?

←

The market is now open every day but Sunday from 8 AM until 6 PM in the afternoon, and 9 AM to 4 PM on Sundays. Many vendors close earlier (so for a better selection, come in earlier). Some merchants are not open on Sundays, and the vast majority of the Amish vendors are there only from Wednesday through Saturday.

Reading Terminal Website

Bring us some Carol's Cookies from Chicago, would ya?

[rhinopias]

Wow, thanks for the link. Never thought to search for a web site as our local markets have no such thing.

I'm in town for a conference and have only one lunch available, would this market be a good choice.

I'll bring or ship cookies if you'd like.....really.

[Bluehensfan]

Wow, thanks for the link. Never thought to search for a web site as our local markets have no such thing.

  I'm in town for a conference and have only one lunch available, would this market be a good choice.

  I'll bring or ship cookies if you'd like.....really.

←

The market would be perfect for lunch, as it's right across the street from the Convention Center. A very good lunch choice would be the roast pork sandwich with greens (spinach) or broccoli rabe (or half each) from DiNic's. It's great to browse around for other goodies too, as there is nothing like it in Chicago that we've found.

You are kidding about shlepping cookies here, right? If you find yourself at the Market on a Saturday, we'd gladly treat you a sandwich at DiNic's (or wherever you choose) for a few cookies!

[KatieLoeb]

A good cookie is a beautiful thing. Well worth travelling for or making other clandestine trades of goods/services/food items for.

I've never had Carol's Cookies, but confess that I'm now intrigued. If there's a cookie trade happening, I suggest that the details be posted here.

I will gladly trade a cocktail at my bar for a good cookie. Show up bearing cookies and I'll shake you up something fabulous. Promise.

Edited August 11, 2007 by KatieLoeb (log)

[rlibkind]

It's pretty hard to find old fashioned, non-hybrid corn these days. But Earl Livengood has it. Priced at 50 cents an ear, the certified organic corn is "open pollinated". The kernels aren't as uniform and perfect as you'd see in a hybrid variety, but I bought a couple of ears to see if they have a "cornier" taste; I don't expect them to compete in the sweetness category with Mirai or other modern hybrids, but I'm prepared to be surprised. They'll be consumed tonight, so I'll try to post an update soon.

Lots of local produce at both Iovine Brothers and OK Lee to supplement their regular fare. Iovine's comes from Shadybrook Farm near Yardley, OK Lee's from Lancaster County. Among the items: cantaloupe, wax and green beans, corn. Certainly not local, but a welcome seasonal return nonetheless at OK Lee: Cactus pears, two for a buck. Makes great magaritas.

Suffering succotash! Lima beans at the height of their season. At least one of Earl Livengood's farmhands was popping them raw as a snack this morning. Also new this week: fresh, young, small celeriac. Earl's also got some additional varieties of heirloom tomatoes.

Livengood's heirloom tomatoes

Blackberries and peaches still going strong, of course, at Livengood's, Kaufman's and Fair Food, but also making an appearance in advance of autumn are some early pears at Kaufman's. Benuel says he expects to have Sanza apples next week. (Benuel spells the varietry with a 'z', but I've only seen it with the second 's', Sansa.)

Benuel Kauman's fruit, including early pears

Attention mrbigjas: raw peanuts back at Iovine's, $2.99/pound.

Here's my shopping list for the week:

EARL LIVENGOOD $4.95

Corn

tomatoes

Celeriac

IOVINE $0.39

Bananas

KAUFMAN'S $3.95

Cherry tomatoes

GIUNTA'S PRIME SHOP $10.10

Chicken

12th STREET CANTINA $3.34

Mexican chorizo

HERSHEL'S DELI $5.00

Lox

[rlibkind]

It's pretty hard to find old fashioned, non-hybrid corn these days. But Earl Livengood has it. Priced at 50 cents an ear, the certified organic corn is  "open pollinated". The kernels aren't as uniform and perfect as you'd see in a hybrid variety, but I bought a couple of ears to see if they have a "cornier" taste; I don't expect them to compete in the sweetness category with Mirai or other modern hybrids, but I'm prepared to be surprised. They'll be consumed tonight, so I'll try to post an update soon.

As expected not nearly as sweet as modern supersweet hybrids. Taste was noticeably but not overwhelmingly "cornier". The ears were much more uniform than I expected to see, though the kernels were on the large side. (I did not strip the ears open to check quality at the stand. I abhor that practice and would rather, pardon the expression, "feel it up" with the husks in place to determine if there are any gross deformities.)

All in all, it was a nice change and a worthwhile reminder of what corn used to taste like and why people would boil the water before picking the corn and then rush it to the pot.

But, unless I get nostalgic again, I'll stick to the modern supersweets.

[Bluehensfan]

A good cookie is a beautiful thing.  Well worth travelling for or making other clandestine trades of goods/services/food items for.

I've never had Carol's Cookies, but confess that I'm now intrigued.  If there's a cookie trade happening, I suggest that the details be posted here.

