09-27-2008, 07:37 PM | #1 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: out west
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Farmer's market vs. Supermarket
You always hear the people on the food channel talk about fresh ingredients, you read it in all the cookbooks, etc etc.
I have the luck and luxury of a local farmer's market, and I got some red onions and some eggplant (and other stuff) and I gotta say... FARMER'S MARKET PRODUCE KICKS ASS!!!! I make lots of baba ganouj, (eggplant) and it tasted a zillion times better with the locally grown eggplant. It wasn't just me, others who ate it also said it tasted better. The local eggplant had taste, the supermarket eggplants, while I thought they had taste, now taste like Styrofoam. Same with the red onions. I love red onions, but the local ones were so much sweeter. So, I can attest to the fact that, a huge part of making a tasty meal is the freshness of the ingredients. If you have access to a farmer's market, by all means, USE IT. The only downside is, now I am suspect of the food at the supermarket, and I think I'm missing out on flavor in produce I can't get locally grown. |
09-27-2008, 07:44 PM | #2 (permalink) |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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Flavour is all about the ingredients and Farmer's markets offer some of the freshest and tastiest options.
It's one of the frustrating things about living where I do. There is so little that is locally produced. The vast majority of food has to be imported and the quality suffers (unless you are able to afford the best of the best). Everyone should get down to their local farmer's market and support it. You will be astounded at the produce.
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09-27-2008, 07:51 PM | #3 (permalink) | |
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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NYC Greenmarket locations
Quote:
When we travel to other countries, and cities, it is one of the most important things we look for as part of the local culture and flavor. We got to regular supermarkets, but green markets and wet markets are a real flavor of the location you are visiting, giving insight to how the locals live.
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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. |
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09-27-2008, 07:53 PM | #4 (permalink) |
Riding the Ocean Spray
Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa
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Agreed. Fresh local produce is the best, especially when you know it was grown with care and concern for health and wellbeing of the consumers; same for locally grown meats. And the whole process is so good for the local economy, as well as environmental benefits with reduced emissions from transporting foodstuffs half way across the country.
Fortunately, we have a few to choose from within reasonable distance of here...a couple I can walk to. |
09-28-2008, 12:12 AM | #5 (permalink) |
Young Crumudgeon
Location: Canada
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I love the farmer's market here in town. The produce is better and cheaper than anything I've ever gotten at the grocery store.
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09-28-2008, 04:17 PM | #6 (permalink) | |
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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as part of my Food Industry tracker, I got this in my inbox this morning.
Quote:
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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. |
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09-30-2008, 09:58 AM | #7 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: The True North Strong and Free!
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Which market do you go to Martian?
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"It is impossible to obtain a conviction for sodomy from an English jury. Half of them don't believe that it can physically be done, and the other half are doing it." Winston Churchill |
09-30-2008, 10:23 AM | #8 (permalink) |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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I have tried--barring other engagements--to make it to the farmer's market every Saturday this season. I've done pretty well and only missed a couple. What really blows us away are the local heirloom tomatoes. We've been buying at least 2 lbs of heirlooms a week and putting them in salads, in sandwiches, and eating them plain with salt and fresh ground pepper. We typically do the majority of our shopping for produce at the farmer's market; we easily spend at least $20/week there. We live in an area that is really at the forefront of the local food/slow food movement and is also a good agricultural area. At the market, we buy not only produce, but salsa, bread, jam, and honey.
Here you can see some photos of the bounty of our market: Flickr: Market Friends content tagged with corvallis Lucky for us--the bounty doesn't go away come winter, it just relocates; there's an indoor winter market that runs almost all winter and features some of the best apple cider I've ever had. Though the selection at the indoor winter market isn't as bountiful as the outdoor summer market for obvious reasons, we can still get all of our favorite heirloom potatoes (that's right, heirloom potatoes!) and other root veggies, as well as that delicious apple cider and artisanal local sourdough. There is no greater pleasure to me than shopping at a farmer's market. Seriously. As a foodie, it is paradise.
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farmer, market, supermarket |
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