Dutch Country Farmers' Market

[JPW]

Inspired by thisarticle, I stopped by on Saturday for the first time.

The market consists of -- a dairy stand, a deli salad stand, green grocer, BBQ stand, butcher, wing stand, a pastry shop, and a little cafeteria/diner.

The dairy stand notable was real butter. The cheese was good if unremarkable.

The deli salad stand provided some decent cole slaw.

The green grocer was pretty much all shipped stuff. I don't know what percentage of it will eventually be real farmer produced goods.

The butcher shop showed some beef with way too little marbling, but the pork products looked much better. I cooked up some of the bacon I bought on Sunday and it was excellent. To my mind worth the trip alone. I also have some sausage in the fridge that I will be cooking soon.

The wings looked nice and meaty and the pastries and bread looked decent.

From the BBQ stand I got a smoked chicken, which was pretty good. But the real highlight was the ribs. These things are amongst the best that I've had in some time. The sauce was also very good - well-balanced sweet-tangy-smoky flavors. Definitely going back for ribs and sauce.

[bookluvingbabe]

The pastry shop is quite good. I haven't been in quite a while because it is a significant schlep for me. The breakfasts in the little cafe are also fun and affordable.

Jennifer

[ol_ironstomach]

The butcher shop showed some beef with way too little marbling, but the pork products looked much better. I cooked up some of the bacon I bought on Sunday and it was excellent. To my mind worth the trip alone. I also have some sausage in the fridge that I will be cooking soon.

It's much the same at the Lancaster County Farmer's Market in Germantown (Great Seneca Hwy & Wisteria Rd), although the names are different. I shopped at Burtonsville fairly regularly when I lived in Laurel, and at Germantown occasionally now that I'm back in MoCo. At both, I find the beef is too lean and lacking in marbling, but the pork products are pretty good if not really any better than you can get at Whole Paycheck.

The large sausage links with apple are really nice, as are the bockwurst. I'm not a fan of the loose sausage nor the sage links, which tend to run a bit too sweet and light on savory.

The dairy counters are worth a stop, both for Amish roll butter (LCFM carries Minerva dairy) and good milk in glass jars (LCFM carries Trickling Springs Creamery...try the unhomogenized Creamline).

Finally, a plug for Pennsylvania-style whole milk chocolate milk, which I've seen described as chocolate-flavored 80-wt gear oil. Practically goes directly from your stomach to your arteries. Mmmmm.

[perrik]

I've never been tempted to buy produce at the market (not when Han Ah Reum is reasonably close by) but the pork and poultry are reliably good. And yes, the milk and cream..! Also keep an eye out for good birch beer on tap.

I had co-workers in North Bethesda who would make lunch runs to the Burtonsville market specifically for those ribs.

Historical note: the market took over that space after the Chesapeake Bay Seafood House closed. Big improvement.

[dmwine]

The Italian griller sausages are killer - killer grillers.

So's the smoked pork chop. Not too salty like a lot of places.

Those fried chicken wings are worth lining up for. The poultry section also frequently has chicken backs/wings/detritus good for making stock. And fresh rabbit.

Pastry = shoofly pie.

But you MUST try the potato chips!

[JPW]

Quick update -- cooked up the country sausage last night for dinner. It's not very seasoned, but in this case that just means that the pork flavor really comes through. I enjoyed it and Peanut seemed to as well, although I don't see how she tasted anything at the speed she was stuffing food into her mouth. You'd think we don't feed her: need to start working on some better table manners. As is typical, she ate about as much as I did.

[jparrott]

Note to whiskey-lovers...one of the best (and certainly the best-priced) selection of current release Scotch and Bourbon is at the Montgomery County store right next to the market.

[cheezepowder]

Any updates on what's good at this market?

[Pool Boy]

I read this morning (in the Laurel Leader) that they have signed a new 25-year lease for a new location in Laurel. The old Galaxy Furniture spot is where it will be right on Route 198 between Rt 1 and BW Parkway. They should be moved there by late summer. They will no longer operate the Burtonsville location once they move.

Linky

[squidsdc]

I read this morning (in the Laurel Leader) that they have signed a new 25-year lease for a new location in Laurel. The old Galaxy Furniture spot is where it will be right on Route 198 between Rt 1 and BW Parkway. They should be moved there by late summer. They will no longer operate the Burtonsville location once they move.

Linky

Thanks for the link and the heads up. This is very good news! While it is a bit further drive for me, it is a lot nicer than having to trek out to Germantown if they had not been able to find another location. I hope the lack of parking will not be problematic.

[Pool Boy]

Thanks for the link and the heads up. This is very good news! While it is a bit further drive for me, it is a lot nicer than having to trek out to Germantown if they had not been able to find another location. I hope the lack of parking will not be problematic.

The new location does have less parking, but I think it'll be adequate. There's a sub shop and a party store in the same location -- not huge parking hogs IMO.

[DonRocks]

I read this morning (in the Laurel Leader) that they have signed a new 25-year lease for a new location in Laurel. The old Galaxy Furniture spot is where it will be right on Route 198 between Rt 1 and BW Parkway. They should be moved there by late summer. They will no longer operate the Burtonsville location once they move.

