Who I'm Picking Up at the Farmer's Market

After months of hiding under the constant canopy of greyness, being weighted down by soaking rains and drinking endless cups of hot tea, the market is alive with sunshine happiness. People are flocking like vitamin D starved zombies to the strawberry tables. Children and adults alike have pink dye stained lips and cheeks.

The favas are here! Snap peas with verve and crunch! Green garlic's haughty stems! T shirts show off brave arms and new tattoos, Blue Bottle's unbelievable iced coffee creates a stir, the market is filled with a new crop of pheromones.

I taste every strawberry but even Swanton is still at least two weeks out.

No worries, for our sweet fulfillment we buy the buttery, flaky, cinnamon-sugar caramelized, plump raisin dotted simple knot danish from Pasta Pacifico. Get to the market on time (10 am ) and these $2 pastries are still hot from the ovens of the lazy bakers! These shy little breads are fantastic. Simple but very very buttery like the underside of puff pastry.

This weekend is my calm before the storm. This week Poulet is putting out a number of catering jobs and I am making 300 desserts for the BALT dinner. With my free time I decide to take home a bag of favas, snap peas for snacking, green garlic for a hot saute with the favas, steal away with a pound of Bari dates for supple sticky sweet kisses, Pink Lady apples for sour crunch and Valencias for breakfast.

Who are you taking home?

Comments

[sam]

I'm taking home baby artichokes, favas, giant juicy lemons, fatted calf pancetta and saucisson sec, rocket and cherries.

[roger]

I'll be working the next few weekends so I'll miss the market. But if I could I would bring home arugala flowers, fava beans and leaves, and german mountain spinach. Maybe some fresh churned butter and lots of lunch ideas. Keep us posted. You should also submit a market report to the Farmers Market International Parade hosted by the Cooking Diva and El Amor por La Cocina.

[Kudzu]

Thanks for the warning on the berries. You're right: even the ones I have from a fabled grower looked beautiful, smelled divine -- and had almost no sugar. Had to macerate them to make up for the lack of flavor. Sob.

[maura]

I could have written Kudzu's note. Wednesday's Sac Bee claims one more week. We'll see.

[chronicler]

I purchased the worst ca grown blueberries ever this past week. I only hope they improve. COmpletely flavorless. On the other hand the array of greens and and long beans are incredible. I can't get enough of them.

You had me fooled with the pic of Barhis. I almost could not make them out, then I saw the calyx. Late in the season for them!

[melissa]

sadly, i haven't made it to a farmer's market for quite a while, though i did enjoy a spin through fairway the other day... not the same but still enjoyable. what i am waiting for is the start of our csa (only 5 weeks to go!) - fresh veggies every week and right in my 'hood. though soon the city-wide greenmarkets will start i think, including one in the south bronx where i work. i love this farmer's market the most, even though it lacks some of the variety and fancy fun foods found downtown, because it brings high quality fresh produce to a neighborhood where any fruits and veggies tend to be wilted, bruised, overly chemicalized, canned or otherwise abused.

[beastmomma]

Those sound like fun things to take home. I have to wait to go to the Farmer's Market until my foot heals which will hopefully be sooner rather than later.

[Devon]

The Farmers Market's are open in Portland. The one nearest my house opened last Wednesday and I had it marked with stars in my planner as not to forget. I came home with a basil start, two bunches of Asparagus, one Korabi, and a head of cauliflower. That night I made a wonderful curry with all those vegetables plus some. It was a wonderful meal, Yay summer and farmer markets.

[Tea]

I was at "your" market this weekend, my second Saturday there in a row. Leave it to Berkeley to have a market that starts at 10. Quite civilized, really.

I had favas, peas, green garlic, and apples in my CSA this week, so I picked up artichokes, basil and tomato seedlings, Bariani balsamic vinegar, cilantro, and more peas. Like you I am waiting patiently on the strawberries.

And I'm wondering what pleasure you're going to be making 300 of for BALT.