2004 Greenmarkets

[bloviatrix]

I've found that the produce has been gorgeous this season and every friday I'm coming home laden with delicous things to eat. So, I'm wondering...what greenmarket are you all shopping at and what are you bringing home?

Fridays I go to W. 97th street. Today's bounty included....

Strawberries, 2 crispin apples - Red Jacket Orchards

Cherries (I forget what kind but they had 4 varieties) - Locust Grove

Beets, green leaf lettuce, and english shell peas - can't remember their name

Spearmint, garlic scapes, oregano, thyme - Baldwin Farm

Zucchini - ?

Ciabbatta, pumpernickle-onion rolls, parker house rolls - Tribeca Oven

The peas are so incredibly sweet.

[Suzanne F]

As already mentioned here, some of us (both SethG and I) bought sour cherries, which we have each turned into preserves. I grated a lot of ginger into mine. Don't know yet how well they will gel, but they sure taste good!

Ah, this is when we turn into estivegetarians -- when all the beautiful produce is available.

[SethG]

I did indeed make sour cherry jam this weekend. I've been shopping at the Brooklyn GAP and Downtown Manhattan markets.

I've also been buying sweet cherries, strawberries as often as I can (my daughter eats them very quickly), peaches, sugar snap peas, some of the best broccoli I've ever had in the last two weeks (I mean it!), young onions, and last week I even got some field tomatoes.

It seems like the peaches and field tomatoes came early this year. I'm psyched. I wish I could tell you the names of my favorite vendors, but I always forget to take note.

[bloviatrix]

We just finished the last of the cherries I bought on friday. They were delicious. As were the strawberries (which we ate with freshly whipped cream). I love this time of year.

[Moopheus]

I did indeed make sour cherry jam this weekend.

I may have to try that. This year I joined the local CSA, and we've been getting mass quantities of cherries--way more than I can use in a short time. Sadly, the farm's supply of strawberries didn't last too long--they were really good and got Hoovered right up.

[SethG]

I got some more peaches, tomatoes, broccoli, and some phat blackberries at the downtown market today. They had gooseberries, which I was tempted to buy, but at $3.50 a pint (or were they half-pints?) it just didn't seem worth it to make jam. I may change my mind by Saturday and try to buy some in Brooklyn. The lower Manhattan folks said this week would be the only week for gooseberries there.

[jauster]

This week I bought:

tomatoes

eggplant, I haven't used this yet

peaches from Terhune Orchards, just ate 2, and they are GREAT!

sour cherries, made into compote for crepe, delish!

I didn't see any more strawberries this week. Are they gone already or am I just getting there too late?

Jennie

[SethG]

I think the strawberries are history, sadly. I didn't see any at 8:45 A.M.

[Suzanne F]

I didn't make it to the market today, since I was working at a client's (so was Moopheus, we had a nice chat). But all was not lost! HWOE went, and brought back:

Corn

Choy sum

Blueberries

Tomatoes

Peaches

Kirbies

Mixed bagged heads of lettuce

Arugula

1 Green pepper.

So dinner was 3 ears of corn apiece and a big (as usual) salad, along with some bits of cheese from 2 weeks ago (not Greenmarket, but very good nonetheless).

Maybe the strawberry folks have planted the late-bearing variety as well, and we'll get more later on. I hope. To quote Mario Batali's sons: What would we do without strawberries, Daddy?

Edited July 9, 2004 by Suzanne F (log)

[ahr]

Especially nice, winy peaches Wednesday from the apple vendor at the NW corner of the Union Square market. Eat 'em quickly, however; by this evening they were over-ripe.

[Moopheus]

This week's allotment included zucchini, yellow squash, beets, chicory, more cherries, and amazingly, a bag of Empire apples. A little surprised to see apples so early.

[Suzanne F]

Moopheus: a few times in years past, I've gotten a variety of apple called Burgundies in the very late summer. I also saw my first falling leaves today (City Hall Park) So who knows?

[SethG]

I did change my mind in favor of some gooseberry/rhubarb jam, but found no gooseberries today in Brooklyn.

AND: my beeswax source was a no-show! My plans for caneles this week are similarly dashed.

Not a happy development. But I did buy some delicious little sweet red plums, a handful of apricots, some rosemary and thyme, and some delicious little orange tomatoes.

[bloviatrix]

Seth -- if you're still jonesing for gooseberries(and have time to hop the subway), try Locust Grove at Union Square on wednesday. They should have them.

[jeunefilleparis]

my first living space was a dorm above the blue water grill. * new school not nyu*

so i had a mixed appreciation for the greenmarket. i used to get very annoyed at clanging metal poles at 5am when i d just returned home from bar hopping.

now i m happy if i can get to it before work or before it closes after work.

i have bought lots of my yummy jams there for beths jams as well as lots of cheese and tomatoes, garlic flowrs and of course, pastries

i love the hot cider in the winter its just so perfect!

i m always amazed at the variety of fruits and veggies there and how vibrant and healthy their colors are. if i cooked i would buy more of them!

