Locovores

My passion for farmer's markets began in college during a sociology class taught by a granola eating professor. I became a regular at the Pepper Place Farmer's Market in Birmingham when I lived there summer of '08 and since then have become obsessed. I never thought I would find another one as great as Pepper Place, but a few weekends ago I went to the Memphis Farmer's Market downtown and have found my local food fix. 

The key to a good experience at the farmer’s market is getting there early. Not only do you get to enjoy the cooler morning temps, but you also get better selections and prettier produce. I am a morning person so I had no problem hopping out of bed to support our local farmers.

The Memphis Farmer’s Market is located at Central Station in the trendy South Main district. There are probably between 50 and 60 vendors selling everything from cactuses to blueberries to wind chimes. I loved seeing how the farmer’s market attracts people from all walks of life, old women, young families, and even college kids. It is interesting talking to the different vendors about what they grow and hearing their cooking recommendations. You can easily get suckered into spending a lot of money at the market because everything looks so fresh and pretty, and every vendor vows their product will be the best you ever taste. I never really go with a list of what to buy, but I always decide how much I want to spend and bring only the allotted amount of cash with me. Here’s what I got last week for only $12: Okra, lima beans, green tomatoes, an eggplant, red potatoes, and a baby watermelon.

The Menu:

Fried Green Tomatoes with Non-Local Tomato Chutney (from Bham)

Herb Roasted Red Potatoes

Lima Beans

Salted Watermelon

Peach Tea with a Punch (of Firefly Vodka)