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The Absolute Best Of Union Square Green Market

This has probably been discussed before but I'm fairly new and need your help. Please, in your opinion, what are the Absolute Best items at Union Square. Please be sure to include goat cheese.

Please note: I do not like mushrooms. And no baked goods - I prefer to do that myself.

18 Comments:

What are you looking for? Red meat, eggs, poultry, vegetables, fruits, honey, flowers, herbs? It also depends on whether or not you go on weekdays or weekends.

Here is a very helpful Chowhound thread about people's favorites:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549751

Kathryn: Yes. Except for flowers. And I will go whenever.

Kind of a silly question, as the quality of produce will vary immensely from one week to another, even at the same stands, for a whole host of reasons. You have to go and check things out, feel, smell, taste the products and buy what looks best at that moment.

Spring through fall is the best time to go. The market is really small on Mondays, so I skip it. And I find Saturdays entirely too crowded. So I typically go Wednesdays and Fridays, in the morning. If you get there after 10 or so, you'll find that some vendors have already sold out of items.

Most of my money goes to Honey Hollow, Ronnybrook, Andrew's Local Honey, Windfall Farms, Berried Treasures, Mountain Sweet Berry, Terhune, Yuno's Farm, Eckerton Hill, and Keith's, but I don't often buy poultry/meat/eggs.

Oh, and in the fall, Buzzard Crest Vineyards! They stick around until Thanksgiving, and they have the best Conchord grapes ever. Like, if you looked up grapes in the dictionary, the example would be Buzzard Crest Vineyards grapes!

If you can get to the market on Saturdays around 8, it's not crowded - and Saturday is by far the best in terms of selection. My favorites include Lynnhaven goat cheese, Terhune peaches and cherries, Yuno's greens and eggs, Northshire Farms eggs, Keith's lettuce, garlic, and herbs, Millport Dairy cheeses, Our Daily Bread (much better than Bread Alone, to my taste), Hawthorne Valley yogurt, Evolutionary Organics greens. And seconded on Buzzard Crest - their grapes are phenomenal!

Simon, how is it a silly question? You mean to tell me that you don't have favorites vendors at the market? You can't name a vendor who consistently has great produce or goods? Interesting. But thanks for your time.

Thanks guys. I see a couple of things I already buy: Yuno's eggs (suggested previously buy someone here), Hawthorne Valley yogurt- I originally found it at Whole Foods. I also buy Milk Thistle's milk. I saw Keith's booth today and hadn't seen garlic like that before(forgive me, I'm still learning), I will definitely grab some next time.

I always used to get at least one heirloom tomato. i'd find the most unique colored one and that would be the choice for the day. some fresh garlic is always great and any of the bread vendors always have something worth getting.

Gorzynski Ornery Farm has incredibly unusual, interesting, and delicious produce, and uses super environmentally friendly growing techniques. Those 2 women from New Jersey with the cheese stand have unbelievable sheep milk ricotta. And, of course, Milk Thistle is amazing.

I posted something about my visit to Union Square here ... i particuarly like the jellies, Rosemary/Garlic being a huge favorite...

Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking

@QueenAlli - I'm referring to seasonal produce, so it's silly for the reasons I stated: the same vendors can have inconsistent offerings based on the particularities of their location. One week one vendor may have the nicest x, y or z, the next they may be less appealing than someone else's. That's all. You have to shop around.

Thanks for the link Madelyn. I'm laughing at what looks like a picture of Obama in some greens.

bread alone has wonderful whole grain breads. my current favorite is the harvest 9 grain. i also love the eggs at flying pigs farm, the norland potatoes {pink on the inside!} and shallots at paffenroth gardens, and anything that franca at berried treasures grows, particularly her raspberries, tristar strawberries, and sungold tomatoes.

I agree, quality and selection varies. My attack plan for the Union Square greenmarket is to start on the south end. I browse and look at the pricing and see which stands are the busiest. I listen to what the customers are commenting on and asking, and try the samples that some stands put out. Once I get to the north end, I have a pretty good idea who has the best price and best looking produce. I hate the weekend crowds at the market, but Saturday morning really is the best time to go because there are more vendors.

There are, however, some really good vendors that don't come to Union Square on Saturdays like Honey Hollow, Berried Treasures, and some of the seafood folks.

berried treasures comes to the greenmarket on columbus avenue on sundays.

Maxwells Farm on M has great produce at great prices. Kernan Farms from NJ on W has also has great produce, check out the whole basil plants. Fabulous Farms on W, F and S has great plants, including great little cacti and succulents.

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