I've been thinking about writing posts about my trips to the Farmers' Market for quite a while. I really love my weekly outing to my local farmers' market; I've always loved going to farmers' markets, ever since I was a kid. Some of my fondest memories of growing up in Sacramento are of going to the farmers' market. My parents didn't shop there on a regular basis--and with exception of the 10-15 minute drive and the horrendous parking/traffic issues--I always enjoyed checking out all the great produce, freshly baked goodies, and gorgeous flowers.
And now that I live by my own farmers' market--one that is a lot closer (quite literally around the corner) and allows me to sleep in a bit--I look forward to visiting it every Saturday. I even have favorite booths and vendors that I visit every week. I particularly enjoy strolling through the outdoor market (before it gets too crowded), surveying the goods, and checking out the seasonal produce; making note of unusual or new varieties (heirloom or otherwise) makes me very happy, as does witnessing the change in season and finding a great deal.
I try to limit my spending, but most of the time I part with a little more money than I had intended. But I tell myself that the freshly baked loaf of rosemary bread or some delicious samosas for breakfast or the first strawberries of the season are worth it...and they always are. These past two trips to the farmers' market have made considerable dents in my pocketbook--especially last week. I came home with what felt like the whole market, which is to be expected considering the fact that my work schedule deprived me of any trips to the farmers' market for six weeks. Here's what I got:
An eggplant, a loaf of batard, some san marzano tomatoes (for pomodoro sauce), a bunch of broccolini, a variety of heirloom tomatoes, basil, thyme, cayenne peppers (just because), fingerling tomatoes, and samosas (not pictured).I've also been photographically documenting my spoils; partly because the produce is so darn beautiful and partly for this exact purpose. The only problem is that I haven't been nearly as diligent about blogging as I would like. So here are some shots from some from my past strips and most recent visit:
June 2010
Purple dragon carrots, tomatoes, peaches (first of the season), basil, and broccolini.
July 3, 2010
Lemon cucumbers (something new),
carrots and celery (for making chicken broth), green beans, peaches, tomatoes, and cherries!Which brings us to the present...
September 11, 2010
A whole flat of san marzano tomatoes from Happy Boy Farms (one of my favorites). For tomato sauce, of course.
More heirloom tomatoes, basil,
curly kale, and two heirloom carrot varieties...
...just pulled from the earth.
I'm so looking forward to making dinner this week!
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