There was no one was shopping at the Borough Hall farmers market yesterday afternoon. Rain swept sideways and the stallholders stood glumly under their tents where pools of water accumulated and then collapsed periodically onto the bluestone. One very animated young guy at the Wilklow Orchards stand dragged every umbrella-hidden human within hailing distance to come and taste sweet raspberries. A man with a mission and a smile.
The farmer was there and said that red and black currants would be ready in about two weeks. They are divine. He also said that it's a bumper year for gooseberries, ripe at the same time. So if you love these fruits as much as I do - and they are a rare and fleeting thing - visit the market on a Tuesday or Thursday the week after next, to buy as many as you can.
So much effort - picking, then packing all this produce into trucks, the long drive into the city, and then to do it all over again with little sold.
I came home with garlic scapes for soup (and salad), shelling peas, fava beans, cherries and those raspberries.
The berry farm here is bursting with stuff - today i got raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and cherries - all in my share! Abondanza! I love looking all the good stuff on the tables and knowing that 12 hours ago it was still in the field.
ReplyDeleteSummer is fresh food heaven!
Tis early for cherries, but what isn't this year. I should pick some up on my way back down from the upstate this Friday.
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