Farmers Markets

[melkor]

I stopped by the St Helena farmers market this morning, got a basket of blueberries, a few heads of heirloom garlic, and some small waxy potatoes. I think the Napa market this year has more variety than the St Helena market, thats a change. St Helena is worth the drive just for the beef from Longmedow Ranch, I'll go back next week and pick some up.

[Malawry]

Went with Hjshorter to the Dupont Circle (DC) market this morning. I nabbed some fennel, early hothouse tomatoes, haricots verts, itty bitty baby zucchini, blueberries, the most perfect little carrots your eyes ever did see, and DUCK EGGS.

I am a happy happy girl.

[Varmint]

I actually stopped by a farm, rather than a farmers market, on the way back from eating barbecue, and picked up the best cantelopes I have ever eaten. These melons had an incredible sugar concentration, but they also had a floral flavor that I rarely find anymore. I've got another one ready for breakfast tomorrow!

[docsconz]

and DUCK EGGS.

Duck eggs are great. I also buy turkey and goose eggs at my farmer's market when they are available. The goose eggs are my favorite. They are very rich. One goose egg is equivalent to about three chicken eggs. Oh yes, I also buy chicken eggs there .

[hjshorter]

Malawry, thanks so much for inviting me to join you, and thanks for splitting the duck eggs with me.

I picked up 2 quarts of incredibly sweet strawberries and my first batch of freezer jam is sitting on the counter already. Other finds were some kirbies (pickles tomorrow), arugula, haricots vert, chioggi beets with beautiful greens, and a quart of sour cherries that will most likely become a cobbler this week.

Tomatoes in two more weeks. I looove summer.

[KatieLoeb]

Yesterday at the Head House Square Farmer's Market (conveniently located about 1 block from my house on Saturday mornings! ) I purchased some really awesome field ripened tomatoes. The aesthetically perfect ones were $3.79/lb. but the "ugly" ones were only $2.00/lb. Bought just a few pretty ones to bring along to dinner at a friends house to have with mozzarella and basil from her garden. Fabulous! But the ugly ones will hopefully become gazpacho later this evening. Or maybe sauce, but something that doesn't have to look perfect but I have faith will taste perfect.

I also bought some fresh basil for myself, some spring onions I think I will roast (maybe I'll use the tops for the gazpacho), three big zucchini, and some gorgeous sweet as candy fresh carrots. I'm thinking of starting the Raw Food diet this week, so I thought I'd prepare myself...

I also got 1 lb. of grass fed ground beef that comes conveniently packaged as two 8 oz. square patties. Will grill one of these up in the trusty George Foreman and report back.

[melkor]

This week in Napa we got a new vendor from half moon bay, where it rarely gets warm enough to be considered spring. They brought with them shelling peas, fava beans, and artichokes. It was also nice to meet Carolyn Tillie and her SO at the market. All and all, this week was better than last, but with my garden in full swing I need less and less from the market each week.

black raspberries

artichokes

shelling peas

santa rosa plums

blueberries

10lbs of oranges

a dozen eggs

and an ambrosia mellon.

[Rhea_S]

I am very fortunate to have the local farmer's market right outside my office building. This is what I bought this morning:

zucchini blossoms

basil

variety of baby eggplant

beets

fingerling potatoes

yukon gold potatoes

fresh eggs

cottage bacon

Other items that looked good today:

Calhoun County peaches

several varieties of beans

[Alberts]

My heartfelt sympathy to all in Santa Monica affected by the horror of the event yesterday at the Market. Speedy recovery the those injured. We Portlanders are thinking of you.

[bloviatrix]

Yesterday the Columbia greenmarket (w.116th & B'way) was pathetic. There was only one vendor there. I came home with a spearmint plant.

Today at 97th street:

Another huge bunch of spearmint

red leaf lettuce

scallions

white raspberries

Queen Ann cherries

orange cherry tomatoes - the first I've bought this season!!

rosemary focaccia

challah

I might head down to Union Square later.

[beans]

Gooseberries!

[SobaAddict70]

ok, clue me in.

what are gooseberries, and what do they taste like?

Soba

[Jason Perlow]

Paddypans... yay!

[Jason Perlow]

ok, clue me in.

what are gooseberries, and what do they taste like?

Soba

They are very small, the size of raisins, look like TINY grapes, and are very sour. Frequently used in pies and tarts.

The small berries to the left are gooseberries. Actually I think all of the ones in this picture are different varieties of gooseberries.

[beans]

Gooseberries: I bought the green variety -- "Groseilles Vertes" grown at Hurst's Berry Farm in Sheridan, Oregon.

Here's a link for suggested uses.

[bloviatrix]

I'm a greenmarket slut. I went to Union Square this afternoon. That makes 3 markets in 25 hours.

I bought:

Shelling peas

basil

[sparrowgrass]

-I went to the orchard and bought a box of eat-over-the-sink peaches. Not those little tennis ball jobs, these are softball size.

Slurp.

[Malawry]

Stopped at a farm stand on the way to the beach Friday and bought:

Sweet white corn

Peaches

Two small zukes

A yellow squash

A red onion

And hot fresh donuts. (DOOOOOONUTS!)

Stopped at a different stand on the way home this afternoon and bought:

Sweet white corn

Tomatoes, the first good red ones I've seen this year

Bing cherries

A cucumber

A Vidalia onion (obviously not grown anywhere near the stand, but worth buying anyway!)

Peanut brittle

[tommy]

garlic/cheese bread. oh man this is good.

fresh muzz

corn

elyse's cookies.

[hjshorter]

Tomatoes, the first good red ones I've seen this year

Really? Oh boy.

I didn't make it to the market today but next Sunday it will be a must.

[beans]

Yesterday --

Pureheart watermelon (Oh, my GAWD!!! YUM)

A couple of morels (golly they are expensive! $29.99/lb). I only needed a few, under a quarter of a pound.

If I were in Jersey, I would have bought one of everything Elyse baked!

[elyse]

I would have steered you away from the almond cookies for sure. Blase to the nth degree. But you're a doll for saying so!

Edited July 21, 2003 by elyse (log)

[melkor]

salmon

gravenstien apples

silver queen corn

oranges

strawberries

blueberries

raspberries

some sort of blackberry

garlic

santa rosa plums

lemons

yukon gold potatoes

[Malawry]

From the NC Dept of Agriculture's Piedmont Triad Farm Market (a permanent facility open 7 days a week):

Double-yolk brown eggs. The guy at the stand reports that young chickens are more likely to produce double-yolkers, and he says they're always infertile. (I'd always assumed you could get twin chicks from them.)

Zucchini

Silver queen corn

Squash

A red onion

Red and green bell peppers

Garlic, three picture-perfect bulbs

Blueberries

Porno-perfect blackberries

Farm butter, from Hillsboro, NC

Old Guilford Mill Southern-style unbleached white grits

[melkor]

Yountville farmers market (across the street from bouchon/bouchon bakery)

six bell peppers for a buck. and a latte from bouchon bakery for three bucks