Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market - 20th St. & Massachusetts Avenue NW

[Waitman]

I'm more excited than ever to go to Dupont Market now. I'm thinking I'll shave my head, get some ink, start drinking lager early on, put on an Arsenal jersey and become a market hooligan. My advice: don't get between me and my Cherokee Purples. The Dupont Market: finally a crowd I'm tougher than.

[Heather]

I'm more excited than ever to go to Dupont Market now. I'm thinking I'll shave my head, get some ink, start drinking lager early on, put on an Arsenal jersey and become a market hooligan. My advice: don't get between me and my Cherokee Purples. The Dupont Market: finally a crowd I'm tougher than.

"Become" a market hooligan? Methinks you've already achieved it, albeit in Brooks Brothers and Tevas.

I do wish Takoma had a dairy vendor. Dairy and eggs are what keep me coming back to Dupont on Sundays.

The yarn ladies (the name always escapes me...) deserve a public thank-you for being so nice to my daughter. They treat her like a grown-up, and she feels perfectly comfortable shopping at their stand on her own. I suspect they give her a little discount too but can't prove it.

[Mrs. B]

I just consumed one of the adorable miniature watermelons that Sunnyside had last week. Very juicy and sweet. The flesh was not in the least bit mushy. The seeds were annoying not so much because of the number but because they were very small and did not make a satisfying sound upon being spat into the sink .

[dcaCRL]

Does anyone know if the powers that be have ever considered opening Dupont for a second day? The Union Square Greenmarket in NY is open four days a week. I know DC doesn't have NY's population density, but it seems many of the the DC markets have really exploded in popularity in the last couple years. Surely Dupont could sustain a second day each week, at least during the summer months. I'd love to see it open on a weekday, but that's purely selfish as my office is just a few blocks away.

For now, I'll just make sure my toddler wears his Man U jersey when we go to Dupont.

[mdt]

Does anyone know if the powers that be have ever considered opening Dupont for a second day? The Union Square Greenmarket in NY is open four days a week. I know DC doesn't have NY's population density, but it seems many of the the DC markets have really exploded in popularity in the last couple years. Surely Dupont could sustain a second day each week, at least during the summer months. I'd love to see it open on a weekday, but that's purely selfish as my office is just a few blocks away.

For now, I'll just make sure my toddler wears his Man U jersey when we go to Dupont.

Might be difficult as many of the vendors are at different locations on other days.

[Anna Blume]

Heads up for those with peanuts:

July 27: GREEN Kids is at market. Ris Lacoste is grilling mini pizzas (thanks to Dupont Grille's loan of a grill!!) and making salad. Lots of kid-friendly activities including butter and ice cream making, build-a-bug, treasure hunt and prizes! Green Kids is a program of Les Dames d'Escoffier. Washington Youth Garden is also at market, selling freshly made lemonade!

Activities this Sunday from 10 till noon. If you've a child in tow, the bug-making project is especially fun.

[zoramargolis]

"live blogging" with each other at the market this morning were: mdt working at the Eco-Friendly stand, crescentfresh working at Blue Ridge Dairy, and early-bird shoppers Heather, Waitman, and moi with Veggie-teen doing sherpa duty. So much good stuff in early August--ripe peppers starting to appear; beautiful tomatoes everywhere; 2-pound poussins at Eco-Friendly; a seconds box of peaches and nectarines for 50 cents a pound at Toigo--great for eating during the next day or two... it was good to be back.

[Heather]

It was great to see Zora up and around.

The peaches are excellent this year, I picked up five pounds for jam, some nectarines and a baby watermelon from the Toigo stand. We finally tried a goat cheese tart from the folks at the stand next to Next Step, and it was was very disappointing. The crust was very soggy even with careful reheating, and the filling was grainy with unbalanced seasoning. Next time I will buy some goat cheese and make my own. Their aracauna eggs are outstanding, however, and I look forward to a tomato & gruyere quiche tomorrow.

Growing my own tomatoes and herbs is drastically reducing my market costs. That's a good thing.

