Sticking to the roots

Seattle is full of hills. For a person who prefers walking over any other means of transport but with a lack of stamina, it is challenging to take all the steps from the pier to enter Pike Place Market. Stairs and stairs passing by something which reminds department stores hoping to finally get there. And yes I am lucky, today there are not too many tourists around. It is the right time to take a few photos in an almost calm manner.

I’ve seen the fish and seafood at Pike Place some years back and was not convinced of the market as a whole. But I have to revise my view a bit. Despite all the new trends in turning market halls into food malls, this place has resisted pretty well this temptation. Other well known markets have not been able to do so, e.g. Borough market in London.

The salmon show

Pike Place Market is known for its salmon show: throwing a whole salmon across the stall from sales clerk to sales clerk. As the pound is being sold for 30$ or more, I believe the value is within the range of a nice TV set. I have been told that only a single salmon is being tossed around, as the flesh will get so bruised that it becomes unpalatable, unsalable.

This show is the real circus in this market, smartphones being lifted for taking videos. Everybody waiting to catch the moment when the salmon is in the air (I failed) flying over his mates laying on ice and being caught by blank hands a few meters further. It is one of those things: I don’t like this part of the market but I watch it as well.

The fish mongers are swift in offering anybody the chance to get the fresh or smoked salmon and other fish and seafood shipped across the US, as a whole or in big chunks. Little fortunes being deducted from the credit cards making the vendors and FedEx happy. Great service.

The traders are very generous in providing samples of such great and high value produce. I am wondering how they distinguish between potential buyers and free sample collectors. And the guys look sometimes tired answering all these questions which seem to be the same over and over again. My favorite question on customers – tourists or locals? – is being answered almost robot like: both are buying. I felt sorry for the guy handling me, and yes I did not buy any of the smoked salmon despite the good taste and his very generous sample. Thank you pal.

Beyond salmon

Salmon is at the core of the market, but there is more to discover from the sea, and it is definitely worth a look: halibut, tuna, king crabs, oysters, scallops. All the produce I cannot see in my home area, my eyes are wide open. There is a strong longing for such treasures to end up in my mouth, but pricing and a lack of cooking possibilities stop the desire.

What I overlooked the last time I visited Pike Place Market were the “normal” stalls. At least I recognized that the pasta stall was still there as I remember it 8 years ago. For the daily needs fresh vegetables and fruit were abundant, organic, local or not. Colorful enough and well presented to be tempted. A tasty diet should be the easiest thing possible in Seattle.

Strangely enough I did not see any dairy or butcher. Probably my memories are fading.

Flowers. I saw already lots of flowers at the market next to the Amazon HQ further away. And here again. Seattle people seem to be in love with flower bouquets, something I have not seen at any markets elsewhere. I have no explanation for that. Makes the market even more colorful on grey days.

The crowds

Saturday was hell. That sunny day was full of people, mainly tourists like me. It was not pleasant anymore. Strolling along while being interested in the produce became difficult. My senses were more occupied by not stepping on someone than with the offering and the dealers. Pleasantly enough there was no aggressiveness, something a bit surprising. Nevertheless, Saturday would be off my list the next time, there are other markets in Seattle worthwhile visiting.

Epilogue

In my first post on Pike Place Market, I was quite negative on the market. I still believe it is overrated. I made my peace with the place when I started looking beyond the salmon show and noticed that it is still a good produce market as well. It has also withstood the temptations of becoming another food mall with more or less fancy street food. For this one alone the market deserves my respect.

All in all: Pike Place Market in Seattle is great for discovering the diversity of fish and seafood. As long as the crowds are not there. Then you can enjoy also the other offering.

A little link list:

• The Homepage of Pike Place Market
• Amy Stanton gives a nice introduction to Pike Place Market with some nice photos
• Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
• My earlier post on the market

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The Queen Anne farmers market neighborhood

Seattle is a hilly city. I walked from Lake Union up to the Queen Anne farmers’ market for 45 min and I could feel it, it replaced a workout. It took me through a neighborhood of individual houses all with some patina and character. It seemed that people here were living since quite some time, some with elaborate gardens and a few with veggie growing on the sidewalk. Hybrids and Volvos were to find as well. It didn’t look rich but definitely not poor either. On the main street Trader Joe’s and some post-hipster shops were clearly visible. Somehow a perfect cliché area for a premium farmers’ market.

