Asparagus, Pastries, Soaps & More at the Liberty Village Farmers’ Market! The Ate by Ate Daily, Vol. 010

Farmers’ Markets Returning – and Debuting! – in June 2013 in the City

A Rainbow Sea of Fruit & Vegetables – Asparagus, Cherries, Berries & More at The Farmers’ Market on Main Street Markham!

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Posted on May 29, 2013

It’s finally here: a farmers’ market post from Markham! It’s almost embarrassing how I’ve made nearly 15 posts on Wychwood Barns but never made a post on any of the markets in Markham or surrounding York Region area. To quote Eddie from Family Matters after Myrtle Urkel told him he should have knocked before barging in on her primping session: I LIVE HERE! I guess that’s the thing. When you live close to something, you end up having the mentality that you can go to that something anytime you want so you focus more of your attention on things that feel further out of reach or beyond your immediate grasp.

I made a conscious decision this month though to really make a better effort at visiting those markets that I haven’t yet been to and this is my start. The timing was perfect: the market on Main Street Markham at Robinson started bright and early in the morning at 8am, I was meeting up with my best friend in the area, and the weather, while a bit chilly, was beautiful and my camera was raring to go.

I actually wasn’t anticipating the market to be as big as it is and was when I went. I mean, I wasn’t expecting a dinky hut but I also wasn’t expecting it to be like Trinity Bellwoods or Liberty Village, but there was plenty of gorgeous fruit and vegetables to shop for on one side and prepared foods such as baked goods, meats and sausages, honey and savoury pastries on the other. It was like browsing through a rainbow sea of juicy red strawberries, raspberries and cherries, cheery orange apricots, yellow and purple eggplant (yes, yellow!), lush green asparagus, celery, cucumbers and fiddleheads, and of course, blue blueberries.

Since this was my very first visit, I wasn’t sure what to expect so I went into it thinking I’d probably just get some nice shots and go on my merry way. Um, not the case. I didn’t buy out the market, but I did leave with a giant spinach phyllo pastry wheel ($4) and a whole freakin’ pint of baby cucumbers ($3.5o). THEY WERE SO CUTE! And I’ve never had baby cucumbers before. Let me tell you, those baby cucumbers sliced like a dream and as a bonus, they were seedless and DELICIOUS! My recommendation? Ranch and dill cucumber salad! Now THAT screams summer dining.

Even though there’s a bit of construction going on in the neighbourhood, there’s plenty of foodie things I’d love to do here such as paying a visit to the Greek bakery, doing afternoon tea at the Old Curiosity Tea Shop, shop for cute home and kitchen decor at Cornercopia and Season to Taste Kitchenware, and enjoy some yummy dining at Lemon Bistro! Now that I have the market Main Street Markham under my belt, let’s see if I can swing on over to Main Street Unionville one of these Sundays for theirs!

*****

Main Street Markham Farmers’ Market, May 11 – September 28. Saturdays, 8am-1pm. Located on the outdoor terrace at 132 Robinson Street and Markham Road (Main Street Markham North), just north of Highway 7 in Old Markham Village. There are free parking lots in the area behind many of the retail storefronts, the closest being the parking lot behind Scotiabank. http://www.mainstreetmarkham.com/page.asp?pageid=5

A Day of Kale & Lettuce – Leafy Greens, Jarred Sauces, and Fall Pastries & Vegetables at Wychwood Barns

Pop-Up Farmers’ Markets, Organic Veggies, & Lots of Kale! Samsara Fields at Crème Fraîche Market Cafe

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Posted on September 24, 2012

Sometimes things are just meant to be. Like when you stop by your favourite shop on a whim and everything is on sale. Or when you pay a visit to your favourite bakery and oh, what do you know, a fresh batch of goodies have just come out of the oven! Many wonderful, serendipitous things have happened in my food world (like when I unknowingly went to Hammersmith’s on the day of their 1st birthday and was consequently treated to a yummy cupcake on the house!) and yesterday’s farmers’ market trek to Crème Fraîche Market Cafe on Annette Street was just that, serendipitous.

