"Farmers' markets are great gathering places - and healthy, like an open-air pub without booze. Hurray for those who create that morning friendliness where you enjoy the freshest of fruits and vegetables, the fragrance of morning coffee and warm muffins, and exchange recipes!" - Liz Carpenter
Well, I've been encouraging people to eat seasonally, shop locally, for quite some time now, but until this past Saturday, I don't think I've ever managed to prepare an entire meal using only items raised or grown within 150 miles of here. I'm so proud of myself, I can hardly stand it!
A few weeks back, while I was in Dallas on business, John and Austin (the son) came to Wimberley to do some male bonding. They drove over to Austin (the city) one day, and while there, just happened across the Austin Farmer's Market. Since I had been so excited by the little tiny "growers only" markets that were popping up in Houston and Wimberley, they knew I would go bonkers over the one in Austin. It too was growers only, with the stipulation that they had to be located within 150 miles of Austin, and it had at least five times as many vendors as those others. With so much to choose from, I knew I could at last reach my initial goal of preparing an entire meal seasonally and locally (eventually, I hope, an entire week of meals?). The guys were correct in their prediction of bonkerness.
We had loaded a cooler into the back of my Mini that morning (yes, I couldn't resist, despite the deer issue - it's just so damn CUTE!) , and headed to downtown Austin. The first thing that impressed me was the amount of free parking available. Despite the fact that there was a triathlon going on in that area, we had no trouble at all finding a great parking spot in the four-story garage directly across the street (FREE parking!). Since it was already hotter than blazes out, we were going to be very grateful to come back to a nice, cool car when we were all done (a triathlon, in Texas, in July? What morons!).
The second thing that impressed me was not just the number of vendors, but also the number of shoppers. As I strolled around and eavesdropped on conversations, it became obvious that this market was supported by a strong contingent of people who did serious shopping here on a regular basis, and not just a few who came occasionally on a lark. I was also impressed by their willingness to share their knowledge with us novices. For instance, at one booth I came across elephant garlic, which I had never used before. I asked the grower how the flavor compared to traditional garlic, and he said it was both milder and sweeter. Then others who were shopping the booth started giving me ideas on how to use it. Since I just love tossing big chunks of fresh veggies with some garlic cloves, a drizzle of good olive oil, and a few grinds of kosher salt and fresh pepper, then spreading them out on a baking pan and roasting them at 400 degrees until they start getting charred patches, I decided to try this new garlic out with the zucchini and new potatoes we had picked out at another booth.
The thing that impressed me the most though, was just the fact that you actually could do some serious shopping here. There was such a wide variety of merchandise that you probably could plan a weeks worth of meals from what was available. We decided to grill some bison steaks for our entree. It tastes exactly like beef, but is much leaner (be careful not to overcook it), and is higher in Omega-3s than salmon. Then we picked up some ciabatta bread from Texas French Bakery and a little tub of roasted red pepper-almond pesto to spread on it. The final touch was a small packet of chocolates from Kakawa, an award-winning local chocolatier who was featured in Saveur magazine. We christened our almost complete home-renovation by eating in our newly-enclosed dining area out on the porch. The only blip in the whole adventure was that I wasn't paying attention when John opened a bottle of wine to go with our dinner. Here we are, surrounded by vineyards, and he chose a non-Texas wine! Still, when all was said and done, I had to say "It just doesn't get any better than this!" (Yes, I know, I say that all the time - but this time I really mean it)
Well, I've been encouraging people to eat seasonally, shop locally, for quite some time now, but until this past Saturday, I don't think I've ever managed to prepare an entire meal using only items raised or grown within 150 miles of here. I'm so proud of myself, I can hardly stand it!
A few weeks back, while I was in Dallas on business, John and Austin (the son) came to Wimberley to do some male bonding. They drove over to Austin (the city) one day, and while there, just happened across the Austin Farmer's Market. Since I had been so excited by the little tiny "growers only" markets that were popping up in Houston and Wimberley, they knew I would go bonkers over the one in Austin. It too was growers only, with the stipulation that they had to be located within 150 miles of Austin, and it had at least five times as many vendors as those others. With so much to choose from, I knew I could at last reach my initial goal of preparing an entire meal seasonally and locally (eventually, I hope, an entire week of meals?). The guys were correct in their prediction of bonkerness.
We had loaded a cooler into the back of my Mini that morning (yes, I couldn't resist, despite the deer issue - it's just so damn CUTE!) , and headed to downtown Austin. The first thing that impressed me was the amount of free parking available. Despite the fact that there was a triathlon going on in that area, we had no trouble at all finding a great parking spot in the four-story garage directly across the street (FREE parking!). Since it was already hotter than blazes out, we were going to be very grateful to come back to a nice, cool car when we were all done (a triathlon, in Texas, in July? What morons!).
The second thing that impressed me was not just the number of vendors, but also the number of shoppers. As I strolled around and eavesdropped on conversations, it became obvious that this market was supported by a strong contingent of people who did serious shopping here on a regular basis, and not just a few who came occasionally on a lark. I was also impressed by their willingness to share their knowledge with us novices. For instance, at one booth I came across elephant garlic, which I had never used before. I asked the grower how the flavor compared to traditional garlic, and he said it was both milder and sweeter. Then others who were shopping the booth started giving me ideas on how to use it. Since I just love tossing big chunks of fresh veggies with some garlic cloves, a drizzle of good olive oil, and a few grinds of kosher salt and fresh pepper, then spreading them out on a baking pan and roasting them at 400 degrees until they start getting charred patches, I decided to try this new garlic out with the zucchini and new potatoes we had picked out at another booth.
The thing that impressed me the most though, was just the fact that you actually could do some serious shopping here. There was such a wide variety of merchandise that you probably could plan a weeks worth of meals from what was available. We decided to grill some bison steaks for our entree. It tastes exactly like beef, but is much leaner (be careful not to overcook it), and is higher in Omega-3s than salmon. Then we picked up some ciabatta bread from Texas French Bakery and a little tub of roasted red pepper-almond pesto to spread on it. The final touch was a small packet of chocolates from Kakawa, an award-winning local chocolatier who was featured in Saveur magazine. We christened our almost complete home-renovation by eating in our newly-enclosed dining area out on the porch. The only blip in the whole adventure was that I wasn't paying attention when John opened a bottle of wine to go with our dinner. Here we are, surrounded by vineyards, and he chose a non-Texas wine! Still, when all was said and done, I had to say "It just doesn't get any better than this!" (Yes, I know, I say that all the time - but this time I really mean it)
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