[Hannah]

Growing my own tomatoes and herbs is drastically reducing my market costs. That's a good thing.

Your local fauna must be smaller and less larcenous; they've taken out my entire crop of Early Girls. So far they haven't touched the San Marzanos, probably because they're taller, but I may have to pick those early if I'm going to get any tomatoes at all this year.

[edenman]

Breakfast of yogurt from the yogurt/marscapone guy and blackberries from the one of the north-side veggie places, followed by frittata with eggs from the "come back and see me" egg guy, cherry tomatoes from toigo, sweet italian sausage from cedarbrook, spinach from the lettuce folks.

Very expensive, but great.

[Anna Blume]

Golden raspberries

Israeli melon

Peaches yellow and white

Plums, mostly purple & red, though a few yellow

Thyme (Farm @ Sunnyside sells small amounts for $1.50 which is just perfect)

Basil

Softshell crabs

Rope sausage (from Cedarbrook, too. Only ingredients: pork, salt, pepper & brown sugar)

French fillet beans (haricot verts)

Nicola & purple wax potato w yellow flesh

Corn

Middle Eastern cucumber

Sweet onions

Okra (Buster's--the crab folk--every so often will bring a few little boxes of this or that. They were charging the general public 50 cents.)

Lavender tea cake (tiny loaf)

Miniature baguette

Purple Cherokee, Nebraska Wedding, Green Zebra, Rose & Pineapple Heirloom Tomatoes

N.B. Yellow bell peppers were at Next Step Produce. Does anyone remember who had broccoli? New Morning had Thai basil.

After speaking w Zora early during the market, I ran into Veggie-teen as it closed. Since the animal is food in many parts of the world and the medium is favored in professional kitchens, I will add a note of admiration for the adorable octopus designed by her father that is now tattooed on one arm.

[Anna Blume]

This week's haul:

Bacon

Lard (PM if you'd like to share since there's a ton)

Crabcake

White peaches (Reason for lard--making an open-faced pie the way Martha intended, sort of, only w lard)

Red raspberries

Blackberries

Santa Rosa plums

Figs

Cantaloupe (Not for the faint of heart or wounded toes)

Mango peaches (Very pretty and how terribly cool. Mango-colored and texture, I've been told.)

Mira corn

Tomatillos

Roma beans (Flat)

Brandywine tomatoes

Big thing of cherry tomatoes: purple, sungold, pale yellow and red

Roma tomatoes

Epazote (Fresh!!!)

Garlic

Sources: Eco-Friendly; Cedarbrook; Chris @ Marketplace; 4-7 @ Quaker Valley; Next Step (small, but truly good!!!); Anchor Nursery; 10-11 @ Toigo (the corn was amazing at dunch); Next Step (check out the sweet potato greens); Sunnyside (love these! Jim, the farmer from West VA is mentor to Eli Cook of Spring Valley Farm who also sells Roma beans, though not today); Tree & Leaf (restraint--only two, but huge); Farm @ Sunnyside (carrying on the tradition of previous farm on their land--so, so pretty!); Next Step Produce; Endless Summer and finally, New Morning.

Big news for me was the epazote since I've been trying to find this Mexican flavoring as a fresh plant--weed, really--for ages!!! Biggest regret was triumphantly holding up the bag to two Mexican guys who asked how much it was. I pointed them in the direction of Endless Summer (one of the yellow tents in the street) when I should have just opened the bag and given them some as an incentive to tell their friends and come back. If any of you are like me and love this stinky stuff in your pot of black beans, please drop by since it's sorely in need of other fans.

FYI: Cinda of Gardener's Gourmet had sorrel again. First time I've seen it for years since it was plowed over once by accident.

Only noticed one of you all at market today, hustling, red-faced. Whither?

[Heather]

Only noticed one of you all at market today, hustling, red-faced. Whither?

Here & there. I skipped the market this morning in order to sleep in, and am regretting it because we are out of peaches.

[hillvalley]

Only noticed one of you all at market today, hustling, red-faced. Whither?

