In my last post I discussed my new found love of the Farmer's market so I figured I should show you guys just why I feel this way. The DuPont Circle Farmer's Market in DC is by far the best I have found around the DC Metropolitan Area--they are a FRESHFARM Farmer's Market so every vendor is from the Chesapeake Bay region with an emphasis on "promoting local food with a face".
My first stop is coffee (those who know me well are fully aware of my "slight" obsession with coffee and the perfect cup of Joe.) I like Bread & Brew when near DuPont--especially on a Sunday because Maryanna works on Sundays and she is the best Barista!
Don't get me wrong, the Old Towne Alexandria Market is decent--they have some cool crafts, a great guy who makes ice cream, but on the whole their produce and food related items are limited--it's also not a FRESHFARM Market which means that the goods do not necessarily need to be local so it's a mixed bag.
You can pretty much find what you need for the week, eggs, milk, bread, produce and even stuff like soap or cedar chips for your closet.
The stand above always has a great selection--often times they have things I've heard are fabulous in the paper/magazines but I'm not confident enough in my skills to purchase them. Example: squash blossoms (shown above) or earlier in the year...ramps. Knowing me, they will hang out in my fridge for a week and go bad while I figure out what to do with them.
There is one dairy Clear Spring Creamery, which has cream line milk--pretty tasty--my favorite is still Trickling Springs Creamery which you can buy from Bread & Brew or La Fromagerie in Alexandria or a My Organic Market Shop. (Many of the best area coffee shops: Peregrine, Baked & Wired, and Bread & Brew all use Trickling Springs milk).
I am sucked in by all of the gorgeous seasonal flowers--poppies have been out in full force the last few weeks--I am a sucker for their vibrant colors and textures.
The fruit I cannot resist--I have left the market with at least one quart of berries each week and this past week cherries hit the stands so I got a 1/2 quart of Queen Anne and a 1/2 quart of Bing.
I made my first purchase from Endless Summer Harvest , the Purcellville, MD Lettuce & Herb Folk, and I must say that the basil I have is FANTASTIC--fragrant and robust, and most importantly, still alive in a glass jar on my counter :)
Most of the produce is organic or at least pesticide free (some of the smaller farms are not registered organic but they use sustainable farming practices), so you can feel good about supporting local farmers and putting good stuff in your families bellies!
The bright colors and the life of the market make it one of the highlights of my weekend. I have quite the ritual of grabbing a cup of joe and meandering through the aisles; it is my escape from my M-F reality.
This shot is definitely overexposed but I think it shows the bright "happy" feeling I get from being at the market (and we all know I love Peonies...thanks to Court!)
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