Make the most of the farmer’s market * part 3
When you’re at the farmer’s market, take the time to find the best.
- Walk the whole market, noting which vendors are selling what you’re interested in.
- Ask for a taste of anything you’re interested in – and offer to pay for it. Buying one tomato or one apple or one strawberry or one cucumber to taste may save you from a lot of tasteless ones. “Fresh and local” doesn’t always mean delicious.
- Know when it was harvested. Foods like corn and peas are much better the day they’re picked because the sweetness from their natural sugars dissipates quickly.
- Look at what you’re buying. Skip anything bruised, wilted, or yellowed. It doesn’t have to look perfect, but it should look fresh.
- Size isn’t everything. Often the smaller ear of corn, zucchini, or green bean is sweeter. Try eating the smaller pickling cucumbers instead of the larger salad cucumbers.
- Compare. Compare prices. Compare flavors. Compare growing practices. Compare the cleanliness of the stall, the friendliness of the vendor, or anything else that’s important to you.