You missed blb and baby blb. They stopped by Farm at Sunnyside as their last stop.

By far the best thing I saw at market all day long was baby blb trying a cherry tomato-a sungold. The look on his face as he bit down, thought about it, spit out the skin to give to his mommy and then let the flesh run out of his mouth as only a little one can was priceless. Many thanks to blb for the entertainment!

[zoramargolis]

I missed the Dupont market today, but went to a cute little farmers market yesterday evening in Saxapahaw, NC, near Chapel Hill, which had a truck selling bbq pulled pork sandwiches and a shady hillside where people sat and picnic'd while an acoustic swing band played a free concert on a bandstand. http://www.rivermillvillage.com/satinsax.html

I bought some sungold tomatoes and cukes, a baguette and a bloomy rind cheese for Veggie-teen's dorm-room refrigerator. A dozen eggs as a hostess gift for the friend who was putting us up. And some Cherokee Purples and ambrosia melons for myself. I didn't have a good enough cooler for the car, or I would have bought some heirloom pork.

I saw the epazote last week, but I didn't buy any. It's really only good for beans, and there was much more than I'd need for one pot of beans in one bag, so the rest would go to waste (it's just not that good dried.) And the bag was $5, pretty expensive. Maybe if I could split a bag with someone next week...

[giant shrimp]

the market is getting expensive these days, isn't it? tomatoes are now $4 a pound and i found only a dime or so difference in pricing among the many farmers. also, no tomatoes by the bushel this year, which was a significant savings.

[mame11]

the market is getting expensive these days, isn't it? tomatoes are now $4 a pound and i found only a dime or so difference in pricing among the many farmers. also, no tomatoes by the bushel this year, which was a significant savings.

I noticed it one weekend when I went to the Falls Church market on Saturday. As I wasn't coming straight home, I did not really do my shopping at that market so the next day I headed to the Dupont market. I have been back only once or twice since because the prices were so significantly different.

[bookluvingbabe]

You missed blb and baby blb. They stopped by Farm at Sunnyside as their last stop.

By far the best thing I saw at market all day long was baby blb trying a cherry tomato-a sungold. The look on his face as he bit down, thought about it, spit out the skin to give to his mommy and then let the flesh run out of his mouth as only a little one can was priceless. Many thanks to blb for the entertainment!

Thanks! It was wonderful to get to the market and Baby boy had a wonderful time at the market. He wasn't going to be satisfied until he tried everything--even if he is anti-raw tomato at the moment! (For lunch he had pasta with tomato sauce and cheese--so who knows???) His new favorite word is more and everything but the tomato was "more, more, more."

Things I learned--I have to bring Mr. BLB so I can ditch the stroller. It's just too much of a zoo at Dupont these days. (And really, I can get almost everything I want at Penn Quarter and Takoma... but I miss the Dupont ritual from my single days...)

BLBaby is a total flirt. He batted those green eyes at Hillvalley and conned a huge chunk of apple out of Emily at Black Rock Orchard.

This will have to sustain us for a while--we're off on vacation shortly!

Jennifer

[hillvalley]

the market is getting expensive these days, isn't it? tomatoes are now $4 a pound and i found only a dime or so difference in pricing among the many farmers. also, no tomatoes by the bushel this year, which was a significant savings.

If you want to buy a large amount of tomatoes, like a box full, I know that the Farm at Sunnyside will sell them at a discount. I imagine other farms will as well if you ask. PM me if you want contact info. for the market manager at Sunnyside.

[giant shrimp]

If you want to buy a large amount of tomatoes, like a box full, I know that the Farm at Sunnyside will sell them at a discount. I imagine other farms will as well if you ask. PM me if you want contact info. for the market manager at Sunnyside.

thanks for the information.

also, now that i remember, the planck farm stand (i know exactly the spot it's in but can never remember its name -- across from heinz), runs good deals on small containers of tomatoes. the competition can be stiff, but their tomatoes are probably the best at the market, as well as their cucumbers. last week they had a small pale yellow variety. their prices overall, however, run high. (they were selling tuberoses, which they don't usually, for $10 a bundle of five; at wollam gardens, while they lasted, for the same price you bought six.)

