Food52 Life

4 Things to Pick Up at the Market This Weekend

July  5, 2014

Here at Food52, we like to talk about what we’re buying at the market: what’s new, what’s exciting, the market's best finds. This is our water cooler talk. And now, we want you to join in. 

4 Things to Pick Up at the Market This Weekend, from Food52

After a holiday filled with family time and endless activities, you might be looking for a brief respite. The farmers market is just the thing: You can stock up on supplies for the remainder of the weekend, and get a mini mental break to boot. Here’s what the Food52 editors can’t wait to pick up from the market -- and why you should be adding it to your bag, too.

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Sour Cherries
Hopefully you don't shop at the same markets we do, because we are buying all of the sour cherries (and making small sacrifices like foregoing afternoon coffee runs just so we can afford to go buy even more). We're using ours in pies, compotes, and crumbles -- and treating a select few to a boozy bath.

Lemon Thyme
Use this with fish, or vegetables like summer squash -- really, anywhere you'd use regular thyme and would like a little extra burst of citrus. And if peaches are already available in your area, you should be combining the two in a galette.  

4 Things to Pick Up at the Market This Weekend, from Food52

Zucchini
They've only recently arrived at the market, but if you saw our kitchen counter, you'd think we were deep into August, and a generous neighbor has unloaded a garden's worth of zucchini upon us. We're mainly making batch after batch of zucchini butter for every social gathering we attend -- but we're also baking, sautèing, frying, and shredding them.

Swiss Chard
It sucks you in with its technicolored stems, and you feel a bit smug about the virtuous addition to your bag, until you get home and wonder what to do with it. Fear not: Swiss chard is just as versatile as it is pretty. Eat it raw or cooked, and don't toss those stems!

What's catching your eye at your farmers market? Tell us in the comments!  

Photos by James Ransom

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Beth
    Beth
  • Whitney Haller
    Whitney Haller
  • Dina Moore-Tzouris
    Dina Moore-Tzouris
  • Andrea Young
    Andrea Young
I like esoteric facts about vegetables. Author of the IACP Award-nominated cookbook, Cooking with Scraps.

4 Comments

Beth July 14, 2014
I'm accustomed to steaming my chard and loving it, especially on the grill wrapped up in some aluminium foil with olive oil, salt, and pepper... but I just ate a raw rainbow chard salad with a light dollop of sour cream and a mustard vinaigrette that was fabulous. Stems included all the way down to the funky ends--all delicious!
 
Whitney H. July 5, 2014
I thought it was too early for sour cherries?
 
Dina M. July 5, 2014
I made quick-pickled chard stems from "Summerland" with my leftovers! They're so tasty!
 
Andrea Y. July 5, 2014
I have never seen fresh sour cherries down here in the Dallas area but I've heard they are to be snatched up if I ever see them! What makes them so awesome?