To Market, To Market

My hefty old-fashioned market basket filled to the brim with our household's weekly fresh produce sourced from the farmers' market

Photo: Chronica Domus

If you wish to find me bright and early on any given Saturday, I am more than likely trolling the stalls of one of the excellent farmers' markets of our fair city.  Unlike the old nursery rhyme, however, I will not be going to market to procure a pig.  Instead, I happily stock up on my household's weekly fruits, vegetables, bakery goods, and assorted tasty comestibles.  This is a most agreeable pursuit given that the food over which our local farmers have labored hard to bring to market is among the freshest and tastiest to be found anywhere in the country.  Not only that, it is all so handsomely and tastefully displayed. If you are anything like me, it can all become a little problematic. This is because the vast array of goodies on offer all looks to be so terribly enticing. It really is a chore to resist over-purchasing.  Perhaps I should have titled this post "This Little Piggy Goes To Market".

I'd like to take you on a tour of my favorite market, found at The Ferry Plaza, which operates year round each Saturday morning, and to a lesser extent on Tuesdays and Thursdays, come rain or shine.

Approaching the The Ferry Building, home of the city's swankiest farmers' market

Photo: Chronica Domus

Located along San Francisco's picturesque waterfront by the historic Ferry Building (just look for the landmark clock tower at the bottom of Market Street and you've arrived), the area is abuzz with activity by 9 a.m.  This is a popular spot for the city's many joggers who jostle with shoppers along The Embarcadero making their way to the market.  Some of the first to arrive are the local restaurant chefs.  They haul their fresh bounty away on carts at an hour I could not even contemplate rolling out of bed on a weekend morning.  No matter, as in this case the early bird does not necessarily catch the worm.  There is still an abundance of vegetables, fruits, dried goods, prepared foods, dairy, meat, and fish to fill one's baskets to overflowing when my good friend Jeannette and I make our appearance by 10 o'clock.

The farmers set up their stands along both the street side and the bay side of the Ferry Building.  As we approach the first of these stands, Jeannette and I are stopped in our tracks by this visually stimulating array of root vegetables.  We decide to buy several bunches of carrots and radishes between us.

A festive display of root vegetables

Photo: Chronica Domus

Next, we walk by a flower vendor and "ooh" and "ahh" at the tulips amassed in buckets.  Somehow, we manage to resist their siren call and continue on our mission, hot-footing it to the bakery inside.

Spring blooms in all their glory

Photo: Chronica Domus

The Ferry Building is a foodie's paradise and is spilling over with shop upon shop of the finest goods the area's food purveyors have to offer.  There are butchers, ice cream makers, a cheese shop, confectioners, patisseries and bakeries, fishmongers, olive oil vendors, and even a specialist mushroom seller, among other things.  If you are in need of refreshment or sustenance, you'll be spoilt for choice with the selection of cafés and restaurants to indulge your taste buds.

Once inside the building, Jeannette and I make a beeline for Acme Bakery.  We pick up our freshly baked loaves of spelt bread (available only on Saturdays), and our walnut levain loaves.  Acme Bakery makes some of the best bread in the city and suppies several of the better restaurants in town with their tasty goods.

Photo: Chronica Domus

Take your pick - they are all scrumptious!

Photo: Chronica domus

The Ferry Building itself is a beautiful structure made airy by the light entering from above.  It has gone through an extensive rejuvenation since the ungainly elevated freeway that partially spanned the waterfront was demolished following the earthquake of 1989.  Today, the building has evolved into a food hall and renovated so that many of the original features, such as the ironwork seen in the photograph below, are visible.

Looking up within within The Ferry Building

Photo: Chronica Domus

One of my favorite shops to peruse is Far West Fungi, a specialist seller of mushrooms. It is a beautiful emporium of mycology with fun displays set up to educate hapless shoppers like myself who've not a clue how these woodsy treasures are grown and harvested.

A beautiful and educational display for mushroom lovers to enjoy

Photo: Chronica Domus

Fantastical mushrooms in varied shapes, sizes, and colors entice the home cook into filling her brown paper bags with toothsome Morels, Porcinis, and Black Trumpets.

Huge Porcini mushrooms begging to be taken home and cooked

Photo: Chronica Domus

A painterly palette of mushrooms

Photo: Chronica Domus

Photo: Chronica Domus

Back outside, we are greeted by a familiar spring-time Bay Area sight, Rapeseed, or yellow mustard flowers as they are commonly called.  These grow with abandon in the fields of wine country and one clever seller thought it a good idea to bring bowls full of it to the townies. Don't you think they look jolly?