[synaesthesia]

I assume it was Buster's that I went to - the stand with the soft shell crabs. Today they had steamed crabs for $1 each. These were the juiciest crabs I've had in a long time. They looked a little sketchy there, but for $1 each it's a fantastic deal. If requested, it can be sprinkled with some Old Bay in small quantities, which is nice so you can savor more of the flavor with just a touch of spice.

[goodeats]

Things I learned--I have to bring Mr. BLB so I can ditch the stroller. It's just too much of a zoo at Dupont these days.

A reminder to those with peanuts to not go between 9:30 and at least 10:30am. Had to bring the stroller today and it was like 1 lane traffic on the Bay Bridge during peak-beach season. Not to mention those *trying* really hard to squeeze by the stroller, between opposite traffic and then giving me dirty looks when they trip on my stroller trying to squeeze through the non-existent space in the first place. It was supposed to be an enjoyable experience, but I certainly left feeling more stressed than I really wanted. Otherwise, the peaches were really good, had some wonderful looking string beans (?) from Spring Valley Farm and DS enjoyed great tasting gala apples.

[Anna Blume]

also, now that i remember, the planck farm stand (i know exactly the spot it's in but can never remember its name -- across from heinz)

Tree & Leaf Footnote: Waitman in his other guise wrote a great photo-essay about the young farmers over at egullet. Now of celeb status having been featured in The Washingtonian and the local evening news.

A reminder to those with peanuts to not go between 9:30 and at least 10:30am...and DS enjoyed great tasting gala apples.

Generally speaking, 10:30 is the time when there seems to be the largest crowd there; I was one of them today. Brought home small, sweet, seedless green grapes and three different colors of raspberries (Quaker Valley) and a tiny piece of boneless goat leg (Eco-Friendly). Also new (to me): lemon verbena for iced tea and Burgess tomatoes from Farm at Sunnyside. The latter are kind of hollow, bred to be stuffed.

Can't bring myself to buy apples when there are so many berries, melons and stone fruits around. However, the Santa Rosas are gone and I was startled to see Italian prune plums at Toigo. Fall is standing on the front porch, just about to ring the bell.

[hillvalley]

Also new (to me): lemon verbena for iced tea and Burgess tomatoes from Farm at Sunnyside. The latter are kind of hollow, bred to be stuffed.

I don't think there was any this week but usually they also sell stevia which works as a great natural sweetener for lemon verbena tea.

Fall is standing on the front porch, just about to ring the bell.

No! Say it 'aint so!

[youngfood]

and a tiny piece of boneless goat leg (Eco-Friendly).

Have you checked the sell by date? We bought two and realized after we got home that both had 8/21 dates. Delicious nonetheless, but I couldn't help but be somewhat disappointed.

[Anna Blume]

Have you checked the sell by date? We bought two and realized after we got home that both had 8/21 dates. Delicious nonetheless, but I couldn't help but be somewhat disappointed.

For the record, the sell by dates are for 2009 on Eco-Friendly's meats. The date is a way for you to know what day the animal you ate became meat: Thursday, August 21, 2008. Then the cuts were frozen. (How do I know? Made the same assumption first time I tried Bev's meat and stated my concern.)

P.S. The small green seedless grapes from Quaker Valley are absolutely incredible!!!! Sweet and flavorful, perfect for convention-watching. If you're lucky enough to live near a market where Freddie & Winn sell them...

[youngfood]

For the record, the sell by dates are for 2009 on Eco-Friendly's meats. The date is a way for you to know what day the animal you ate became meat: Thursday, August 21, 2008. Then the cuts were frozen. (How do I know? Made the same assumption first time I tried Bev's meat and stated my concern.)

Fascinating and much more fitting with what I've come to expect from them. Great news and what a great resource this board is. Thanks, Anna!