Linky

They'll be at the old location through the end of August.

Soooo ... gotta love those smoked Amish chickens at Yoder's Bar-B-Que, right? ... Today while waiting for my order, I looked over at the back counter and saw, sitting among the raw chickens, an unopened package of chicken clearly marked ... Perdue.

Obviously, one cannot draw conclusions from a single package of chicken sitting on the counter, but at the very least it's funny (and in the unthinkable worst-case scenario, at least they're sourcing locally!)

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Pool Boy]

Not much appears to have been going on at the new site (as yet still unopened) as of about a week or so ago. I heard a rumor they might take a bit longer to make the move....

[Pool Boy]

Just got the following note in email...

Burtonsville Dutch Country Farmers Market

Laurel Market Update

We are planning for our final inspection the week of September 1, At this time we don't have definite date to when we are opening, we are hoping the second week of September, depending on how the inspection goes. If you have any questions feel free to call us at 1-877-421-1454. Thank you for your patience!!!

Relocating to:

9701 Fort Mead Rd

Laurel, Maryland 20707

Along Route 198 next to Home Depot

SAME MARKET. DIFFERENT LOCATION.

[HowChowBlog]

The Dutch Country Farmers Market has re-opened in Laurel, and it is still worth a drive by anyone interested in exploring food -- it's just a drive on Rte 198.

This market was a Burtonsville landmark for years, and, you could go to Laurel just for the spectacle and the pretzels. Dutch Country is the size of a small supermarket with a dozen vendors selling everything from meat to candy, fresh-squeezed juice to ribs you can carry out. The new market has shopping carts and wide aisles. But it is still chaotic. It's still friendly. It's still a well-stocked middle ground in a world where so many stores specialize in organic or cheap.

Start your trip with a $2 hot pretzel from Lydianne's Soft Pretzels, which is right at the front door. They're literally right out of the oven, and you can't beat that kind of treat. Personally, I ask for a pretzel that hasn't been dipped in butter. They dip everything in quarts of melted butter. That's delicious, but I prefer a little more crisp and little less butter.

Then, take a walk. As far as I can tell, the vendors are all people from Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Obviously, this is a perfect place if you like Pennsylvania Dutch food. Think pasta and potato salads, sweet desserts like cheesecake, fudge and pies, and canned items like jams, pickled vegetables (brussel sprouts!) and pickled eggs. Don't expect a "Whole Foods" array of ethnic items. The meat counter has three different kinds of bologna, but doesn't sell pastrami. The prepared foods sells lots of fried chicken and ribs, but you're not going to get Asian-flavored grilled chicken breasts.

Sample your way around the Dutch Market to see what catches your eye. I have found great ingredients to cook and many little treats. The Laurel market has a machine that stamps rice cakes similar to the popped rice bowls at H Mart. They blow out of the machine every nine seconds, which would be a little show if you shop with kids. Usually, I'm in the midst of errands, and the full selection of vegetables -- clearly not grown in Pennsylvania -- always makes me wonder whether they're really "farmers market" special or just nice-looking stuff from a wholesale market. But you should definitely check out the central stall with bulk candies, spices, and baking items. (This weekend, I saw the wafers/cookies that you use to make ice cream sandwiches. You could make your own with your favorite ice cream.) You should also check out the restaurant, which had lines out the door from 8:30 past 9 am.

These are my current favorites:

• The hot pretzels, including the breakfast "bacon, egg, and cheese" pretzel log. (I'm not kidding.)
  
• The fresh-squeeze orange juice and lemonade at a stand that is in the center across from the BBQ and meat stands. Juice can run $7.89 and $3.59 for a half-gallon respectively, but it's delicious. You can buy smaller bottles as well ($4.29 and $1.99).
  
• The dairy products -- including Trickling Springs Creamery regular or organic milk in glass bottles -- in a dairy section across the aisle from the juice stand. It is right next to a machine that makes rice cakes.
  
• The Beiler's Meats counter with a broad selection of steaks, veal, pork, interesting sausages, organic meats, and butcher-store specialties like ham hocks, cow feet, and goat meat. Beiler's sells three levels of meat -- USDA grain fed, a "natural grain fed" free of steroids, hormones and antibiotics, and a certified organic.
  
• Bacon. Come on -- a few slices of thick-cut bacon are better than a pound of plastic-wrapped stuff at the grocery store. Beiler's sells pepper, smoked or regular bacon.
  
• The baked goods, including all kinds of dinner rolls, sweet breads, cakes and even loaves from the Breadery in Ellicott City. But read the ingredients. This is a business, not just home baking. Some of the items are packed full of of potassium sorbate, polysorbate 60, and other not-so-country ingredients.
  

The market is on Rte 198 just east of U.S. 1. It is very convenient from downtown Laurel or I-95. Watch for the Home Depot and then turn right at the next light. There is a Jerry's Subs in the center -- along with a Filipino market.

[tomw46]

My wife and I shop and eat at the Laurel site often. The restaurant is great for breakfast, but expect to wait there is always have a line. Good food and good value.