New Year's Resolutions: Going to the Farmer's Market
I’ve addressed the pantry, where most of the contents can come from a basic grocery store, online, or even a bodega. Next week I’ll pass along tipe to get the most value for your dollar if you’re a meat-eater. First I want to introduce the best way to get fresh, healthy food for the best value: the farmer’s market.
If you resolve to eat better, more locally, or more sustainably, a local farmer’s market is a great way to do it. They’re also undeniably social experiences as conversation is necessary for transactions.
Getting there:
Georgia Organics has a statewide guide. Nationally, you can search for farms, markets and CSA using the USDA tool. It provides information on location and dates, payment accepted (including SNAP and WIC), and products on offer.
Most markets are outdoors, so dress appropriately and bring reusable bags. If you’re buying a lot, a shopping trolley or wagon is a good idea, but be conscious of tight spaces--leave it outside the stall, and pack between purchases. Not all vendors accept cards, and some markets will let you swipe a card at the information booth for tokens you can spend with vendors.
New shoppers should definitely hit up the information booth. They can tell you if all the vendors take cards, what’s on offer that day, and some have incentives for new shoppers.
Shopping: Plan, or Nah?
I tend not to go to markets with a plan. I also tend to buy more food than I can eat and later find a neat recipe that requires extensive supplementation from the grocery store. Maybe don’t be like me in this case.
A plan can be as simple as a list of meals you want to have for the week, or as detailed as a sheaf of recipes. Consider using a notetaking program to avoid juggling paper pen, and food.
If you go with a plan, allow for some flexibility and think of menu items and vegetables in categories rather than absolutes. If you want sauteed spinach, but all you can find is mustard greens, kale or collards, that’s fine. They’ll all cook well. Mustard greens will be most similar in texture, kale will be more neutral in flavor. Applying the same mindset to preparations--like salads, soups or gratins--will give you the necessary flexibility to leave happy with a bag of food, not frustrated and empty-handed.
Do a lap.
Whether you came with a list or not, take a chance to look at all the vendors before you buy. Every farm has a different mix of products and usually there are a few things that a particular farmer grows really well, or can offer better value on. Smile, say hi and wave, but keep walking until you know where you want to buy what. I like to do this with a coffee and a pastry, but that’s true of most activities.
Ask the right questions:
As with so many situations, open-ended questions yield the best information, both from farmers and other shoppers--remember that this tends to be a social atmosphere. What do you do with rutabagas? What’s good for soup? I plan to have a big salad with dinner: what do you recommend?
If an ingredient is unavailable and you don’t know what to substitute for it, avoid the urge to pick something else and ask if it will work instead--people want to say yes to solve a problem. No, those daikon radishes will not roast as well as a rutabaga. But if that’s the question and the farmer is busy, she might say they will.
Don’t forget protein and dairy:
One of my favorite things to buy at the market is cheese. Most of our local cheesemakers specialize in fresh cheeses, which can be very distinctive and great on salads or stirred into beans, grains or stews.
Meat is by far the spendiest item at the market, and another place where open-ended questions are useful. Know how much time you want to spend cooking it, what you plan to cook your meat in or on, and ask the farmer for recommendations like brining, marinating, or seasoning. They can help you make the most of your budget. Do expect your meat to be frozen when you get it, and plan accordingly--market night is not the time to braise a whole pork shoulder and be ready to eat it at 6.
To supplement expensive meat, I love eggs. They're incredibly versatile, and one of the most obvious examples of higher quality from the market.
What market do you go to, and what do you love about it? What’s your best tip, especially for chilly winter months. Let me know in the comments!