[Anna Blume]

Anyone headed for Dupont Circle tomorrow morning who can loan me 4 juniper berries? Or trade for cardamom pods?

[Heather]

Anyone headed for Dupont Circle tomorrow morning who can loan me 4 juniper berries? Or trade for cardamom pods?

I'll bring you some. I should be there for opening bell as per usual.

[Anna Blume]

I'll bring you some. I should be there for opening bell as per usual.

Lest this seem like the stuff one should confine to PM's, I would like not only to thank Heather for her kindness but say this is one of the great advantages of belonging to the DR community. We might consider similar arrangements in the future.

BTW, I passed on the favor by sharing a recipe for oven-roasted figs w 2 young cooks and handing them more than enough brilliant green cardamom pods ($7 a jar at WFM) to incorporate into their dessert.

[goldenticket]

Lest this seem like the stuff one should confine to PM's, I would like not only to thank Heather for her kindness but say this is one of the great advantages of belonging to the DR community. We might consider similar arrangements in the future.

BTW, I passed on the favor by sharing a recipe for oven-roasted figs w 2 young cooks and handing them more than enough brilliant green cardamom pods ($7 a jar at WFM) to incorporate into their dessert.

Would you mind sharing that recipe here?

Also, for those who live near a My Organic Market (MOM's), you can find cardamom pods in their bulk section - at what I'm sure is a much cheaper price than by the jar.

[Anna Blume]

Would you mind sharing that recipe here?

Not at all .

Determined to make at least one purchase at every food-selling stall at the market, this Sunday I picked up some goat yogurt for the first time from Highland Dairy, the small, tent-less producer who sets up next to Heinz's watermelons (Next-Step Produce) in the parking lot. Other purchases:

Brown eggs from Waterview (this time, from chickens)

Blackberries

2 small Israeli melons

Red, seedless grapes (all from Quaker Valley)

Yellow peaches from Toigo

Long, tapered, sweet red peppers

Huge basket of yellow plum tomatoes (both fr Next Step)

Lavender Asian eggplants

Purple Cherokee and Lemon Boy tomatoes (Tree & Leaf)

Yellow onions

Garlic

Green zebra tomatoes

Baby head of Romaine (all from New Morning)

Ground lamb (VA Lamb)

[Anna Blume]

So proud of myself: didn't buy a single tomato after last week's excess.

While the miserable mugginess meant more manageable mobs, there were quite a few of us there: Heather sporting a ring of miniature skulls on her wrist, Waitman, mdt, Crescentfresh, hillvalley, zoramargolis and ALB w Antonio Burrell behind the table during the Chef at Market event where headcheese (courtesy of Eco-Friendly pigs) starred.

Home again, jiggity-jig with:

Toigo's corn

Twin Spring's peaches

Spring Valley's birdsegg shelling beans (so pretty stripped of their pods)

The same farm's large Middle Eastern cucumbers

From Quaker Valley: golden raspberries (again!), Canary melon & 2 kinds of green grapes

Just before the final bell, snatched one of Sunnyside's watermelons

Sourdough loaf from Atwater

Buffalo-style mozzarella from Blue Ridge (creamy & spectacularly delicious, but very loose--curdy in center)

Crabcake from Chris for lunch

Arugula and handful of frissée from Gardner's Gourmet

Red raspberries, yellow onions & Jade green beans from New Morning

Consumed at market: pain au chocolat from Bonaparte and Yellow Peach Bourbon gelato from Dolcezza

[Heather]

The skulls are similar to these.

I didn't buy much on Sunday, having spent most of my veggie cash at Mt. Pleasant on Sat., but did manage to bring home some beautiful tomatoes from Sunnyside and replenish my supply of Eco-Friendly breakfast sausage.