Edited July 11, 2004 by jeunefilleparis (log)

[docsconz]

This week's allotment included ... and amazingly, a bag of Empire apples. A little surprised to see apples so early.

Are you sure that they weren't last years apples. We've had apples all season so far from a local grower, but they are remains from last year. Amazingly, they are still good.

[SethG]

Seth -- if you're still jonesing for gooseberries(and have time to hop the subway), try Locust Grove at Union Square on wednesday. They should have them.

I just may do that, Bloviatrix.... I've been meaning to run up to the Union Sq. Market one of these days. I haven't been there (the market, I mean, not the square) in years.

[alacarte]

I have never seen the market awash in so many beautiful cherries as I did at Saturday's Union Square greenmarket. I bought:

cherries

peaches (disappointing this time)

apricots (outstanding)

bi-color corn

one perfect red tomato

shelling peas

radishes

Kirby cucumbers

Kalamata olive bread

an aged goat cheese from Coach farms -- more a firmer brie consistency than a typical chevre. This was an expensive impulse buy at $15, but it was really good!

We made a good dent in the fruit over the weekend, and feasted on radish-and-goat-cheese sandwiches within minutes of coming home from the greenmarket. Tonight I'm planning a salad of corn, black beans, and tomatoes to serve with broiled fish.

[bloviatrix]

Who was selling the apricots? I would love to get some locally grown ones.

[alacarte]

I didn't catch the name of the vendor, I'm sorry...it's ironic b/c I noticed that the vendor had a distinct New England accent so I looked for a sign to note where they were from, and there wasn't one posted.

I can tell you where the vendor was located: It was the first stand at the Park Ave. and 17th Street corner at Union Square -- they were selling mostly peaches, but they had a few boxes of apricots off to the side. I think they are only there on Saturdays, I don't see them during the week.

I hope you find them, they were very good apricots. Get the peaches from another vendor, though.

Edit: I went by this AM, and checked: they are there Wednesdays too. I think the name is Timken Farms, I may be slightly mis-remembering the name though.

Edited July 14, 2004 by alacarte (log)

[mjr_inthegardens]

Saw an article in Brooklyn Courier this week that there is a new greenmarket in Windsor Terrace

PS 10 School Yard

7th Avenue & Prospect Avenue

Running thru November (Saturdays only)

Probably smaller than the Grand Army Plaza one though...

[SethG]

I went to Union Square today, and failed in my two prime objectives. I apparently missed gooseberries by a number of hours. And I asked around for beeswax, and was just a bit too late again. The folks at Susan's Beeswax Candles told me that they had just sold their only block of beeswax to someone who wanted to melt it with grapeseed oil in order to season canele molds. This can only mean that I was bested by a fellow eGulleteer, perhaps even because of my mention upthread of needing beeswax for this very purpose.

So, fair is fair. Fess up, whoever you are, and share your beeswax with me! They said you bought a big block-- you only need a couple ounces, you selfish beeswax hoarder!

Anyway, I bought some squash blossoms, which look lovely. I plan to fry them, even though when I look at them I can hardly believe they're edible.

And I bought two half-pints of black currants, with which I hope to make some kind of jam-- my reserved copy of Mes Confitures awaits me at the NY Public Library.

And I bought some Italian spring onions, with which I hope to make an Italian onion pie, courtesy Carol Field.

[SethG]

The beeswax kingpin remains anonymous.

This morning at the downtown market I bought tomatillos from Mignorelli Farms.

I got gooseberries. Gooseberry/rhubarb jam is comin' later.

White and yellow peaches.

Wax beans and broccoli.

[alacarte]

The string beans, wax beans, and flat beans are looking great lately -- even as the sugar snaps are starting to look a bit weary.

I saw tomatillos at the downtown greenmarket today - hooray!

[Thomas Secor]

Went to the downtown market today and agree that the sugarsnap peas (which I bought in abundance) are looking a bit tired and are getting to a size where they are a bit tough. Based upon my grazing while perusing approach, I would say the string beans are very good, the best I've had this season. Unfortunately, we have had string beans several times in the last few weeks and the recipe I had in hand called for sugar snaps.

Also got some great white and yellow peaches from Conklin orchards. Well the whites are great based on the one I have eaten so far. I am assuming the yellows will be just as good, if a tad less sweet. I plan on using them to make the peach crostata in the Babbo cookbook.

Cherries still abound, as do blueberries. The beefsteak tomatoes were a bit overripe, and many were bruised, but I got several anyway. I figured they are always good for salsa or with mozzarella.

Can I repeat what others have said before? If you are downtown, please patronize the Thursday farmers market near the path station. It would be great if it returned to its former glory.