Feel good

I was overwhelmed by the market: so big, so lively so many great choices. The neighborhood seems to truly embrace this market, it looked like everybody was there to purchase fresh produce for home cooking. They had often big baskets and were wandering from one fresh produce stall to another, checking on what would best fit their desires. Veggies and fruit were in full season: berries, peppers, pumpkin, eggplants, zucchinis, tomatoes, salads, chilies, corn, beets, and so much more. All was nicely presented, making it impossible not to buy anything. Find the “best” producer wasn’t easier either, but it was fun. The vibe was definitely a feel good one.

Goodness

The fresh produce stalls are dominating the market, something I always appreciate. It is the best way to get a feeling for the differences in quality and taste. And it is a great incentive to cook from scratch. Most of the stalls made an effort to explain their way of production, e.g organic, free range etc. to show their customers that they contribute (hopefully) in local or regional sustainability. As we were in full garden season, farmers showed the different varieties of produce like yellow, green and purple looking beans; tomatoes showed different shapes and colors as well. Now: what to chose for which type of recipe? I still have to learn that and the market is the right place to do so, and Queen Anne farmers market delivered the right excitement and motivation.

My two heroes (bacon & cider)

At markets I often have the chance to make discoveries, mostly I just tumble across them without any system or so in my mind. Sometimes it is about a great story, sometimes about a great produce or even both. At Queen Anne farmers market I was again lucky.

I walked by Carl’s Cutting Board a couple times without noticing the stall. One of the challenges of US farmers’ markets is that there are no meat or fish mongers who have a nice display of their produce. Almost everything is frozen and stored in coolers making it hard to appreciate the full range of products. I am not sure what the reason is: lack of power or lack of capital for a decent stall.

After my second or third round of the market I gave it a try and started talking with Carl. He had a good story to tell. He came from Sweden to Seattle to work with Amazon in their headquarters and soon started to take culinary classes in his free time. He liked it and decided to start his own business producing bacon, sausages and more, but no meat cuts. It sounds like one of these urban fairy tales which always amazes me: giving up a corporate life  and starting a craft business out of sheer passion. “When your are doing something you really like, you need less money” was is answer when I asked him why he was giving up a high salary job. His choice of profession was good for me, and I guess for others as well: the smoked bacon I bought had a superb taste, not comparable with the one you get at super markets.

Sampling is one of the easy things to do at a US farmers’ market. And sometimes even sampling of alcoholic beverages. The Finnriver cider stall did it as well. I know cider as a drink which rarely provides a taste beyond a basic one. Here, I had about half a dozen samples and I am now convinced: you can do so much more out of an apple. The ciders had such a broad range of aromas that it was a real pleasure. The variety was truly large: some ciders were more traditional, some more modern, somehow the apple analogy of unusual craft beers. There were oak-aged ciders (I bought that one), botanical ones, … I was deeply impressed how far the cider craft can take us in discovering the world of aromas. And looking at the number of Finnriver fans on Facebook, I am not the only one who thinks that way.

What did I buy?

Being in a hotel restrained my choice, despite a kitchenette. It was blueberry season, I can’t resist. Alvarez organic farms had very nice pickled peppers/chilies with the right heat to it. The oak-aged cider made me very happy, and sad, because I believe I will not find such a good one back in Germany. And yes the bacon did not last very long …

I tried also some street food, salmon on a roll, it couldn’t convince me. Still it looked good like most of the other food.

All in all: Just a great market with excellent produce and a very nice feel good vibe – worth a detour

A little link list:

• The official website of the Queen Anne farmers market
• The Queen Anne farmers market on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram
• The website of Carl the Swedish guy who makes such great charcuterie of course on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well
• The website of the great cider maker Finnriver, on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

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On the way to the hotel in Seattle, I tumbled by accident across a farmers’ market: the South Lake Union Farmers’ Market. So I hurried up to get my luggage into the room, and in a second I was out again. Just a couple blocks and I was at Amazon place where the market takes place. It took me quite a while to realize and asking a few people that the square at its name for a reason: it is the location of the Amazon headquarters. I felt really stupid. But I have to say kudos to such a company which doesn’t put big signs on their offices. So clearly the market was at a hidden prime location.