[Anna Blume]

On last day of summer, glorious:

Cantaloupe

Nectarines

Blackberries

Red raspberries

Concord grapes

Bartlett pears

Apples: one Asian-pear & two Honey Crisp

3 plain, ordinary red tomatoes

Skinny little green beans

Spinach (1/4 bag)

Arugula (1/4 bag)

Celery root

Leeks

Cardoons

Potatoes

Red onions

Yellow onions

Garlic

Buttercup squash

1/2 dozen eggs

Bits of bacon ends (2 packs from Cibola)

Plans include soup w cardoons; Spanish tortilla w sofrito

[monavano]

It was wonderful to return to the Dupont Market after spending my summer at the NoVa markets. Just in time for the Paella Fest too! Lucky for all of us, including Tucker, who after one bite of chicken, begged for more!

Melanie from Keswick Creamery said that she is looking into getting chick for eggs. Hopefully, by Novemeber she may have some. I bought Everona's Stony Man cheese. What a treat!.

[Anna Blume]

A couple of years ago, a former pastry chef decided to participate in a week's worth of blogging over at eGullet, detailing her decision to feed her family of three (including husband and small child) local food for a week, making exceptions for a small number of ingredients that North Carolina did not produce. Olive oil, for example. Flour.

While volunteering at Dupont Circle on a regular basis, I was completely oblivious to the growing trend and intrigued by references to the kind of thinking that seems commonplace now that the word "locavore" has entered our vocabulary.

Today marks the first time this year when I didn't have to go to Dupont Circle and didn't compensate by visiting a different farmer's market on Saturday, or break down and travel to the market anyway.

Woke up with a start at 3:30 this morning and took a while to appreciate the fact that I could actually go back to sleep. Ate the last sliver of a very ripe cantaloupe from Toigo before heading out to buy one of the few copies of the NYT available in my neck of the woods.

Made do with Tropicano Orange-Tangerine juice on sale. Lox trimmings. Neufchatel. Onion bagels. Strong coffee. All the windows cranked open, two thick papers and the luxury of an entire day of freedom...

I have become so indoctrinated at this point that I wonder what I am going to do to tide myself over until Thursday. Still got a pear and an apple. Couple of bell peppers, some French fillets and cooked shell beans. Haven't done the Spanish tortilla yet and there's a tomato for sofrito. Emily's pluots. Heinz's potatoes. Thick sauce of mushrooms, onions, rosemary, creme fraiche and wine next to a tiresome soup of puréed cardoons, celery root and leeks.

Yet, the prospect of not catching up with all the farmers, of going without their berries, pears, chard and apples...

(Thanks for the report, Mona!)

[Waitman]

Cooked an odd-looking recipe from "Young man and the Sea" by Dave Pasternack (of Esca) because I'd noticed that Quaker Valley has been selling some excellent grapes this fall: Skate Wing with Grapes and Cherry Tomatoes (and mint). One of combos that you figure treads that fine line between clever and stupid and which, in this case, made me look quite clever indeed. Plus, you can cook the whole recipe in about five minutes, blistering the tomatoes and the grapes and then tossing in whatever else I've forgotten about and then holding it warm while the fish fries.

I recommend giving it a shot while the tomatoes are still available.

Recipe upon request.

[Heather]

We got piglet heads! I got one and so did Waitman. Roasted tête de cochon with greens for dinner tonight!

We are definitely moving into winter veg - lots of turnips, squash and bitter greens. I did get two pints of sungold tomatoes from New Morning - not perfect, but probably the last of the year. Bought a dozen eggs from the new egg vendor, and will see how they stack up next to the beautiful blue-green eggs from the goat cheese guy. A loaf of sourdough, russian kale & some "Bartleby" pears rounded out the morning. I could go on, but I would prefer not to. ( Charles)

[Anna Blume]

We got piglet heads! I got one and so did Waitman. Roasted tête de cochon with greens for dinner tonight!

Read your menu in the Dinner thread and wanna know what you thought of the meal. Anything particular about suckling pork (cheeks) you care to share?

[Heather]

Read your menu in the Dinner thread and wanna know what you thought of the meal. Anything particular about suckling pork (cheeks) you care to share?

Yes. They are very tiny! The head made great broth that we are using for a pot of beans.

[Anna Blume]

Heads up , quince fans!

Okay, Zora.

