It was undeniably the place to be in Portland this past weekend.
and thanks to the press releases (who doesn’t read press releases about their local farmers markets?), I knew it was going to be bigger & better than ever – doubling in size in the PSU Park Blocks.
I was literally sitting at my desk this morning, daydreaming about the vegetables I have at home.
For such an early start to the season, I was constantly thrilled, booth by booth, to see such variety! I’ve grown accustomed to walking home from the first market of the season with a bundle of raab or rapini or two, and I did, with a bunch more. I started my farmar adventure with a patiently delivered, cup of single origin Burundi Stumptown from Cafe Velo, nibbled on a trail mix bar from BlackSheep Bakery, explored the new routes, marked purchases for round #2, and ran into happy friends.
Notables:
- The variety!
- The hipster mustaches! more than ever! with babies! (I know! It’s Portland, but there were more than usual)!
- Room to move!
- Gooey (Daiya?) vegan cheese on deep dish slices at the new Via Chicago Pizza stand!
- The line for coffee at Cafe Velo is not as scary as it looks!
- Local Yukons (especially miniature! make me never want to buy another russel potato again).
- Multi-recycling & composting efforts!
- Petunia’s Pastries stand!
The Photos:
The market is enormous!
There is room for 3 different music spots! Maybe more? At least 2 were official. Sadly, I don’t have a photo of the cool country western singers (with mustaches).
The crowd thickens…
Broccoli raab sighting #1, check
Even more glorious raabs!
Bought my garlic here…
Tempting.
There are two food strips now – in the middle and the farmost SW corner.
Some vegan highlights -
I’ve never ordered from here, but it’s nice to know it’s an option.
Via Chicago
BEHIND THE SCENES
Glorious.
If I hadn’t opted for coffee, hot peppermint tea would have been calling.
Preppin’ the mushroom samples
support the fraggles
My haul: Cremini mushrooms, Yukon Gold potatoes, brussel sprout raab, broccoli raab, mustard greens, asparagus, miner’s lettuce, red Chesnok garlic
My only reason to get up at 9am on a Saturday that is truly worth it. I contemplated signing up for a CSA again this year, but the farmar is truly too much fun to resist.
And the first actual dish from my haul, besides nibbling on miner’s lettuce and tossing a piece to my cat:
Shells Con Broccoli Raab, modified from The Urban Vegan (with miso!)
Made with orrechiete and broccoli in the book; whole wheat shells and broccoli raab in my kitchen. Small dish of nooch for sprinklin’. Local greens and garlic.
brussel sprout raab? never seen so many different raabs than at that farmar!! but question: do you know what Asian Raab is? the people across the way from the mushrooom people had that and i didn’t end up asking what that meant.
also, did you know the answer to my question about the vegan cheese pie at Via Chicago? (haven’t checked PPK yet…)
of course I replied to you! They seemed to only have vegan left by 11am – it looked like all cheese (daiya?) and diced tomatoes on top.
asian raab – I assume it’s a raab part of some asian green? hmm
What an awesome Farmers Market! A cooks dream!!!!
Those Vegan tamales and vegetable curry…how lucky you are to be able to buy prepared food there if you wish.
i have been LOVING the tiny yukons. They are PERFECT SIZE!! was Sock it To Me at the market? i thought they had a stall last year but this year i don’t see them on the vendors list…
I love tiny yukons! and finger potatoes!!
I didn’t see Sock it To Me – maybe at the Saturday Market? hmm
yay farmer’s market! mine has been open all winter (nyc), but in the last week or two all the new spring veg have still started to explode. and the plant stalls! plants!!
We’re so spoiled with our year round FarMars here, but DAMN, this looks awesome.
Great photos! Yes it is amazing how much it has grown over just last year. I got the same Raab, new to me but loved it. Keep up the photos!
Thanks!