Farmer's Market Friday: Why I LOVE it.

In case you haven't noticed, or didn't read my post last week, I adore farmer's market.  I told you I have the habit of repeating myself again and again, and yes, again when I find something I like a lot.  Hope you are used to that because every Friday we are going to be hearing this phrase, but from many different people who come from many different places.  From Rio de Janeiro to Tel Aviv, California to New Hampshire, I have quite the lineup to be shared -- and I am freakin' excited about it!

(Click the picture to be taken to the recipe.)

So, you get it.  I love farmer's markets.  But maybe you don't know why.  I mean, really, it's just a street with vegetables and fruit... at least that's what I used to think.  In fact, I didn't really even know what farmer's markets were when I was younger because we never went.  Then I got to college and would see the local market every Friday afternoon and the people walking through, but I had no need for veggies or fruit because I had a cafeteria, so I just drove on by.  But then I moved to Brazil for a summer and going to the feira livre to pick up fresh produce and eat pastel became my favorite part of the week.

(Click picture to be taken to the recipe.)

As great as that was, I came back to the States and forgot all about it.  Sure, a trip here and there happened, but for the most part my local market was completely ignored.  Until recently.  I woke up one day and decided I had $20 in cash that would be good for one place, and only place only.  I stocked up on produce and then, instead of my usual make-the-menu-first-then-do-the-shopping plan, I made a weekly menu based off of what was in front of me.  And my eyes were opened.

(Click the picture to be taken to the recipe.)

Opened to what?  New produce, new dishes.  Trying things I had never tried before (parsnips), doing new things with veggies I rarely used (beets and asparagus), cooking with whatever was in season (carrots and kale).  I even revisited a veggie I thought I hated (chard) but found out it wasn't so bad, after all... Seriously, this has been one of the biggest game changers in how I cook, second only to the day I decided I needed to learn to cook REAL food.

(Click the picture to be taken to the recipe.)

Know what else?  The people are great.  There is a sense of community.  Instead of swiping a plastic card into a machine with a mechanical voice, money exchanges hands while being surrounded by conversation.  My grocery bill has gone down, and the variety in our meals has gone up.  All in all, it's been a win-win.  And I like win-wins.

(Click the picture to be taken to the recipe.)

And this last week?  What did my trip yield for me? Well...

// carrot soup //          // kale strata //          // parsley topped steak //

That's seven dollars worth of produce (all I had in my wallet) and three new meals.  SCORE!

So, yes, I love Farmer's Market.  But I think I have good reason to.  I don't know if you a regular visitor or have never visited before, but I want to encourage you to get out there and try it out once in awhile.  And let me know how it goes.  Every Friday you can come back here and link up any post you have  -- recipe, fab finds, a photo tour, whatever! -- as long as it has to do with you and the farmer's market.

Next week --> Rio de Janeiro!  Make sure you stop on by :)