I wanted to see what baked goods they had on hand, I wanted to take new photos, and I really just wanted to go for fun. So I went online bright and early in the morning to double check my bus schedule and thought it would be a good idea to double check Crème Fraîche’s website to map out my route for the afternoon. And there it was. Crème Fraîche’s twitter box with the words “pop-up heirloom farmers’ market” embedded in their latest tweet! I couldn’t believe my good fortune! I was so excited I literally skipped out of my house!

Even though pop-up markets are out of my grasp most of the time since the concept is rooted in spontaneity and to a large extent, up-to-the-minute social media (hi there, I don’t text or have internet on my phone! Yes, yes, I might as well be carring a phone with an antenna, blah blah blah), there’s a lot of value to be found in them for both the farmers/producers and those in the community.

First off, it’s a surprise and anybody making a trip to Crème Fraîche would be treated to an added bonus of food to choose from that they never expected! Second, it affords all those who come to the shop the opportunity to get to know a farmer or a producer they hadn’t known of before. You learn so much about where the food comes from, different varieities of produce, and the about the producers themselves. More options for fresh and healthy food is never a bad thing! And finally, it allows the farmers and producers to engage in a different neighbourhood, a different part of the city, and even a different part of the province. Many growers may only have the time and resources to sell their wares in one or two parts of town, if they’re lucky. Farmers’ markets are highly competitive, with guidelines, fees, and red tape every which way. Pop-up markets don’t require long-term commitment (one day only!) and they foster relationships between people as they get to know the farms, the growers, and even the shop that’s hosting the pop-up. It keeps everyone engaged and interested, not to mention well-fed!

When I arrived at Crème Fraîche, I was treated to a fabulous, beautiful spread of vegetables from Samsara Fields, a local organic Ontario farm owned by organic growers JP Gural and So Young Lee. Samsara Fields, located in Waterford, Ontario, aims to provide local food security in the form of organic heirloom vegetables – beans, corn, garlic, potatoes, peppers, peas, squash, the list goes on. After making my rounds inside the Crème Fraîche cafe (sadly, no cheddar black pepper scones yesterday but plenty of fall squash, herb plants, cheese, oats, beans, and lentils!) and having a great talk with Constance, I came back outside to take a look at what I wanted to bring home.

I was so happy when I found out So Young Lee had oodles of kale for sale! Crème Fraîche had a big basket of Scottish/curly kale outside and So Young Lee offered me a huuuge assortment of freshly picked kale (picked the day before!) straight from Samsara Fields. I was in awe at all the different types! I knew there was black kale and to a lesser extent, red kale, but I had never tried things like lacinato/dinosaur kale, premier kale, or Siberian kale before and I was delighted that I’d get the chance to take some home, especially since my mum had said she really wanted some. Fresh kale was priced at $5 a bag and I thought, “why not?” so So Young Lee fished a mountain of beautiful kale leaves out from the water where they were peacefully floating, in all different varieties, and stuffed a bag full for me. The leaves were s0, so beautiful and quite frankly, I was happy to spend the $5 and not have to chuck out a third of the bunch.

They were delicious with the spaghettini I had for dinner earlier today and it made me so happy knowing I was eating such yummy vegetables and also supporting a dedicated, loving couple who are passionate about food producing and organic farming and growing. I can’t wait to experience more pop-up markets at Crème Fraîche and to get more involved in everything else they have to offer including classes and cafe breakfast and brunch!

*****

Crème Fraîche Market Cafe is a cafe and local food shop located in the west end of Toronto in Annette Village/The Junction neighbourhod at 639 Annette Street. The shop is just several blocks west of Runnymede Road and south of Dundas Street West. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays), from 8am-8pm. Visit their official website HERE.