I will gladly trade a cocktail at my bar for a good cookie.  Show up bearing cookies and I'll shake you up something fabulous.  Promise. 

←

Carol's Cookies are great (although each one of 'em weighs a half pound). Thus far the sugar and chocolate chip varieties pass muster and then some. Think Famous 4th St. Cookies on steroids. http://www.carolscookies.com/

[scase805]

Wow. We just finished our fresh pork tenderloin from Country Time Farm - I happened to be at the Fair Food Farmstand today when the delivery came in. I also picked up some of the smoked bacon which I'm told is also new this week. Anyway, I browned the pork and then finished it off in the oven with just a few sprigs of rosemary, some salt and pepper and olive oil*. That was the most moist and flavorful pork that I have ever had...

Just thought I would give everyone the head's up that its in stock at the Farm Stand!

Scott

* - thanks to Shola and Mr. and Mrs. TarteTatin - a fun, chance encounter - for convincing me not to put the pork in a rosemary-infused milk marinade - I don't know what I was thinking!

[rlibkind]

Whether it's because tourism is growing or the inceased Center City population because of all the new condos and condo conversions, both or some other reason entirely, visitors at the Reading Terminal Market continue to grow at a hefty pace -- well in excess of 10 percent.

For the week of July 30-Aug. 5, the number of visitors to the market reached 127,582, an increase of more than 15 percent compared the same week of the prior year. For the week of July 9-15, visitors totaled 116,105 this year vs. 104,474 last year, an increase of more than 11 percent. (There were no major events at the convention center or the Marriott during these weeks this year or last year.)

There may be another change in the works for on-street parking. The Philadelphia Parking Authority notified the RTM that it is considering changes along the south side of Arch Street adjacent to the terminal. Under the proposal what's currently a loading zone open to both trucks and passenger vehicles (20 minutes, if I recall correctly) would become 30-minutes for trucks only from 5 a.m. to 12 noon; from then until 8 p.m. it would be metered for 30-minute maximum stay.

Market management is still looking for a tenant for the former Foster's space. Although there's been talk of Kitchen Kapers moving in, there's no deal right now. In his monthly newsletter to merchants, RTM GM Paul Steinke says a priority will to bring back to the market a kitchen hard goods retailer. As for the demonstration kitchen, originally installed under Steinke's predecessor Marcy Rogovin in the late 1990s and later taken over by Foster's when they moved into the space, Steinke says its future is being evaluated in light of the need to repair and upgrade its facilities.

Speaking of upgrade of facilities, Tom Nicolosi says he's purchased the additional ovens, refrigerators and other appurtenances for his capacity expansion. When everything is installed DiNic's will expand hours to 6 p.m. daily as well as start opening on Sundays.

Over at Fair Food Farmstand today, lots of different colored cherry tomatoes, including tiny Black Cherokees (very sweet, hardly any acidity). Although I wasn't in the market for it, there was a nice hunk of boneless lamb shoulder from Meadow Run in the freezer case.

Pomegranites have made their seasonal debut; smallish fruits are available at Iovine Brothers for a buck apiece.

I'll be cooking spare ribs on the Weber kettle tomorrow, hence my trip to the RTM today so I could apply the dry rub well in advance of cooking. As I write they are in close contact with a Memphis rub made from hot and sweet paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, celery salt, black pepper, brown sugar, salt and cumin. I'll probably do a mustard-vinegar mop while they're cooking.

This week's shopping list (not heavy on the produce 'cause I've got a little left and I plan on a Headhouse Square visit Sunday):

FAIR FOOD FARMSTAND $2

Mint

HARRY OCHS $14.39

Spare ribs

Turkey bacon

IOVINE BROTHERS $0.62

Banana

Lemon

SALUMERIA $6.70

Olives

Capers in salt

AJ'S PICKLE PATCH $4.53

Potato salad

Pepper hash

LE BUS $3.75

Rolls

HERSHEL'S DELI $6.00

Lox

Cream cheese

[dagordon]

Fresh Meadow Run Farm chickens are back at Fair Food, and they're back to their superlative level of quality from the end of last summer!

rae has had a theory for some time that the MRF chickens toward the end of the summer might be significantly better than the ones toward the beginning, since the frozen ones we've been loving since last summer were presumably chickens from the end of the summer. Her theory seems to be correct, for whatever reason.

[rlibkind]

Two trips to the RTM this week, experiencing (and buying) the best of summer, but also getting a sneak peak of fall:

Sweet potatoes and apples at Benuel Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce (photo above) were one sure sign of fall. But Benuel's corn remains at peak perfection (the ears I purchased Saturday were full, defect-free and tasty), and the stone fruit remains plentiful and sweet. It should be only a week or two until Benuel starts selling unpasteurized apple cider. I also picked up a couple Bartlett pears from Benuel.

Fun with fruit. (Yes, eggplant is a fruit, not a vegetable.) This Pinocchio white eggplant was found Thursday at Benuel Kaufman's, which also boasts a fine selection of colored bell peppers (also a fruit) and onions (not a fruit, despite it's vibrant purple color.)

