Columbus Foodie

Let me stress before I begin that this was a very, very, very light farmer’s market week for me, for a couple reasons that I’ll get into a little later. I’m so proud of myself – I only spent $12 total today. Way to stick to the budget plan. We did get up and at ‘em early – out the door by 7:15. Off to the North Market first, by 7:30am. Did some of the vendors wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? There was one (not sure who, tucked between Elizabeth Telling Farms and Toad Hill Organics) lady, first time someone approached her (didn’t even ask anything, was just looking) she snapped “I’m not open!”, when we were walking by a little later, after 8am, someone asked “what is this?” and she snapped back “parsley! don’t touch it!” Wowsers. And I thought I was in a pissy mood this morning. Good thing it wasn’t me she was barking at, as I would be having none of it. Which brings us to reason #1 why this is a light week – I did something bad to my hip and it’s killing me. Pain, pain, pain, and I’m not a very nice person when I’m in pain. So I can guarantee there won’t be much involved cooking coming up this week, unless it’s Paul that’s cooking it.

So anyway, back to the North Market. I didn’t even get my weekly dose of mushrooms, sadly enough. I deliberately planned the menu this week with no mushrooms so I wouldn’t be tempted to lay out a bunch of money for delicious shiitakes. Which brings us to reason #2 for a light week this week. Prices were so darn high. $5 for a pound of tomatoes. $1.25 for two (as in two total, not two pounds) small potatoes. $5-6/dozen for corn. Way, way, way too rich for my blood. I believe in eating local, really I do, but times are friggin’ tough. And unfortunately, I can’t justify paying what they’re asking for when I can get it cheaper at Whole Foods, of all places. I wouldn’t even pay $5/lb. for heirloom tomatoes, let alone a standard variety. I’m not sure if it’s just fuel costs trickling down to the consumer, or that the demand is higher because more people are buying at farmer’s markets due to the health scares with peppers and tomatoes and vendors think they can charge more now, but really – from now on, I’ll get locally what I can get a good deal on, and get the rest conventionally at the supermarket or Aldi or wherever it’s cheapest. Our biggest concern right now is to cut our food costs by like 50% and to eat mostly out of the pantry and freezer.

Rant over. I digress. Back to the North Market. Lots of variety this week. Unfortunately, Bridgman Farms no longer has that yummy lettuce mix until fall, so no local salad for me this week (although I just planted the salad mix in my Aerogarden, so only 2 or so weeks until I’m harvesting my own!) I got some Roma beans at Comb’s Herbs ($2.50 for a good sized container), but they also had these lovely green, purple, and yellow beans too.

Also at the North Market were these really cool looking hot pepper plants. I’m already up to my eyeballs in hot peppers (I never realized just how many peppers come from one plant!) so I passed, but I love the colors of this. It would make a pretty houseplant.

I didn’t find much else affordable at the North Market, so we were on our way, and got to Worthington way early, around 8:15 (supposedly 45 minutes before they open) and it was already so packed that it was really difficult to find a parking space. I picked up some interesting wineberries ($3) at Gillogly Orchard, and then headed across the street to look around. I was tempted by passed on these beautiful plums and apricots they were selling there.

Here’s some of that aforementioned $6/dozen sweet corn. Pretty but not $6/dozen pretty.

I also got some leeks across the way for $1.25 a bunch (2 per bunch), plus some sweet onions bunches ($1.25 each) from Pop and Judy’s.

And I saw the very first of the winter squash today. Tempting, but I passed, since most dishes I make with winter squash are more fall-oriented.

So then it was off to Clintonville, where I just got eggs (no milk or cream because Snowville wasn’t there today, unfortunately). No pics. My hip was killing me by then. So after a trip to Thurn’s, I’m home, hurting, and ready to go back to sleep. So where did you guys go today and what did you get?