Toigo's offerings in this department were disappointing last year. Wait to you see this year's, man!

I picked up some spectacular, fragment specimens at Penn Quarter. Boy, did the air sing when I got home tonight. See if they're there on Sunday.

[Anna Blume]

Sunchokes at Next-Step Produce next Sunday if the weather holds out at the farm today and tomorrow. That's the only time Heinz has to dig them up this week since leeks will take all of Wednesday. Otherwise, the Sunday after.

Surprisingly, he also had his amazing, fresh gingerroot still. Beautiful type of rapini that was mostly big, delicate green leaf w little (if any) sign of the florets. A few weeks ago, my favorite Nicola potatoes at his stand were replaced by a waxy red-skinned potato (Peruvian?) that is creamy white and mottled pink within, a pattern, unlike that of Borlotti beans, it retains when sliced and roasted. Not sure it will be back again, but grab if you see them. Persimmons. Cardoons and plump, stout, garnet red sweet potatoes.

Tree & Leaf had little tiny heads of cauliflowers yesterday that cried out for blanching, leaves intact, then roasting individually. (Sunnyside Organic had a few, too.) My best find there, though, were Savoy cabbages, lovely for soups and stuffing.

Chanterelles, porcini/cepes, honey mushrooms. Oysters galore. Lamb shanks (I bought a pair of fore to make Scotch broth).

Clear Spring Creamery was selling hot chocolate w tiny marshmallows and there was hot cider available, too, on a day that moved from frigid (requiring cloths over delicate lettuces and greens during set-up) to sunny and warm enough to take off jackets provided you were wearing polka-dotted, silk long johns.

The chill after the first frost actually makes kale taste better (according to lore); in any case, two bunches of Tuscan kale braised last week w garlic, bacon, broth and red chili flakes quickly transformed a wretched cold into a mere nuisance, so I'm buying into the belief kale cures.

Speaking of Sunnyside Organic, their kabocha squash are wonderful for soup (consult Zora's post).

The other Sunnyside Farm (smoking farmers at opposite, far end of the same street) had a limited supply of parsnips that were snatched quickly by Thanksgiving shoppers.

* * *

Heads up for next week, December 30: Odessa Piper should be demonstrating how to cut up a whole chicken and talking about what to do with it afterwards (11 AM).

Up front at the Market Information table, there will also be calendars for sale to benefit Women Chefs & Restaurateurs. (Thumbing through the glossy photos, Bev of Eco-Friendly was disappointed there wasn't more bare shoulder, but, hey.)

[Anna Blume]

Odessa Piper's rain-check chef demonstration: Dinner from the Winter Market, 11 AM

Planned: pork w lentils and root vegetables

What I love about Odessa is that she really teaches--this is not just a PR appearance--w incredible spirit and enthusiasm. She has a gift for inspiring new and well-seasoned home cooks to use local, seasonal foods in simple and often novel ways. Should be a great lesson.

Go to Farm at Sunnyside for their organic black beans. (I bought two extra bags after making soup this week. I can't believe how much better freshly dried beans are and now plan to shell out for Rancho Gordo's stuff once the time comes.) Great kale and Asian apple pears.

No more persimmons, cardoons, gingerroot or kiwi fruit at Next Step Produce. However, there are sunchokes, fabulous sunchokes and this season's fennel is delicious, too.

[Anna Blume]

Anyone got a lead on waterproof pants?

[Anna Blume]

Reminder for early birds: winter market opens at 10:00 AM starting January 4, 2009.

Closing at 1 PM, as always.

You'll find most of your favorite farmers, animal-husbandry specialists, bakers, et al.

During the colder months ahead, Next Step Produce and Tree & Leaf--two organic farms who set up across from one another in the parking lot--will alternate the weeks they come to market, with Heinz one week, then Zach & Katharine the next.