Pears are especially in abundance at Iovine Brothers which offers wide selection: Red Anjou and Bosc ($1.99), Forelle ($2.99), Red Bartlett and Comice ($1.99) and a relative newcomer, originally an Australian variety, Packham (99-cents). In the fungi department, Iovine's was offering black truffles for $300, but sold in $12-$18 packs.

California table grapes have hit the market, and Iovine's has a deal for you: a four-pound clamshell of green seedless for $2.99. The individual fruits looked just a tad small, and I didn't taste them, but that's still a bargain since they rarely go below 99-cents a pound. Iovine's also had Michigan blueberries (the local harvest in NJ and PA has been over for weeks). But if you want local produce at Iovine's there were plenty of offerings from their contract farm, Shady Brook in Bucks County: wax beans 89 cents, corn 25-cents an ear, cantaloupes (musk melons) $1 apiece. Jersey field and plum tomatoes both priced at 99 cents. I don't know where they come from (but I suspect it's New Jersey), but the fava beans are in for $1.99. Another good deal is the seedless cucumbers, two long specimens for a buck.

My gem catch of the week was at Fair Food Farmstand: figs picked that morning from the tree in . . . South Philly. I don't know the variety, but they were green with serious purple blotches/streaks that covered two-thirds of the surface. Half a dozen packed in an egg carton, $3. Very delicate fruits, absolutely sublime. One of the Farmstand staffers recommended halving the figs, topping with a little crumbled blue cheese and a few drops of good olive oil. Gotta try that! Also picked up blackberries ($3.75/pint) to mix with melted leftover peach sorbet for a new peach-blackbery sorbet.

Turkey London broil from Godshall's provided the protein for a simple summer meal last night for visiting cousins from Syracuse. The turkey went on the Weber gas grill for indirect cooking after an hour in a simple brine and a quick drying and coating with a homemade rub (hot and sweet paprika, cayenne, black pepper, garlic powder, salt, ground cumin). Served with tomatoes and cucumbers, cornbread (I forgot to add the kernels of fresh corn! Oh, well, those will be sauteed tonight), and the last of my homemade kosher dills, followed by the sorbet with pizzelles. (Wine: Hermann Wiemer Dry Rosé)

Earlier in the week I made a great lunch of soft shell crabs ($6 apiece) from John Yi's: dredged in flour, dipped in egg wash, coated with breadcrumbs, sauteed in butter, served on plain white bread with remoulade. (Beer: Lord Chesterfield Ale)

I can heartily recommend the whitefish salad at Hershel's East Side Deli. Freshly made and fresh tasting.

Here's my combined shopping list for two visits at the RTM Thursday and Saturday:

GODSHALL'S POULTRY $20.00

Turkey London broil

Turkey bacon

KAUFFMAN'S LANCASTER COUNTY PRODUCE $2.49

Cucumber

Corn

LANCASTER COUNTY DAIRY $3.70

Milk

JOHN YI $12.00

Soft shell crabs

AJ'S PICKLE BARREL $3.25

Sauerkraut (which they spell "Sour Kraut")

HERSHEL'S EAST SIDE DELI $8.10

Lox

Whitefish salad

SALUMERIA $3.99

Pizzelles

EARL LIVENGOOD $5.90

Tomatoes

Basil

FAIR FOOD FARMSTAND $17.25

Figs

Blackberries

[mrbigjas]

hey i had a roast pork with broccoli rabe at dinic's yesterday. FANTASTIC. the bread is back to the kind i like too. it's been a couple months since i had a sandwich from there and it's even better than i remember. jtnicolosi, if you're still around, thank you!

[KatieLoeb]

Bob:

I'm particularly enjoying your wine and beer pairings with the lovely dinners you've been making from your RTM shopping. That rose and rubbed turkey London Broil sounds divine! And Lord Chesterfield is the little black dress of beer, n'est ce pas?

[Rich Pawlak]

Not as easy to source as it once used to be, Yuengling's Lord Chesterfield Ale is a terrific brew, and always my go-to beer with seafood, especially soft shells and fried calamari. Cant explain it, but it always elevates the dining experience with shellfish.

[mrbigjas]

Not as easy to source as it once used to be, Yuengling's Lord Chesterfield Ale is a terrific brew, and always my go-to beer with seafood, especially soft shells and fried calamari.  Cant explain it, but it always elevates the dining experience with shellfish.

←

it was one of the saddest days of my beer drinking career when i learned -- i think from the bartender at black sheep at the time -- that yuengling was no longer making chesterfield on tap. it was my go-to beer at tangiers for years, and at standard tap when they first opened, and at black sheep when they had it. it's one of those big business tragedies, never thinking of the little guy--what about MY needs?

Edited August 27, 2007 by mrbigjas (log)

[Rich Pawlak]

That WAS a sad day when Lord Ches became no longer available in kegs. My fave nosh at Standard Tap used to be a pint of Lord Ches from the refrigerator tap and a plate of their fried squid.