Dutch Farmers Market
Since I am still without a kitchen I am going to talk about a wonderful little Dutch Farmers market near our temporary digs here in Maryland. Besides the olive bar you see above that Little B is drooling over (as would my sister in law!), it has an amazing selection of fresh foods. I mean fresh. The air was filled with the smell of baking bread and roasting meat. There were yards and yards of fresh made salads – chicken, turkey, fruit and pasta – as well as hand made desserts and candies. Shelf after shelf of herbs and spices, along with the temptations of popular sweets and drinks. The produce had not a hint of wilting and the fruit was bursting with ripeness. I got so used to relying on chain grocery stores in the small Texas town where we recently lived. I was surprised how much I enjoyed walking through the market and showing Little B all the different parts of the animals, and that chicken legs she loves to devour come from a whole animal. They come from birds, and every part of the bird is used in some form or fashion. Her eyes got big when I let her smell the melons and tomatoes and carrots, none of which spent days wrapped up in plastic which so often can suck the flavor out of produce. The market had row upon row of cheeses and vegetables and fresh baked goods. It is a breath of fresh air – food-wise – that I did not even realize I missed. I am itching to get a kitchen, buy fresh, local foods and have a cooking marathon. Little B is dying to crack some eggs. I am going to continue exploring to local markets to further remind me of the difference it makes to buy fresh and local, and what a difference it makes on my dinner table. Next stop, the Eastern Market down in DC!