The Makings of a Summer Vegetable Garden Party – An August Sunday at the Leslieville Farmers’ Market

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Posted on August 13, 2012

Cool evening breezes, trips up north to the cottage and the lake, picnics in the park, garden parties, and dining outdoors with the sun softly setting in the sunset – at its best, this is what summer is all about. These photos from Leslieville Farmers’ Market were entirely inspired by my latest issue of Vegetarian Times magazine (with huge thanks to my best friend for gifting me a subscription!) and their story on garden fresh vegetables and beautiful garden party and patio dining. I know I’ve been whimpering about the sweltering heat all summer, but deep down, I do have a soft spot in my heart for summer evenings and delicious meals shared with family and friends outside with just a hint of nip in the air. The magazine story, titled “Summer’s Last Hurrah”, has such a relaxing, whimsical, bohemian feel to it and it’s the type of meal that I can only dream of having and hosting until the day I have my own home in the future: grilled stuffed peppers with fresh soft cheeses and corn, grilled crostini with rosemary olive oil, and heirloom tomato salad.

While my appetite seems to sing when spring and fall seasonal cuisine rolls around every year, summer vegetables are my favourite and it’s incredible how lush and delicious some of our crop has turned out this year despite the bad weather and yields that were, and are, well below average. I have had some of the best corn this summer and I’ve heard from others (because I’m allergic and can’t actually eat raw ones myself) that the peaches this time around are to die-for. Sometimes you go to the market with an idea of what you want to find and bring home and other times, like this, the market does the planning for you, giving you all the inspiration you need to make a week’s worth of fresh, healthy meals with things like radishes, yams, potatoes, carrots, tofu, summer squash, and more.

The market was so incredibly busy on this particular day with lineups left and right at many of the hot food vendors (my boyfriend and I even joined in on the fun, grabbing some sizzling tofu and mushroom rollups from Ying Ying Gourmet Soy Foods that tasted absolutely amazing!) and tiny tots shouting at the tops of their lungs professing their love for popsicles (read: Augie’s Gourmet Ice Pops). My favourites from this particular August visit: big and bright golden yellow cauliflower; vibrant, round purple Japanese eggplants (I found out they’re a variety called kamonasu!*); lobster mushrooms from Forbes Wild Foods; and a rainbow of tomatoes and baby garlic carrots from the Greenhouse Eatery!

Market vendors and farmers’, for the most part, have been incredibly friendly to me whilst watching me tote my camera around their wares, but there’s always someone who stands out from the bunch with a witty quip or just all-around great conversation. The nice ladies of the Greenhouse Eatery made me smile and giggle a little after I asked if it would be okay if I snapped a few shots of their beautiful and colourful produce, to which they replied, “Ooo, can we make it look pretty first??” as they started rearranging tomatoes and carrots for me for prettier angles and shot. I thought that was so cute and sweet. And it’s a good thing I came to their table when I did because soon enough, a crowd had gathered behind and around me and arms were reaching from all over place grabbing every last bunch of carrots. No joke. There were two gentlemen who were jokingly fighting over the carrot bunches as they each wanted the entire table’s worth! Foodies or not, nothing comes between a person and their delicious food or in this case, market produce!

*****

* Source = Just Hungry

Leslieville Farmers’ Market is located at Jonathan Ashbridge Park on Queen Street East and Woodward Ave. Jonathan Ashbridge Park is located in between Greenwood and Coxwell Ave., and can be accessed via public transit by way of the Queen Street 501 streetcar. The market is new to the lineup of Toronto markets this year and is held every Sunday from 9am-2pm. The last market of the year is on October 28, 2012. Visit their website to sign up to their newsletter, to get involved, and to learn more.

Sampling Cheese, Picking Up Dips & Cornbread, and Seeing Beautiful Food – Summer at Evergreen Brick Works

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Posted on July 29, 2012

Going to Evergreen Brick Works always feels like a special day trip right here in the city. It’s like a little oasis, combining urban and grassroots with its nature trails, scenic gardens, and historic industrial heritage. Evergreen Brick Works is a thriving hubbub of activity with so much more than just their Saturday morning farmers’ market to offer. There are site tours, outdoor fitness activities, gardening and cooking workshops, programs and camps for children, film screenings, family pizza nights, tastings, beer and brewery gardens, a Sunday morning antique market, local food festivals, a lovely cafe and farm-to-table restaurant, a portion of the area dedicated to cycling and hiking with workshops and community events, expos and installations (they’re currently promoting their MOVE: Transportation Expo and let me tell you, it is fantastic!), and of course, the venue and host of some of the city’s most popular food events such as Toronto Underground Market and most recently, Lobster Love.

