Do you like to munch on a spindly carrot fresh out of the garden? Are fresh flowers your way of detracting from the fact that you haven't cleaned your kitchen in a week? Can your tastebuds distinguish between smoked salmon and smoked trout?
If you answered "Yes!" to these questions, then you (like me) are probably enamored by farmers' markets. Rolling out of bed to watch sunbeams dance on homemade and locally-grown goodies is bliss, in my book.
BW and I have been blessed to live near two particularly exceptional markets: The St. Paul Farmers' Market in Minnesota and Náplavka in Prague. They may be an ocean apart, but they raise the bar for what locally-grown markets should be.
BW and I have been blessed to live near two particularly exceptional markets: The St. Paul Farmers' Market in Minnesota and Náplavka in Prague. They may be an ocean apart, but they raise the bar for what locally-grown markets should be.
How do they measure up?
Náplavka in Prague wins points for location; it's on the vibrant Vltava riverbank, where you can sip coffee and watch boats and bicyclists glide by. We're also partial to its mix of eat-now treats like honey wine and Halušky (Slovak dumplings) and take-home gems like free-range eggs and forest mushrooms. There are plenty of places to sit, including a small barge stacked with chairs and tables, so we can stuff ourselves there for brunch and then sizzle up a wholesome dinner later with our purchases. And dogs are allowed!
Negatives? It can get very crowded, and booths tend to be small and squished together. Produce options are limited, too, thanks to the country's geography.
Our favorites are the Croatian seafood guy, dried fruits and nuts, fresh-baked pastries, and Cerny rybiz wine.
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St. Paul in Minnesota is plumb full of colorful fruits and veg; its atmosphere is visually gob-smacking and the stalls all look like Monet paintings. It's open-air but has a roof so you can shop rain or shine. The variety of produce is seasonal yet vast, from kohlrabi to tomatillos to summer squash, and the bedding plants and herbs are just as abundant. Homemade products range from maple syrup to cayenne popping corn, and there are plenty of samples to be had. No dogs are allowed, but that's prudent, as people really pack in.
Negatives? Free parking has been reduced thanks to ballpark construction. Seating is hard to come by, and, yes, it can get quite crowded, too.
Our favorites are the beef jerky lady, floral arrangements, green beans and cinnamon-creamed honey
The details, because you should visit these places if you can:
Náplavka
Location:
the Rašínovo nábřeží riverbank, under the Palackého
náměstí tram stop
Open: Saturdays 8:00-14:00
Visitors: "Hundreds and thousands," according to web site
What can you
buy?: Fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers according to the season. Dairy
products – cow, goat, sheep, mostly cheeses. Freshwater fish – pike perch,
carp and eel. Meet and sausages. Free range eggs, inland mushrooms, honey,
honey brandy, pastry, spices and fresh unpasteurized milk.
Web
site: http://www.farmarsketrziste.cz/en/
St. Paul
Location: Lowertown Arts District - 290 E 5th St, Saint Paul MN 55101
Open: Saturdays 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM, May 3 - November 22, 2014
Visitors: Around 8,000 each weekend
What can you buy?: Fresh, locally grown produce, bakery goods, cheese, poultry, buffalo, venison, beef, pork, lamb, maple syrup, eggs, bagel sandwiches, honey, organic plants and produce, flowers, plants, shrubs and many other items.
Web site: http://stpaulfarmersmarket.com
Thanks to our parental helpers for lending their farmers' market expertise to this post!
