Food Shopping: Number 1 Sons Kimchi, Kraut & More

Ever tried Korean kimchi before? Kimchi is a spicy, pickled, hot-as-all-heck mixture of fermented (read: pickled au naturel) cabbage that’s frequently a garnish, condiment and all-around addition to Korean cuisine.

It’s also delicious.

Which is why, when I ran into the Number 1 Sons booth at this past Saturday’s Silver Spring Farmer’s Market, I stopped, tasted, and purchased some kimchi-licious goodies.

Food Shopping: My Hipster Farmers Markets Are Less Mainstream than YOUR Hipster Farmers Markets

Public artwork in Mount Pleasant. Love!

Disclaimer: I am far too mainstream to be any sort of legitimate hipster. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

2nd Disclaimer: Today I am consumed with college football. These photographs were taken last weekend. Can’t say I was at a farmers market while Notre Dame was playing Navy at 9am this morning. I was, however, at the only open watering hole in the DC metropolitan area. #Breakfastofchampions.

It’s been a while since I wrote a farmers market post, and after my recent venture to the Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant farmers markets here in DC, I felt inspired by seasonal goods and local vendors. Both markets are within a mile or so of each other in Northwest DC, easily accessible on the Yellow and Green Metro lines (Get off at Columbia Heights to hit up the CoHi market on 14th, then walk less than a mile due west to Mount Pleasant’s Lamont Square). Win!

For more information about both markets, hit up this site for Columbia Heights, and this one for Mt. Pleasant.

We’re now in that delicious late summer phase, when some of the summer’s best seasonal veggies are making their debuts (or singing their swan songs) at farmers markets. First, I found …

So many watermelons, so little time.

…watermelons! So beautiful and in-season, watermelons can be used in more versatile ways than just slicing up a wedge for a summer night’s dessert. Try topping a tomato-based gazpacho in diced watermelon for a sweet crunch to balance the soup’s tangy flavor, or dare to be … daring with this excellent Watermelon Feta Salad recipe from the folks at PBS. 

Next, I spotted these beautiful heirloom tomatoes.

Is it weird if I visualized one of these bad boys as Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales?

While heirlooms can be a bit pricey, their flavor is unmatched and so unique from tomato to tomato. (Tomato, to-mah-to, to-tasty…) I recommend slicing them, salting them lightly, and adding to a grilled cheese sandwich with something distinct and flavorful — say, shredded Gruyere or a slice of soft, lovely Fontina? They’re also phenomenal in salads — try this lovely-looking take on a Panzanella (read: best use for stale bread aside from French Toast EVER) Caprese salad from Bites Out Of Life, using diced or sliced heirlooms.

After that, I spotted these lovely little pints of raspberries. They looked fresh and juicy, ripe (heh heh, puns … oif.) for the taking.

Raspberries have about a million excellent uses in various recipes — top your morning yogurt and granola with raspberries and a drizzle of honey for a tart-sweet topping, or stir them into warm oatmeal with a drizzle of maple syrup for a pink-tinted breakfast treat. For a surprising twist, try this savory raspberry sauce with garlic, chicken stock and even jalapenos (!) over pork chops. Thanks to Amy’s Cooking Adventures for such a killer recipe.

I also discovered — hurrah! — some great-looking oyster mushrooms.

Yup, photobombed by a pint of tomatoes.

Oyster mushrooms impart a savory flavor to any dish, such as a stir-fry (add them towards the end — they’ll cook very quickly) or a rice bowl (cooked brown rice + sauteed mushrooms + 1/2 cup chicken broth + soy sauce + chopped green onions and sesame seeds = MMM). They’re best in the fall, and will likely keep showing up at your local farmers market for weeks to come. Here’s a slide show of recipes using oyster mushrooms from Martha Stewart, including a divine-looking Mushroom Soup.

Lastly, I spotted these plums at a great price, which is clutch when they’re in their peak late-summer season.

Oh yeah. Look at those bad boys.

Plums might be one of my top 3 favorite fruits, which is saying a lot for this fruit-and-veggie-loving gal. Try them in my Skillet Upside-Down Cake for a lovely dessert, or if you’re in more of a savory mood, this decadent Chanterelle, Bacon, and Plum Salad with Blue Cheese from Jaden Hair at Steamy Kitchen. Wow!

That’s all for this farmers market roundup. Get excited for fall produce! I’m seeing lots of dark greens in your future …

Food Shopping: Eastern Market

Here in the DMV (that’s DC – Maryland – Virginia for folks outside of the mid-Atlantic), there are a slew of farmer’s markets, outdoor markets, and flea market-style shopping establishments on the weekends. Rumor has it there’s even a Friday evening farmer’s market (with live music! So hip) in Petworth … hmm, adventures for the future …

Anyhoo — one of my absolute favorites is Eastern Market in Capitol Hill. The Hill, aside from that little white domed building you may know, is over in Southeast DC. It’s also one of the older neighborhoods in the city, with great architecture and lots of leafy trees.

Here’s their logo — cute, right?

Just off of Pennsylvania Avenue (yup, THAT Pennsylvania Avenue, though a walk from the White House to 7th street SE would more than earn you a hefty breakfast at the market), Eastern Market arguably the most famous of DC’s open-air markets, and with good reason! It has four main sections:

• The South Hall Market, a gorgeous old brick building that houses most of their food vendors. I bought kimchi here once, and it was to DIE for. Mmm, food memories.
• The North Hall Events Space, which is more of a community center for the locals. Events here are rotating, and you can check out a schedule here.
• What they call the Weekend Farmers Line, an outdoor section with loads of GORGEOUS produce. I think I ate two or three servings of fruit and veg just from the samples! You can find a list of vendors here.

Mmm, veggies. Nom nom nom.

• And lastly, there’s the Weekend Outdoor Market, which is more of a traditional flea market serving all of your crafty, antique-y and other interests.

Here’s the Farmers Line! (courtesy of dc.about.com)

The boy and I stopped at Eastern Market this past weekend, after I was picking up some pottery pieces I’d made at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (also extremely cool — check out their listing of summer classes here!). After sampling dribble-down-your-chin-good watermelon, just-made peanut butter, and a whole mess of tastiness from Eastern Market’s vendors, I know I’ll be heading back there ASAP.