Macro Market, Mini Turnips, Micro Choy
Don’t you feel better just looking at it?
If you, like me, spent last Sunday feasting on jellied ham terrines and Peeps-infused vodka, you are in dire need of some vegetable Rx, perhaps in the form of kale, which my colleague Dave just sang the praises of in the Oregonian this week. There will be vitamin-packed kale (surprise!) this weekend, along with leeks, beets, new potatoes and sprightly salad mixes that would pair well with the crisp fennel, red radishes and tiny Tokyo turnips you’ll also find spilling from vendors’ stalls.
Rumor has it that in addition to ruby stalks of spring rhubarb, Winters Farms may have a fistful of the season’s first asparagus for a few lucky shoppers that are among those known as “Morning People.” For the rest of us, Nossa Familia Coffee has the liquid support you need to start your day.
If you’re up for a walk on the wild side, Springwater Farm has stinging nettles to be tamed into soup or tea, Nomadic Meal is offering fiddleheads, and Temptress Truffles has returned to the market bearing wild mushrooms, truffle butter and other gifts from the forest floor.
Savory Pies from Queen of Hearts
Photo by Amy Nieto
Fans of Queen of Hearts’ gluten-free frozen pies and fresh-baked sweet pies will be delighted to know that you can now stop by their booth for hot and ready-to-eat savory pies as well. Speaking from experience, these hand-held pockets of goodness (filled with, say, creamy chicken and vegetables or curried lentils) are a perfectly portable treat to nibble on while you meander the market.
Tulips from Rick Steffen Farm
Don’t leave without treating yourself to a reward for enduring these spring showers: flowers. Rick Steffen Farm has fragrant and unusual varieties of narcissus (narcissi?) and elegant tulips, while Favorite Produce of Oregon and Early Mom are putting together bright, multi-colored bouquets. As a fan of all things mini I must also point out that last week, Early Mom had beyond-baby bok choy so small it verged on micro territory.
Our PSU Market runs from 8:30-2pm in the Park Blocks between SW Hall and Montgomery. Later in the evening, be sure to stop by The Best Art Gallery in Portland between 5-8pm for their latest installation, Seed to Supper, which features photographs of local farmers taken by Kirk Jones–including two PFM vendors, Mama Tee’s Farm (new this year) and Split River Growers.