First: flowers

People from the offices nearby came to the market to have lunch, buy some produce or flowers. I almost had the impression that flowers were THE bestseller at this place. Guys with a dog on a leach in one hand were juggling on the other hand a large bouquet. The flower dealers were all the time busy. I did not understand this longing for flowers.

Lunch in the digital age

As the market operated around lunch, people enjoyed street food: chicken wings, pizza, tamales, kombucha, biscuits, naan and more. For the naan, people were queuing for at least 20 minutes to get their share. Understanding that they were working in the digital world with instant delivery etc. I was impressed how patient they could be to get the hottest plate at the market.

The crowd

Having so many people from Amazon sticking around made me curious. It does not happen every day to me to be in the center of something so significant to the digital world. I wanted to understand if they looked like Millennials, hip, geeky or something different to what I am used to. Well, apart from the many buyers of flowers and a many dog owners, things looked “normal”. Many people looked like they could have been working in any other office building. Most seemed to be Millennials, still some older ones where easy to spot as well. Apart from being quite an international crowd, they all looked rather normal or better: as to be expected from a larger city like Seattle. Anyway, it is always interesting when perceptions meets reality.

What to check out

Let’s not forget: we are at a farmers’ market and have a mission: discovering the good stuff and the people behind it.

It was berry season, so the fruit stands were all offering the beautiful bounty, and I was happy to see so many blueberries. But all the other summer vegetables and fruit were plenty as well: tomatoes in a large variety, peppers, eggplants, strawberries, Mt. Rainier cherries, fresh corn, potatoes … All looked lovely and this is what you expect from a good farmers’ market.

When I browse through a market, there are always a couple stalls getting my special attention, be it the vendor is very communicative and entertaining or the produce is very interesting. And some times, like at the South Lake Union Farmers’ Market it is both. It is about the fish and the saffron stalls.

King Salmon

Wilson Fish Markets belongs to a traditional fisherman, meaning that he is fishing in the near waters around Washington state. Fishing there is strongly regulated, the government issues quota. As far as I remember the quota was less than 100 pieces of King Salmon in a week for Mr. Wilson. The salmon is being caught by line fishing not with nets. Besides salmon, halibut and other fish are being sold. Jania the sister of the fisherman is doing all the work on farmers’ markets. She is not only serving South Lake Union farmers’ market but also other ones including the famous Ballard farmers’ market in Seattle – one which has become also a tourist destination.

One of the down sides of US farmers’ markets in general is the lack of stalls with refrigerated displays, the stuff which has to be kept cold is vacuumed in freezer bags and “hidden” in coolers. But sampling is usually generous. The same here: on visible display was smoked salmon which I tested before buying and enjoying it for a couple days.

One of my favorite subjects in Seattle is the Pike Place Public Market. It is an important tourist destination mainly due to their fish and seafood stalls. It is certainly a place with some good produce, but it is from my perspective overrated and I never feel comfortable there, I somehow have a love-hate relation. I told Jania that I was surprised by the prices there of 30$ or so per pound of salmon. She replied that those are the normal prices any stall can sell King Salmon for in Seattle, outside the city prices decrease significantly. Happy to hear that producers can make a good margin as well.

Saffron produced in Washington State

I still regret that I did not buy any saffron produced in Washington State from the market. It comes in small glasses and can be easily transported in the cabin luggage. And I never heard that it is being produced in North America before I read about it for this post in Wikipedia. At the Cyrus Saffron stall I got a full introduction in German to its production. The whole enterprise belongs to a German-Iranian couple which started the production in the Eastern part of the sate. A nice result of globalization

The German lady told me that they started the business a few years ago and she is still working part-time in another job. The region where they produce the saffron is a fruit growing area as well. As the fruit seasons ends, the saffron one starts, the field workers from Mexico stay a little longer to pull out the threads from the saffron flower (a crocus variety). This is a tedious job as you may see in this video and more detailed in this one from Italy. All is then nicely packaged and labeled and marketing on the web includes an online shop. But having a direct contact with customers on a market is worth a lot. I enjoyed the conversation and got some inspiration. I certainly have a weakness for entrepreneurs who open new frontiers in food. They also contribute in getting younger crowds to the markets.

