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The Market:
Union Square Greenmarket
E. 17th Street and Broadway
New York, NY
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(212) 788-7476
Marketgoer:
Denise Matychowiak,
chef and author of A
Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living: A Loving Look at the Lighter
Side of the Catholic Faith with Recipes for Feasts and Fun
The farmers market in Union Square is the largest
and best known of the markets that are part of Greenmarket,
a program of the Council on the Environment of New York City. Today
there seemed to be 40 to 50 farm stands. The market is open strictly
to regional producers, and the producers themselves must be present
at the market. This is quite a resource for talking to the people
who actually grow our food. There are many, many farmers showing off
beautiful tables of fragrant herbs, heirloom tomatoes, fruits
and cut flowers. You will find poultry, eggs, sausages, as
well as free-range, grass-fed beef.
When you grow weary of shopping, you may find
refreshment in the form of fresh-pressed cider from New York's apple
orchards. There are also artisan bakers and cheesemongers squeezed
in with the fishermen. A large percentage of the fare is
organic and some is biodynamic.
| What a great place for people
watching. It seems that every one of the city's citizens makes
a trip here at one time or another. On some days you will see
groups of school children touring. There are neighborhood
denizens grabbing a back of veggies for dinner as well as
serious cooks stocking up for the week and traipsing all over
the city with their bags. |
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Famous as well as anonymous chefs come to
furnish their restaurants. Be aware, though, that if a restaurant is
large, no matter what the menu says, it is unlikely that all of a
given product is provided by the market.
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