Fall is upon us, and with it a fresh batch of delicious goodies from the farmers market. While you can get almost all the staples with which to fill your larder, there are also always a bevy of interesting, unusual, and rare goods begging to find a place in your skillet.
Some groceries stores have started to carry local produce, but the variety doesn't compare to an outdoor market populated with enthusiastic farmers.
We popped over to one of the best-known farmers markets, the Union Square Greenmarket, to see what they're selling that you aren't likely to get from anywhere else.
Try not to drool on your keyboard, OK?
8 Things You Can Only Get At the Farmers Market
Ostrich and Emu Eggs(01 of08)
Try this on for size: an egg that is the equivalent of 20 to 24 chicken eggs, with a yolk the size of a tennis ball, that can feed 10 to 12 people. That’s an ostrich egg for you. The emu eggs pictured above are almost as big. If that is a bit much, you can also try some ostrich jerky, or another cut of ostrich meat, which is 97 percent fat free. Try getting that in a bodega. This is from Lou’s stand of Roaming Acres. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Marvelous Mushrooms(02 of08)
I suppose you could pick up some regular old crimini or shitake mushrooms while you are at the market, but you can’t walk away without tasting some of the more rare offerings like porcini mushrooms, elusive chanterelles, and in the spring, morels. Chicken of the Woods is so called because it has the taste and texture of a chicken breast. Maitake (above) has the nickname Hen of the Woods because it looks like a fluffed up hen, though it has a chestnut taste. Soon you should even be able to get vibrant lobster mushrooms. These lovely fungi are from Michael and Linda of Honey Hollow Farm. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Fabulous Frozen Treats(03 of08)
You could pick up a half gallon of vanilla ice cream from the freezer section, but why would you when you can get herb-flavored sorbet from the farmers market? Unique flavors like lavender mint, chamomile honey, sage applemint, lime verbena, and rosemary lemon are created from herbs grown within a hundred miles of New York City. This perfectly portioned pint is from Tweefontain Herb Farm. For something else cold and tasty try double fisting a roasted peach ice pop from the stand nearby. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Local Honey(04 of08)
Once you get to know honey outside of the normal clover and tupelo varieties, you’ll realize it can have nearly all personality of wine. Depending on the season and flowers growing near the hive, honey can have vastly different flavors and notes. Wildflower or blackberry honey anyone? You can also pick up spreadable honey, with a melt-in-your-mouth grainy texture that is delicious on toast. Some people believe eating local honey can help with allergies, much like a vaccination against pollen. No peer-reviewed studies have backed this up, but it seems like such a sweet remedy why not just try?This honey is from Andrew’s Local Honey, with varieties from Brooklyn and other New York areas. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Better Baked Goods(05 of08)
It’s one thing to eat local tomatoes, but what about dessert? The farmers market has you covered several times over. These hand-baked, whole grain, organic breads, cookies, and muffins aren't just made locally, they're made with local flour too. Try jalepeno-flavored bread, or coconut corn bread for something out of the ordinary. These cookies are from Muffin Madness. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Playful Produce(06 of08)
Right next to the heirloom tomatoes and golden squash are some more interesting choices fit for a poet. Peruvian purple and sangria peppers (above), baby zucchini and zucchini blossoms, calypso beans, wild watercress, golden raspberries, and a French variety of fingerlings called ratte were all present on a warm fall day at the market. And that's what was left after several other exciting products had already sold out. None of this stuff is in the misty produce section of your grocery store, so dig in and see what you can find!These peppers are from S. & S. O. Produce Farms. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Custom Cuts Of Meat(07 of08)
Vegans, shield your eyes. At the farmers market you’ll find an impressive array of unconventional meats like duck, rabbit, and homemade mozzarella sausage.The meat is freshly butchered that week, unlike grocery store meats, which are frozen, shipped, defrosted, frozen again, and on and on. According to the market meat purveyors, that can have a real impact on the taste. Most meat at the market is grass-fed, but if you are unsure you can just ask. You’ll get a much more satisfactory answer from the farmer than from the checkout clerk at the grocery store. Even better, if you are craving a particular cut of meat you don’t see it on display, you can often request it from the farmer, who will have it ready for you next week. Now that is service. These meats are from Arcadian Pastures. (credit:Alden Wicker)
Cooking Advice(08 of08)
As tempting as it might be to pile everything in a bowl and just admire it, eventually you’ll want to cook/fry/bake it up and eat it. With all the unfamiliar varieties of meat, produce, and fungi, you might be overwhelmed. Don’t worry, the farmers are always happy to let you sample and will take the time to answer all your questions: what it tastes like, how to cook it, and with what to serve it. Some markets even offer cooking demonstrations and recipes based on seasonal produce. It’s a rare grocery store whose baggers are also experts on varieties of heirloom chicken breeds, so take advantage. (credit:Alden Wicker)