Marketing research

The farmers’ markets in the US have a notable difference to most other farmers’ markets I am aware of: there is always an information booth with some volunteers or professional market managers. No difference here, but with some marketing research. Five flip charts were ready for customers to pin their stickers like in a multiple choice test. The questions were basic ones: where one is coming from, the reason for visit of the market, the frequency of visits, the willingness to pay. Another one gave space for any suggestions. I really appreciate the efforts to work on the customer experience and good exercise for the interns who conducted the research.

On the suggestion chart the few suggestions were focusing mainly on getting more vendors, something I judged reasonable as meat, milk and cheese were missing.

All in all: An “Amazon prime location”, a good place for lunch and purchase of good produce including local salmon and saffron

A little link list:

• The official website of the South Lake Union farmers’ market which is part of the Pike Place Market group
• A list of the vendors and some information on the operations from “thestranger.com
• The Wilson Fish Markets stall Facebook page
• The website of the amazing entrepreneurs Cyrus Saffron and their Facebook page
• An the website of the guy who was once a security officer at Amazon and is now producing and selling premium sauces + chicken wings

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Some years ago, when I started writing about farmers’ markets, I was looking for like minded bloggers. To my surprise I did not find a lot.

Yes a lot of food or travel bloggers present individual markets, especially on those popular ones like Borough market in London, La Boqueria in Barcelona, Pike Place market in Seattle and the like. One of my favorite posts in this regard is a holistic architectural critique of the very impressive market hall in Rotterdam. And there are many markets out there who conduct a blog on their website.

But those who focus on a broader range of farmers markets from a culinary travel or passionate perspective are very limited. I found only a handful who publish in the English language, my search for German & French ones was without success.

So here are my farmers’ market heroes, really only a handful. They all have different backgrounds and motivations and they all gave me a rich diversity of inspirations for a long time.

And a little disclaimer to avoid confusion about the term “farmers’ market”. I have not found a good single term which can express the different types of markets which deal primarily with food, e.g. market halls, outdoor markets, indoor markets, weekly market, daily market etc. So the term farmers’ market helps to distinguish all those categories from let’s say stock markets.

Marjorie R. Williams – Focus on France

I will always be grateful to Marjorie because she educated me to become a better blogger. She once approached me for an interview and her questions made me think in a more systematic way on why I love markets so much. It helped me to write in a bit more personal way and hopefully in a better English.

Marjorie is from Massachusetts in the US but has a passion for markets in France, especially the Provence area and Paris. Her market blog is coming from a travel perspective and helps you to find and discover new spots to be experienced during your – culinary – vacation time.

She is for me the Paris market “authority” par excellence and made the big effort to create a very extensive listing of all the Paris markets – including craft and antique ones.There is no way that I would travel there without having consulted her blog.

She makes her living from travel writing and teaching.

Her links:

• Website: Majorie R. Williams
• Books: Markets of Paris (already 2nd edition) & Markets of Provence
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest

Joan Lambert Bailey of Japanfarmersmarkets.com

Joan from the US has been working once as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan and I was a European Volunteer in Benin, West Africa, this is our connection beyond farmers’ markets. She is now living in Japan, focusing on food, its sustainable production and Japanese farmers’ markets  – all with a sense of community. And this can be felt in all her blog posts and Instagram pictures, it all revolves around great produce as a base for good food.

Especially in the Tokyo area she has visited many farmers’ markets held conversations and highlighted unique produce. Unfortunately I have never traveled to Japan despite having a great respect for its cuisine. Here Joan helps me to get a glimpse on the Japanese food & farmers’ market culture, which is different to the one in Germany where I live. Good to see this diversity on our planet.

Her links:

• Blog: Japan Farmers Markets
• Her writing website (business)
• Facebook
• Twitter: @JoanLBailey
• Instagram

Chiara Ugolini – Markets of Rome

Chiara is the market authority for Rome, Italy. No doubt about this one. I looks almost like she has talked to every single market vendor in Rome, really! This passion for the markets and their main actors can be felt in each post. It gives the markets a very human face and shows to every visitor that listening to vendors gives lots of lasting memories, maybe more lasting than those taken through the camera.

