At The Dupont Farmers Market- February 3rd. 2008
Start them young, I say! With the warmer weather this Sunday, strollers and little market goers were out in force, despite the leaner pickings at the Dupont Farmers Market. Sunnyside Farm was a standout today, and I looked to them to buy my vegetables in lieu of Next Step Farm, which was off this week. Turnips were large and firm at $.89 per pound. Cleverly, the delicious turnip greens were bundled and sold separately at $2.50 for a large bunch. Stay tuned for turnips two ways……
Keswick Creamery had a crowd as they usually do given the generous samples they always have out on their table. I tried a few different types of their feta cheese, which until now, I hadn’t really appreciated. I bought a piece of feta with Herbs De Provence which was creamier than I would have thought and not overly salty as many feta can be.
Carrying over my new found interest in tat soi, I purchased a tat soi filled empanada (and a beef empanada) from Chris’s table-who most of you know as the crab cake guy. I specifically asked what type of crab they used for their crab cakes and was told that the cakes were made with blue crab-I’m not sure where they source it from this time of year but I do know that I’ll give them a try sometime soon. And yes, once again, I was at the table when crab cakes were sizzling in the pans, but none were out to sample (maybe them have dummy cakes that just sit in the pans yet none ever get into the sample cups?). Always a bridesmaid, never a bride when it comes to sampling those crab cakes-and I love crab cakes, rarely passing them over if they appear on a menu.
I also wanted to report on the eggs I bought last week from Water View-you may have noted a small truck near the oyster stall, inside the bank lot (with a very nice grey haired gentleman chatting up his customers). I have scrambled and poached these eggs and am happy to say that they yolks are deep yellow and very tasty. They sell for $4 per dozen as compared to $4.75 at Creekside Farm.
Last, I leave you with a photo of wedding soup I made last night. For those not familiar with wedding soup, it is chicken soup with small meatballs and dark greens, usually escarole, which I found at Sunnyside Farm. A huge gorgeous head for $2.50 (very good price) reminded me that I had homemade chicken stock and a package of ground pork at home. What else to do but make this absolutely delicious and hearty soup which originated in the Italian-American neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, PA and Youngstown, OH. Loosely translated, the name “wedding soup” relates to the fact that meat and dark vegetables marry together very well. The popularity of wedding soup has spread outside of the North East U.S. to many parts of the country. In fact, even Campbell’s Soup sells it.
All I know is that my Aunt Gloria started making what we called escarole soup (wedding soup) for holidays many, many (many) years ago. When we celebrated Christmas or Easter at her home, all the kids slurped this soup- with her amazing tiny meatballs, with great delight. So -forgive me now I have to close-my soup is waiting.
Until the next At The Market, eat local when you can.
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