One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday morning is grab my trusty trolley and head to the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market. It has become an important ritual and each visit is a reminder of just how special eating seasonally can be. I have my secret parking space, my routine on arrival and my favourite stalls. I take the time to wander, taking it all in and checking out the variety available – who has the best looking broccoli? what is going on in the test kitchen today? do I really need another pot of herbs? what am I going to make this week?
I run into friends and family, I buy bread, eggs and honey, gorgeous flowers and luscious falafel. I chat with the producers and love to hear how passionate they are about what they do and why, I talk to them about my own vegie patch and they offer ideas and suggestions about things to try in order to get a better yield. As the year wears on the seasons change in front of my eyes; stone fruit and tomatoes make way for oranges and cabbages, soon the arrival of peas and broad beans will herald the arrival of spring and the warmer weather, which means berries, eggplants and zucchini are not far behind them.
Once I’ve done the rounds the serious business begins and I make my way to my favourite stalls to load up on produce. When I shop smart I do really well and can get a full trolley of fruit and veg for under $40 leaving some spare change for delectable treats like raw honey and macarons. A trolley load lasts Paul and I for a little over a week, which is excellent value as the produce is always at its best. When I’m done I take my trusty trolley and head home to create a delicious breakfast from freshly sourced, local produce and set about unloading my wares, cooing at the beautiful head of cauliflower I selected and thinking about what treasures I will create with them in the kitchen.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this market – the vibe is absolutely beautiful and ever since the KI guys have been popping by with oysters, I’ve been in love even more!! Funny I haven’t run into you yet, though I can usually be found drooling over the stuff from From Scratch… So so so so yummy.
Hey Celeste, I love From Scratch as well! I was there last weekend and couldn’t even get close to the stall there were so many punters around. I will have to keep my eyes peeled for you on future visits.
You are playing my song, Erin! I haven’t been to this one, but it sounds great! The thing I love about buying fresh from the farm, is that the produce will last two or more weeks. Plus you have the delicious feast for the senses in terms of taste, aroma and general market atmosphere!
Hey Lizzy, thanks for stopping by. I have been known to store things for longer than that, floppy carrots anyone?
But yeah, you just can’t beat farmers market freshness, life is too short to eat floury, out of season apples.
That’s exactly my thought process at the markets! My first stop is always to deliver my empty egg carton to the egg man. Then he knows I come back at the end for my eggs so they don’t get squashed in the trolley. Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of true growers at my Sunday markets but I’ve sussed out the good ones.
Hi Claire, I love your egg story! I keep my cartons for growing seedlings in but I seem to have a growing pile of them so maybe I should do the same.
Lovely post, Erin and great photo’s! Love the fresh new look of your blog, too.
Thanks Amanda.
Beautiful Farmers Market recap!
Thanks Heather!
Heh, I have a particular ritual as well! I’ve got my secret parking spot, my plan of attack…one person gets coffee, the other runs to get a bag of capsicums before the line gets too long. And then we just take in the rest of the market at a much more relaxed pace! I hope they do a twilight market again soon…
Hehe, sounds like a good plan! I love the twilight markets, better when the weather is warmer though.
I have heard about these markets, but still yet to make it to them. I really must, they sound great and there’s nothing quite like fresh produce