Farmers Market

By Wendy Chan

Spring is finally here, and soon the farm stalls will sprout in green markets everywhere including one right on the block where I now live. [It is part of the reason why I chose to live here!] My anticipation of the abundance of fresh produce is making me eagerly search through my recipe files. Just thinking about delicious heirloom tomatoes, super sweet white corn on the ear, glorious finger potatoes, flavorful Swiss chard and gorgeous summer peaches makes me hungry. I can’t wait to touch and smell these farm-fresh ingredients which regularly inspire me what to cook for dinner.
 

Whether you are simply into quality ingredients that actually taste infinitely better, an environmental activist, or a health-conscious person choosing organically and bio-dynamically cultivated foods, farmers markets are becoming a common destination. It is no longer the alternative market catering to the elitist few who have the means and the knowledge to shop for and prepare gourmet meals with expensive micro greens harvested hours ago. Many farm programs now even accept food stamps, and many “shares” are priced on a sliding scale corresponding to household income level!

It is ironic that growing up in Hong Kong, I resisted going to the “wet” (fresh) market as the smell of exposed meat and seafood was a turn-off and the wet floor killed my pretty shoes! Back then, it was chic to pick up imported European gourmet brands from coolers and freezers, vegetables in plastic bags and perfect looking fruits in stacked boxes from large supermarkets in tony neighborhoods. Now, the pendulum is swinging back the other way, making us re- appreciate the appeal of simple, unadulterated, fresh, tasty produce in the most rustic form. Sniffing out the coolest unfamiliar ingredients and learning how to use them becomes my greatest food adventure. Bringing home some grass-fed lamb and free range chicken is fantastic. Since I can’t grow my own just yet, I absolutely love the Asian vegetables debuting in many markets – baby bok choy, tatsoi, napa cabbage and podded soy beans. So no matter where I go, I try to search for a local green market, from Santa Monica, CA (bike valet available – how cool) to real farms such as Gigi Farm in Red Hook, NY (with a winery to boot). I still hit the Blue Hill Cafe at Stone Barns up in the bucolic Hudson Valley whenever the weather is conducive, where cheerful free-spirited chickens DO roam and sometimes cross the street and happy sheep graze the meadow shepherded by an adorable sheep dog. There are even bunnies in hutches with a “do not disturb” sign and programs for children to collect fresh-laid eggs.

Checking out the fish vendor at Union Square on Fridays is something I look forward to, because the catch of the day sometimes includes amazing fish roes in sacks, baby octopi, skate wings – things I can rarely find from standard markets. Frequently, I run into my chef friends who love to buy fresh herbs and produce for their restaurants too.

I can’t wait to purchase my first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) “share”, which provides me with my weekly allotment of organic produce from a nearby pick-up center. You don’t know what you’ll get each time, as it’s always the best seasonal pick determined by the grower. That surprise element can actually be seductive, like a tasting menu at a fine dining restaurant. How exciting it is to pull out the contents from your goodie bag straight from Mother Nature!

To check if there is a program close to you visit http://www.localharvest.org . And if you live in New York, you may visit www.justfood.org to find out more information on the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that connects farmers to food lovers like me!