Rapeseed flowers, a familiar sight in the countryside during spring

Photo: Chronica Domus

Mother taught me that eating one's greens is good for the body so, naturally, I never fail to pick up bunches of rainbow chard, kale, and other seasonal greens to pop into my wicker basket.  There is a strong emphasis at The Ferry Plaza market on organic and pesticide-free produce, and these leafy greens fit that bill.  I spied some perfect little heads of cauliflower so a pair of those came home with me as well.  Sinful Cauliflower Cheese would be playing a role in our Sunday luncheon no doubt.

A mountain of leafy greens to make mother happy

Photo: Chronica Domus

The season's first artichokes

Photo: Chronica Domus

Savory, sorrel, and garlic chives - fresh herbs not commonly seen outside of such an extensive farmers' market

Photo: Chronica Domus

The city's swankiest market not only attracts the finest produce around, but it is also a fun place to people watch.  Locals and tourists alike wander the stalls, buying whatever looks tempting, or just sitting by the water's edge feasting upon portable treats or sipping from their coffee cups, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling market. One stylish shopper hauled her loot away in a smart wicker basket on wheels. It rather reminded me of those little old ladies from my youth that utilized similar contraptions for their daily round of the greengrocer, butcher, and baker.

A stylish way to haul one's goods home from the market

Photo: Chronica Domus

I needed some eggs so I brought a colorful dozen of these home with me.  How could I have resisted, could you?

Beautifully colored eggs in shades of green and blue laid by Araucana chickens

Photo: Chronica Domus

The eggs are not only visually appealing on the outside, but once cracked, a brilliant orange yolk reveals itself, quite unrelated to the anemic yellow of supermarket purchased eggs.  Their decadently rich flavor is superior too.  Farm fresh eggs truly are one of life's little luxuries and well worth the extra expense of supporting our local farmers. The vendor with which I had spoken had traveled through the wee hours of the morning to set up his stand in time for the day's market.

Finally, Jeannette and I had lunch on our minds so we swung by The Pasta Shop's stand and picked up one of their delicious fresh pasta concoctions.  My daughter adores the taste of their nettle flavored pappardelle, so into the basket went a tub, to be prepared quickly upon my arrival home, accompanied by some of the vegetables I had just purchased.

A selection of fresh pasta ready to be taken home

Photo: Chronica Domus

One needs to navigate the treacherous waters of the farmers' market very carefully if one is working up an appetite for an at-home luncheon later in the day.  You see, it is so very easy to feast upon the seemingly endless samples on offer at every turn around here.  The market is a minefield of taste explosions if one partakes in the generous sampling of dips, jams, spreads, breads, fruits, and raw vegetables.  As we were about to depart, Jeannette and I broke down and headed for the irresistible organic syrups, jams, and preserves on offer by June Taylor.  We became like bears around a honeypot, along with the gaggle of other shoppers, as we tried our favorite flavors.  As long-time readers of this blog well know, the last thing I need to bring home is another jar of marmalade but let me tell you, Jane's Meyer Lemon marmie is sublime.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe ...  

Photo: Chronica Domus

With our baskets bursting with goodness, and our taste buds tickled, it was time to make our way home and plot our menus in order to make use of everything we had purchased during our foray at the market. We always leave The Ferry Plaza so full of satisfaction and gratitude, not only in that we have the great privilege of providing our families with nutritious and impeccably fresh locally grown produce and prepared foods, but also that we make a vital connection with the farmers and artisans that bring us their goods.  I'm pleased to be able to play a small part in supporting our hard-working farmers and food purveyors.  I think above all else, this is what truly makes this market so very special.

The Ferry Building's clock tower 

Photo: Chronica Domus

The next time you find yourself in San Francisco, please do make a point of visiting The Ferry Plaza farmers' market.  It truly is a gastronomic marvel and a wonderful place to while away a few hours and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, discover something fresh for dinner, or to take home as a souvenir of our city, if you are here from afar.

Do you frequent a local farmers' market and if so, what are some favored food items that go home with you?

 Nota bene: I am neither paid nor do I receive recompense in exchange for applauding products or services within my blog.  I do so because I enjoy them.  If you are a kindred spirit, you too enjoy recommending nice things to fellow good eggs.