Chiara also gives guided tours on the markets in Rome. One day I will make it as well to listen to the stories of the markets and their people – and not forgetting to get a bite as well.

Beyond that she is a great net worker, if there will ever be an international club of farmers market bloggers, she will create it I guess

Her links:

• Blog Markets of Rome
• Facebook
• Twitter: @ugolinic
• Instagram
• Youtube
• AirbnB
• Mail

Karen Seiger – Markets of New York

Karen lives and runs in New York. Her blog is a comprehensive guide to the markets in this city, the purpose is to be a “resource for people who aspire to a higher quality of life and a sustainable lifestyle by supporting local businesses and buying directly from the people who make and grow the things we all need and want”. She goes to great length to list all the events which makes the markets even more attractive.

Her links:

• Website: Markets of New York
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Mail

Robyn Eckhardt – Eating Asia

I got to know Robyn via social media a long time ago. She has a passion for the Turkish cuisine, something I share since I lived there once for a few months. She published a more than well researched book on this subject.

Coming from the US, she is often living In Malaysia and/or Italy, but travels quite frequently with her photographing partner David Hagerman to do research for her books. Her blog is not purely focused on farmers’ markets in various countries (Turkey, south east Asia and beyond) but she provided me with lots of inspiration, also for taking pictures.

Unfortunately it has been a bit quiet on her blog lately, still I am hoping for better times.

Her links:

• Blog: Eating Asia
• Her book Istanbul & beyond
• Facebook
• Twitter: @EatingAsia
• Instagram: IstanbulAndBeyond
• Mail

Askan Schmeisser – Food & Farmers’ Markets

Well, thats me from Germany. And the only male on this list. I observe this as rather typical for food related blogs except for those on BBQ and its equipment. I was raised with good food, worked for sometime in agriculture and have therefore a strong respect for farmers. Years after “everybody” had created a blog I wanted to start one as well. There was not much left to fill in, but farmers’ markets was a subject close to my heart and kind of an empty field to my surprise. German is my native language, but I decided to write in English as many of the people I know do not speak German.

As I have the chance to travel a bit, I appreciate the variety of markets which I hope makes my blog quite diverse. And one day I will reach the level of my colleagues on this list

Beyond my main blog, I also run with a friend a website on the markets of Bonn, Germany where I live. My latest project is the Bonn foodie calendar. For a living I work in telecoms.

My links:

• Main Blog: Food & Farmers Markets – well you are reading it right now
• My other websites: on the markets in Bonn and the foodie calendar
• Twitter: @askans
• Facebook
• Instagram: askans_
• Pinterest
• Mastodon: @askans@bonn.social
• Mail

Other inspirational blogs on farmers’ markets

There are still other bloggers I appreciate a lot and who inspire me as well:

Food Perestroika of Florian Pinel, a French guy living In New York. He covers the cuisine of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and at times farmers’ markets in a remarkably high level.

Traditonal Markets by Sara Gonzalez of the UK is more academic and activist when it come to the preservation of markets as important public places.

This Little Piggy by Megan Allan of South Africa  shows that they there is also a lively scene in this country, not only in the Cape area.

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Heading back from a visit of Soulard market in St. Louis, Missouri, we came across Kirkwood farmers’ market. This little market was founded in 1976 and serves the community. It consists of a permanent structure.

Approaching the market from the small parking lot, we were greeted by a friendly sculpture: an iron farmer painted in green.

The variety of products is quite large despite the size. All the standard produces were available. Melon were in season as well as tomatoes, corn, etc. and my favourite: potatoes. Pretty much basic and Mid-Western.

A few unusual things to me were the elk & bison meat in the freezer. I have never seen them were I live. The bison summer sausage we tried had a smooth and nicely spiced taste – worth a purchase.

To get an overview over the market does not cost a lot of time. Being there for the first time one feeling persists: it reminds rather of an outdoor supermarket than of a farmers’ market. Probably one needs to be a local and develop some kind of relationship with vendors to fully appreciate its beauty.

All in all: reminds rather of an outdoor supermarket, bison sausage was nice.

A little link list:

• Official market website from the city of Kirkwood
• A post with nice pictures from Carrie Nenonen
• A nice post of the Kirkwood Public Library with a list of books related to farmers’ markets
• A short selection of farmers markets in St. Louis
• An interactive map of farmers’ markets in St. Louis area from the St. Louis Dispatch

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Some time ago I blogged on Soulard Market in St. Louis, Missouri and I knew it would not be the last time. And so I re-visited it after a few years.