Farm at Sunnyside, the other organic farm set up on the northern, far side of the street, will be there every week as will Sunnyside Farm (aka the smoking farmers or perfect parsnip pair) at the opposite side of the street. Spring Valley returns. Endless Summer, too. Black Rock Orchard. Twin Springs. Quaker Valley, so lots of hearty greens, winter squash, lettuces, cabbages, potatoes, apples and pears. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Toigo will not be there this Sunday, but will return shortly. Meanwhile, Eco-Friendly and Virginia Lamb, missing last Sunday, should be back with their chicken feet, pork blade steaks, lamb chops and tagines. There will be eggs, chicken and perhaps, duck. Sunflower flax loaves from Atwater et des croissants. Piedmont cheese, chevre and marinated feta. Mozzarella. Honey. Ramp mustard, mushrooms, crab cakes, and more.

The only folk on extended winter breaks: Anchor Nursery (giant cauliflower heads gone home w ET), Clear Spring Creamery (cows aren't producing much in the way of milk), Country Pleasures, Dolcezza, Gardeners Gourmet (Cinda's browning some place tropical), Harmony Creek (busy making inaugural soap), New Morning Farm (find them on Saturdays at Sheridan School), Jefferson's Four-Seasons, Arbec Orchids & Wollam.

[hillvalley]

Alice Waters was at market this morning and is as gracious in person as you would hope her to be. She stopped at a number of stands during her tour and talked shop with Emily and Michael who work on the Farm at Sunnyside. (I'm sure she talked shop elsewhere but I was only privy to this conversation.) Ms. Waters also cleaned them out of their turnips and a lot of lettuce.

Ms. Waters and Joan Nathan were taken around Dupont by our favorite Fresh Farm worker, who did an amazing job of not acting as excited as she must have been.

[Mark Slater]

I went last week. The winter market is pretty sparse.

[zoramargolis]

It was quite a dazzling celebrity chef scene around the information desk this morning. I arrived early to make sure I could get a parking space, and there were pre-packed boxes stacked up waiting for pickup, marked Peacock, Andrés, Nathan, Bastianich. Alice Waters showed up just at opening time, and was surrounded by well-wishers and people from the press. She chatted with Odessa Piper, Ris Lacoste, and Joan Nathan and Scott Peacock, who showed up in person despite having ordered their produce in advance (there may have been others I didn't recognize--everyone was bundled up). Bruce from Eco-Friendly told me that Alice Waters had been looking for fresh chickens from them, apparently unaware that farmers are unable to raise pasture-fed chickens in this climate. All of Eco-Friendly's chickens currently available for sale are frozen. Not sure what she ultimately decided on as the protein for her dinner, but it won't be anything from Eco-Friendly--interesting given her relationship with Michael Pollan, and his connection with Bev Eggleston. It won't be fresh pork or beef, which Eco-Friendly could have provided.

Ris Lacoste won't be cooking one of the fund-raiser dinners--she has a party of her own to go to, but she told Waitman, Mrs. B, MeMc and me that she is hosting Scott Peacock in her home kitchen for prep, and that she and Odessa Piper will be prepping with him this afternoon. They'd already rendered fresh lard and will be making biscuit dough today. Peacock was seen with a large box of collards at the W.VA. Sunnyside Farm stand.

Melissa McCart has volunteered to be a server at Lydia Bastianich's dinner, which is in a private home, as are most of the other celebrity chef meals. According to our MeMc, there is a party afterward where all of the chefs will gather to hang out. Wouldn't THAT be a cool party to crash?

[Anna Blume]

I went last week. The winter market is pretty sparse.

Humbling, isn't it, for a city dweller? Makes one appreciate the seasons, terroir beyond the vineyard...

Fortunato Nicotra was actually quite impressed by what we have at this time of year in this more southern region, compared to the stuff from Upper New York State at Union Square in NYC. Inspired by what he and his employer discovered to make impromptu additions to the menu: risotto with erba stella, mache as garnish, and a wealth of sunchokes for the root-vegetable bagna cauda already in the works, all from one (other) organic farmer. Fell in love with the mushrooms, too, especially my favorite: Royal Trumpets.

As for fresh, glistening creatures to eat, there are oysters and rockfish, too local and tempting to pass up.