My photos here.
We hadn't been to the farmer's market in a few weeks, but I really wanted to go this morning -- the seasons are changing, and it's always a remarkable time to go -- some foods ending their season, and new treats beginning their season. The wonderful abundance of summer is about to be exchanged for the hardier, earthy riches of the autumn.
As we walk up to the market, the first noticeable sense is the smell of peppers being roasted. The farmer who roasts them turns them in a large basket (like what they choose bingo numbers from), turning them over a fire. The smell permeates the market, and announces that autumn has arrived.
We head straight for breakfast -- a Salmon BLT for Jason, and a crab cake with salad greens for me. Sustained and happy, we began to check out the booths.
First stop is at the egg booth for a dozen fresh brown eggs. The eggs are so fresh that the farmer suggests I leave them out of the fridge for a couple of days so that I can hard boil them effectively.
Quick stop at one of my favorite booths for a half pound of small green figs. The farmer says that we are bidding farewell to figs this week. They are still wonderfully sweet, but don't provide the in-your-face drunkenly sweet flavor of just 3 weeks ago. I was happy to purchase them, however -- figs have been my favorite fruit of the summer, and I am not quite ready for them to be gone for the season.
Tomatoes are in abundance, and can be found all over the market. I stop at Eatwell Farms to pick up some for the week. Eatwell typically has 10-20 different varieties of organic tomatoes, so it's always a dilemma to decide what to choose. I decide based on what I am going to do with them -- cook, salads, eat straight from the bowl. Today, we get a basket of sun-gold cherry tomatoes and some small purple calabash tomatoes. The sun-golds are like eating a bowl of fruit. The flavor is incredibly sweet. I love the calabash for their color and the contrast inside the tomato. They taste great, and add an interesting look to a salad or other dish.
Nigel, the Eatwell farmer, calls his tomato crop a "tomato wonderland". I have watched in the past couple years as he has experimented with different tomato varieties. This year, he invited some people to the farm to vote on their favorite tomatoes, and will continue to cultivate the "winners" throughout the years, and will phase out the "losers".
Eatwell also had lemon verbena this week, tall and weedy. We purchase a bunch for teas, and mostly just to walk around with and smell. If you have never seen this herb, it is wonderfully pungent and lemony - I use in teas and baths.
Inside the market, there are several permanent stores. This is a new location for the farmer's market, so the stores are opening one-by-one over several months. This week, Ciao Bella gelato has opened their store. We try several flavors -- Blood Orange, Pluot, and Scharfenberger Chocolate. All are divine -- this is going to be a regular stop. We pick up some bread from Acme bread -- still warm from the oven. While stopping at a booth that sells organic bananas, the vendor asks us about how the bread is, and Jason proceeds to hand out samplings for those who want to try.
By this time, I lose Jason to food coma. He sits down and waits for me while devouring his gelato. I run around for a few additional items: arugula, large and spicy ; spinach ; and pimientos de padron -- a tiny chile that is sweet enough to be pan fried with some salt and eaten straight, preferably with a cold beer.
Arms full and happy, we head home. I can't wait to go back next week.
My photos here.
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