Soulard Market is still impressive to me. It has a very nice, quite original choice of products, catering for needs of all types of communities. The meat comes from all kinds of animals, incl. frogs, the vegetables appear in all their shapes and colours, there is nuts I have not seen elsewhere like whole black walnuts, which are really hard to crack, there is a great spice shop, of course there are also cheeses, even raw milk ones, and seafood is available (sea is quite far). But there is also funny popcorn, donuts etc. Not everything is regional, but everything is interesting and mostly of good quality.

And the crowd visiting the market seems to be as the market itself: rather unpretentious, not flashy, and with very diverse backgrounds, kind of little melting pot. Often people are coming with trolleys to carry their purchases, as it seems to be affordable for everyone unlike on some farmers markets.

Apparently a lot of vendors remain the same as the market has not changed much over the years. It has resisted any potential gentrification as described e.g. for Boston. Yes I missed the vendor of the hot sauces. The Goose Poop (a relish) stand was new to me and showed clearly attempts to create an own brand, rather unusual for this market. There was a new food stand as well, probably the one & only which might be close to be called hipster. They sold nice spring rolls, wraps and alike, ginger salad and more (how does that fit with Dr. Pepper, guys?). But otherwise? …

There seemed to be no substantial change. Is this good? Well, people seem to like it, the flow of visitors never stopped despite the hot humid summer. It is also nice to see some things become a tradition, having own roots and may be called something like home. Despite the lack of change, I have not observed complacency.

I am really curious about the times to come and how new generations of visitors and vendors will shape the market or how the master plan of the city of St. Louis will be put into action (or has it already been put into action?).

All in all: Soulard Market remains one of my favorite ones for its wide diversity in products and visitors, for its down to earth approach, and maybe for the stubbornness to remain as it is.

A little link list

• The official website – kind of …
• The one of the Historic Soulard Market Merchants Association Official Website soulardmarketstl.com
• On facebook
• On Twitter
• Soulard market on the St. Louis city site
• Master plan of the city of St. Louis concerning the market
• An interesting perspective on the development of the Boston Public Market and its impact on gentrification – from untappedcities.com
• A nice video presenting the market from Phil Stephenson

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A fire destroyed the Eastern Market of Washington DC in 2007, but today nothing can be noticed. And the market hall still has a nice old fashioned charm. Outside there is an open market for stands on Tuesday afternoons and weekends. This outdoor market has just a nice roof structure and the trucks of the producers drive up to their stalls. When I visited the market the outdoor stands were just being set up. And I guess it was the first time that I saw Amish vendors.

The structure inside is simple. Fans do the cooling of the two rows for the vendors and the one aisle in the middle large enough to stroll around comfortably. Most of the stands seem to sell meat and sausages and the choices are very large. I found the loose home made sausage very appealing. It is even possible to see the artisan sausage production live at the stands. And it is nice to find also all kinds of bones with marrow, pig feet, etc.

But of course there are also baking goods, cheese (incl. French ones), artisan butter, fresh fish, vegetables, fruit etc., all the produce for basic needs. And there is also a place to get breakfast or lunch which is being appreciated by tourists as well as business folks.

The owners of the stands do not necessarily operate them, still the market hall definitely has an artisan appearance. And to a certain degree there are adaptations to modern taste: nice colorful pasta, cut fruit in cups to go etc.

All in all: Nice ambiance, serves all the basic needs with a large selection of meats and sausages. Pleasant place to have lunch.

A little link list:

• The official website
• On Wikipedia
• On facebook
• Nice blog post from inmediasrecipe.com with lots of pictures from the outdoor market, …
• … and here another good one from beyondmyfrontdoor.com
• On tripadvisor with many reviews
• Many reviews as well on Yelp

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It was a rainy day. A pity for the very very touristy but still very pleasant town of Provincetown. The whole town reminds me of a possible American equivalent of a European medieval one like Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which could have been invented for tourists, just far more liberal.

By accident we tumbled upon the farmers market which stretched along the road next to the beautiful Town Hall. There were probably not more than a dozen stands and despite the rain with quite a few buyers.

