A Day of Shopping In Providence

       Last Friday I received a call from an old friend that lives up in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  He said that he was coming to Providence on Saturday to do some extra-curricular activities.  I asked him if he was planning on staying overnight and said that he really hadn’t thought of it.  I told him that he was more than welcome to stay over and that we could have a nice dinner.  He was very excited because he knew that I threw down some serious chow when anyone visited me.  We said our goodbyes on the phone and then I sat there for a moment, thinking about what I could possibly come up with for dinner.  I went to bed with a fairly straight forward menu on my mind.

       The next morning, after numerous cups of coffee and a shower, I left the house to do some shopping for dinner.  The first place that I headed was the Hope Street Farmer’s Market.  This farmer’s market has been around for years, but its location has changed in the past few years, and I must say for the better.  Years ago, it was located in the driveway of Hope High School.  The market back then was Okay but nothing really special to write home about.  There was limited space for farmers to display their crops of tomatoes, corn and whatever else the good earth could produce here in Rhode Island. Back then, there were about 5 farms represented.

       Today the market has moved to Lippitt Memorial Park, where Hope Street and Blackstone Boulevard meet.  It’s it here that an astounding variety of goods and yes even services can be found.  The park is beautiful, with a restored fountain that was originally built in the 1930s.  Children play around it as parents keep a close eye on their offspring as so they will not actually get in the cool reflective pool of water on a hot steamy day.

The restored fountain at Lippitt Memorial Park

       The first item that was on my list was tomatoes.  I walked from my parking spot to the first vendor and found an ample supply of tomatoes.   There were the “Big Boy” variety as well as other popular strains, but there also was a great supply of heirloom tomatoes.  These are the tomatoes whose seeds have been lovingly cared for generations.  Most heirlooms are at least 50 to 100 hundred years old.  There were red, yellow, green and yes even “black” heirlooms available.  Their taste can vary from extra sweet to a tartness that most modern day tomatoes do not have.  Today I decided that I would not splurge on the heirlooms, because my budget couldn’t afford the $7 a pound price and because I really just want a delicious plain tomato for my “Jeweled Camprise Salad (see my Mozzarella blog for the recipe).  

Absolona Greenhouse stand

        Next to the tomato stand was Absolona Greenhouse, a one-acre hydroponic farm in Chepachet, Rhode Island.  The owner, Mark Phillips and I had a short conversation about a type of green that was in the mustard plant family that I had never heard of or tasted before.   Unfortunately, I couldn’t for the life of me remember the name of it for this blog entry and I had to reach Mark by phone, for him to tell me the name.  It’s called Mizuna. This elegant, deep green and saw-toothed leaf have a mild yet tangy flavor.  A Japanese green, Mizuna is generally mixed with other lettuces to enhance the appearance, flavor, and nutritional value of salad.   The leaves can be added to soups, add the shredded leaves at the end of cooking; the heat of the broth will cook them sufficiently.  

Mizuna

        I bought a small bag of Mizuna to add to my salad.  I stopped at cheese artisans stands, fresh seafood stands, herb stands, jelly and jam stands, bread stands and yes there is a knife sharpening stand, where   I stopped at cheese artisans stands, fresh seafood stands, herb stands, jelly and jam stands and yes there is a knife sharpening stand, where you may have the household knives and scissors sharpened while you stroll the market.

       I wanted to spend more time at the farmer's market, but I was burning daylight.  I proceeded north into the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island to pick up some steaks at my favorite butcher Armando & Sons.  It is the only place that I buy my meat.  The reason?  The freshness cannot be beat, and the prices are, well, astounding!  For example, I was looking for something special.  A porterhouse maybe or a sirloin.  They do have everything, and when I say everything I mean everything.  From burnt goat to veal shanks to chicken and different kinds of fowl to pork.  It is a veritable cornucopia of meaty goodness.  I looked at the porterhouse and it was a bargain at $6.99 a pound.  It looked great.  Oh, by the way, did I mention that the steaks are cut to your liking?  So in theory, you can get a steak that is three inches thick if you should so choose.

Armando and Son Meat Market

        While the porterhouse looked great, I decided on boneless sirloin steaks at $5.49 a pound.  They were a bit less in price and I wasn’t going to be paying for bone.  So as is the custom at Armando's, I took a number and waited my turn for it to be called.  I got two great looking steaks that were well marbled and trimmed of any excess fat.  I then made my way to the checkout.  Normally I would look around and see what’s new, but I still had one more stop to make before I headed home.  I got in my car and headed back to Providence to Federal Hill to Tony’s Colonial.   

Tony's Colonial Italian Market

        Tony's Colonial is by far my favorite Italian Market.  There are several others up on "the Hill", but to me, Tony's is the best.  Again the reason is the selection and their attentive customer service.  Today I needed to get some special mozzarella.  If you read my previous blog about mozzarella, you will know where I am coming from in this section.  Tony's make their own fresh mozzarella daily.  I decided to get a pound of it.  Tony packed it up in the plastic container and made sure that all of the cheese was covered with water so that no skin would form on the outer surface.  And then, I saw it!  There in front of me in the showcase was the holy grail of all mozzarella's, the Mozzarella di Bufala.  I could hardly believe my eyes.  It's very difficult to find here in the states and here, right under my nose was the King of Mozzarellas.  And as if it weren't enough that they actually were carrying it, the price was an incredible $10 a pound!  Amazing! Tony's also makes the best sweet and hot Italian sausage in Providence.  I decided to pick up a couple of pounds (even though I had no idea what I was going to do with it once I got it home.)

       I high tailed it back to my house with my goodies in hand and threw everything in the refrigerator.  I then remembered to put a bottle of Luna di Luna Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio in the fridge to cool down.  Luna di Luna is a brand of everyday Italian table wines. The wines are produced in different regions, reflecting diverse grapes and terroirs. The signature wines are a blend of two grapes, such as Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio, Merlot/Cabernet, Sangiovese/Merlot, etc., hence the “two moons” of the brand.

The wine is light and refreshing and the bottles are very cool.

Luna id Luna Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio

       My dinner for my friend went off without a hitch, except for the fact that we had a torrential downpour when I wanted to grill the steaks outside.  No matter, I pulled out my new Cuisinart indoor grill and gave that a try.  The steaks came out perfectly on it.  So my point to this entry is, try to go to a local farmer's market and see what there is to offer.  I think you might be surprised.  Also whenever possible, I try to you use local businesses as opposed to large chains.  You will usually get a level of service that you are not accustomed to and the quality will most likely much better as well!  And I bet you just might make a new friend in the process!  I know I have!

So there you have it!  Farmer's Market 101!

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       All the best to you and those you hold dear, and only the best on your table!  Until next time, I remain yours, Bobby.