3 Things to Pick Up at the Market This Weekend

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. 

A trip to our local farmers market is a weekly highlight for the Food52 editors. It's the perfect blend of old and new -- quick chats with familiar vendors coupled with anticipation for the latest items to arrive at the market. If fresh produce has the power to make you giddy too, join us: Here's what we can’t wait to pick up from the market -- and why you should be adding it to your bag, too.

Cantaloupe
We see your skeptical look, but a locally grown cantaloupe is nothing like the bland cubes found as placeholders on breakfast buffets year round. For your best shot at melon greatness, look for a bleached splotch from resting on the soil and give them the sniff test -- Catherine found mini ones so ripe she could smell their sweet aroma from 10 feet away. Don’t fret if you end up with a dud though; there’s hope for disappointing melons too.

Eggplant
Dressed in richly-colored glossy coats, eggplants are beautiful -- and a little intimidating. Brush up on how to select and prep eggplants and then follow Talia’s lead and make Yotam Ottolenghi’s Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce. For a hot weather-friendly option, skip the stovetop and treat your eggplant to a spin in the microwave.

Cape Gooseberries and Ground Cherries 
They're different species, but they look so similar they could be twins. The unusual taste of cape gooseberries and ground cherries is compared to various combinations of tomato, strawberry, mango, pineapple, vanilla, fig, grape, and more -- it’s enough to make your head spin. Just know that they can be used interchangeably in recipes. Peel off the husks and eat them straight out of the punnet or bake them into an upside-down cake; leave the husks on -- just peeled back -- and they’re ready to be dipped in chocolate.

Tell us: What are you adding to your market bag this week?

Photos by James Ransom