Vegetables and fruits were dominant, but meat (beef, pork, lamb & chicken) out of Vermont was also available from a friendly vendor. As a highlight there was a guy who demonstrated spinning of threads, kind of Gandhi like style, but more comfortable on a chair. The guy selling mushrooms was either sold out or did not want to show too much of his produce.

I like a lot the one veggie stand which display its merchandise on a shelf were the shelves themselves were made of wood in a shape of barrels cut in half (the picture shows what I really mean).

It was rainy, so we left a bit faster than necessary.

All in all:  Fairly small farmers’ market, nothing wrong about it.

A little link list:

• Listing of location, vendors & products – not sure if up to date from farmfresh.org
• Nice blog post from serious eats

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On the Dewey square in the middle of the city of Boston and next to the Boston South Station is one of their public markets which is indeed a farmers’ market. Quite a clever location, even though the many people seem to be in the rush to go somewhere. And there are a lot of tall office buildings around the market giving almost the feeling of being in a valley. So there is people coming during the day, placing their orders and picking it up after work is finished.

And the market has a lot to offer for daily consumption: fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, milk products, bakery goods of all kinds, pasta, mushrooms etc. and a mobile coffee stand. The latter one is very important to me. To my surprise there is also a stand representing the organization of the Boston Public Market (BPM) with a person informing the public as well as replacing vendors when they go for lunch or so.

One particular farmer impressed me: Carl Hills who grows more than 50 varieties of tomatoes!! He did not have all of them on the stand, but quite a nice selection. I am wondering how he is managing his farm with such a diversity. According to him, he learned that over time as he is not new in the business. And the tomatoes tasted really good.

The bread from the Swissbäkers stand did not impress that much, but it was still good. The selection of Fromage Blanc – French for curd – was nice. Unfortunately I could not taste the pasta sauce from the mushroom stand, if it as good as the mushrooms on display, then it is worth being bought. By the way pasta, there was also a stand dedicated to that produce in all kinds of shapes and colors, a nice temptation.

Despite the not so big size of the market for a city like Boston, it spreads a nice ambiance in the surroundings of business and office towers full of busy people. Walking by the stands during a lunch break seems to be like a little vacation for eyes and brain before the stress starts again. And in the evening you pick up your purchases to prepare a simple but tasty meal at home for a smile on your face and a happy stomach. Or so.

All in all: A very pleasant market in a busy environment with some good quality produce to be discovered

A little link list:

• Official website with all the ongoing developments
• Website of the impressive tomato farm
• An interesting perspective on the development of the Boston Public Market and its impact on gentrification – from untappedcities.com
• A listing of the other Boston farmers markets

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The weather was not so nice, still the farmers’ market in Orleans (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) was busy. Busy in the sense that there was some nice live music and all visitors seemed to be part of a family or of the same vibe. The more than 2 dozen were placed almost like an open corral, the 2 musicians in the center were underlining this.

Since the weather was not so friendly, it was good to have a stand with organic & probably fair trade coffee. This drink is a fair proxy for the rest of the market: focused on organic food, not only vegetarian, almost giving the feeling of a modern version of a flower power meeting – with clean air, instead of the smell of the “good old days”.

In contrast to public markets in general or European markets, the stands did not display their produce in a lush way, there was always a little bit of this and a little bit of that. This almost gave the impression that the producers just had a hobby, which certainly was not the case after having talked to some.

In terms of products all the basics were available: vegetables of all kinds, beef & poultry meat stored in coolers, jelly (e.g. peach bourbon), bakery goods, and so on. One stand also had purslane, something which is rather uncommon. The vendor gave some good tips on how to use it – sautéed in butter and or in small pieces on salads. Sounds good. Surprising was a stand with nice vegetable juices like cucumber mixed with some other nice flavors. Unfortunately the quart (?) was about 12$, so I did not try it. Now I am regretting it as I do not know if it was worth it or not.

Hopefully the live music is always as nice at it was that day, then a visit will always be a pleasant experience.

All in all: A pleasant market with the basics a farmers’ market should offer and some modern flower power feeling, but not on the cheap

A little link list:

• The official website of the Orleans farmers’ market
• A little blog post from Seasonal Chef

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