Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, May 19, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Compared to our West Coast brethren, the fresh picks in the Midwest still look slim. Sure, we have the odd morel (expensive!) and asparagus a-plenty, but compared to the West Coast’s plethora of spring greens and fava beans and the East Coast's odd eggs, we’re still waiting for something to get really excited about.
And that’s when you can find an open market. In Columbus, Ohio many of the markets I relied on last year haven’t even opened yet (most open next week, I’ve heard). Of the ones that are, I had the most luck at the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market at the North Market. Even though half of the market was filled with potted plants and loads of flowers, I was able to pick up a few gems and create a truly wonderful lunch.
Wishwell Farms in Bellefontaine, Ohio had an assortment of hydroponic tomatoes, but the real find was the massive and very beautiful asparagus for $4.99 a pound. That’s a steal. They were still extremely tender, and roasted up beautifully in the oven when I got home.
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Posted by Jen Maiser, May 13, 2008 at 11:15 AM
One of the joys of spring in San Francisco is the many types of greens that are available. In addition to regular greens like spinach, arugula, and romaine, the farmers' market is a terrific place to find greens that are not quite so common.
As much as I love spring peas, I am horribly selective about them. I taste pea after pea and then eventually settle on a few pounds per season that I deem sweet enough without the telltale starch that proves it was not picked that morning.
Luckily, pea greens are available from several local farmers, and they satisfy that sweet pea flavor in the form of a green that can be eaten raw or sautéed. My dinner tonight will be consisting of roasted chicken with a side of pea greens sautéed with green garlic, peanut oil and soy sauce.
Another green that is becoming more common in our market is fava greens, which can be treated much in the same way. Walking through the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market this weekend, I also spied beet greens and even radish greens, which make a delicious spicy pesto.
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Posted by Jen Maiser, May 1, 2008 at 2:15 PM
"Spring is so fleeting."
I thought this to myself this weekend as I came back from the San Rafael Farmers' Market. I live in San Francisco, so let's be honest: it's not like I just survived through a long, hard winter. Not as long and hard as some of you have. Through the shortest days, we still have lettuces and citrus, year-round markets, and quite a variety of fruits and vegetables. But even the heartiest locavores among us get a little weary of butternut squash and stored apples and canned tomatoes.
Enter spring.
The first signs of spring came about a month ago with the grand entrance of Delta asparagus from the Sacramento area. And now, we are in the midst of spring abundance complete with fava beans, artichokes, spring lettuces and strawberries. There is something about springtime to me that is extra special.
While we see the arrival of some crops that will stick around for many months—strawberries, for instance—many last just mere weeks. Spring is a series of short bursts of flavor. Miss a couple of weeks at the market, and entire crops will have passed you by.
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Posted by Raphael, April 30, 2008 at 5:45 PM
From the Union Square Greenmarket: ramps, radishes, and asparagus. Photo by Gordon Mark.
Some people think crocuses herald spring's arrival. Serious eaters in New York City wait for the arrival of ramps, radishes and asparagus at the Union Square Greenmarket to acknowledge that spring is really here. Happy Spring, Serious Eaters.
