One of the first things I do when I go on vacation is find the local Farmer’s Market. I love seeing what the locals buy and spotting new items from area farms, bits of the earth still clinging to the roots.
Walking past the colors and shapes, I can’t help myself… I have to pick up piece after piece. Holding it in my hand, feeling it’s heft. Bringing it to my face, I smell everything from berries to beets; peppers to herbs. I am enthralled. The beauty of food hasn’t been lost on me, I have yet to become jaded and for this I am grateful.
Every market is a different experience, each offering something unique and sometimes things I have never seen or tasted before. That is when I really get excited, when I stumble upon something completely unfamiliar. I begin to imagine all of the possibilities… That’s the fun in experimenting with something unfamiliar; there is nothing to compare it to, so you can’t possibly go wrong!
Here’s where I think some people tend to take a “wrong turn” so to speak… Fear of failure. Or, less than perfect. The people that know me are probably about to roll their eyes at me right now, because I have a teensy bit of an issue with being a perfectionist. Hey, I’m working on it.
Don’t be afraid to buy something that you are unfamiliar with; stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow and learn. Yes, sometimes it’s a bit uncomfortable and perhaps a little painful at times but in the end, it’s usually worth it. Experiment a little and see where it takes you…
You may end up creating something magnificent.
This is my best advice when going to a Green Market: go in with a rough idea of what you’d like.
If you are shopping for dinner that night or the next night, peruse the different stands and see what looks good, then plan your dinner. If you go in with a menu that is “set in stone”, you may miss out on something really amazing. That’s usually the way life seems to work out…
Union Square Green Market, Manhattan
La Boqueria, Barcelona
Prospect Park Green Market, Brooklyn
Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market, San Francisco
Support your local Farmers and Green Markets! Fall produce is amazing right now, be fearless in the kitchen! Buy something you’ve never worked with before and get cooking! I look forward to hearing about your culinary adventures…