My latest visit was my first since Earth Day in April and my first during the summer months in general! I had never been to the Brick Works in the summer before so I was itching to visit the beautiful and gigantic outdoor market to pick up some delicious food, in addition to checking out the MOVE expo, eating at Cafe Belong (you knew a blog post on Cafe Belong would come eventually!), and walking around the grounds a little bit on a warm summer morning. It was wonderful. I was there bright and early, just before it got too hot and being there felt so nice and invigorating. The farmers’ market was already crawling with a large crowd of people and it was so exciting to see the market in its summer form.

I drooled over the fresh corn tortillas by Maizal, nibbled on one very delicious pork sausage and cheese roll that my boyfriend had bought (piggy in a cheese blanket!), sampled some amazing cheeses, and picked up some corn bread, two spreads and dips by Mad Mexican (a turtle black bean and jalapeno dip and a roasted tomatillo and avocado salsa!), and a beautiful and delicous fresh fruit tart with kiwi, candied oranges, and tiny bright red gooseberries! Gooseberries aren’t something you see very often on baked goods and pastries and they were so sweet and cute dangling from their stem, all chubby-like in their cluster. I wanted to share with you all some of my favourite photos from the market that morning and some of the things I loved the most including garlic scape pesto, gorgeous heirloom and yellow tomatoes, bright and colourful swiss chard stems, pints of blueberries and tomatillo peppers, “rainbow” green, yellow, and purple wax beans (these beans make for fabulous salads!), and lots of cheese!

I also love, love, LOVE that a whole section of the market is dedicated to prepared food. It makes it so much to fun to eat and grocery shop at the same time! On hand in the EBW market “food court” were LPK with their vegan baked goods, Chocosol, Mad Mexican chips, salsas, and dips along with Maizal corn tortillas, crepes, grilled cheese and scrambled egg sandwiches, cupcakes, salad plates, scones, waffles, and so much more. One of these days I will do a market “food court” post and get a bunch of different things to show you all! This visit was probably my most favourite out of all my trips and it was so much fun seeing Evergreen in all its summer glory.

*****

Evergreen Brick Works is located at 550 Bayview Ave. The farmers’ market takes place year-round every Saturday from 8am-1pm. If taking public transit, there is a free shuttle bus that operates 7 days a week beside Broadview subway station, as well as the 28A Davisville TTC bus that runs on Saturdays from 8am-3pm between Evergreen Brick Works and Davisville subway station. Click here to learn more the site, their events and programs, and how to get here by bus, bike, car, or foot.

Ate by Ate

Scrapbooking and photographing sweet treats and good eats in and around Toronto, bite by bite

Tag Archives: farmers’ markets

Asparagus, Pastries, Soaps & More at the Liberty Village Farmers’ Market! The Ate by Ate Daily, Vol. 010

Farmers’ Markets Returning – and Debuting! – in June 2013 in the City

A Rainbow Sea of Fruit & Vegetables – Asparagus, Cherries, Berries & More at The Farmers’ Market on Main Street Markham!

A Day of Kale & Lettuce – Leafy Greens, Jarred Sauces, and Fall Pastries & Vegetables at Wychwood Barns

Pop-Up Farmers’ Markets, Organic Veggies, & Lots of Kale! Samsara Fields at Crème Fraîche Market Cafe

The Makings of a Summer Vegetable Garden Party – An August Sunday at the Leslieville Farmers’ Market

Sampling Cheese, Picking Up Dips & Cornbread, and Seeing Beautiful Food – Summer at Evergreen Brick Works