I guess I've done a bit of shopping recently Part 2 of 4

Farmer's Market Edition!

The Berkeley Farmers Market is near Berkeley High School and is held every Saturday. My friend agreed to help out a vendor and I went with him and decided to do a bit of shopping. At least in my experience farmer’s markets tend to be a little on the expensive side albeit the goods are fresher and taste better. One of the things I’ve learned is to stay absolutely away from things that took more labor like the honey, oil,  and ice cream that are all organic and the artisanal cheeses and fresh baked bread.  And don’t even get me started on the prices for the meat and seafood items. I’d go broke immediately.

Always, always, always buy in season. Which you know, isn’t that hard at a farmer’s market. Also, go for things that you wouldn’t be able to get at the local grocery store anyway. Some of the items I bought because I knew I couldn’t get them at a normal grocery market. Some I got because I really like them.

• One bunch of cilantro $1 (I just happen to really like cilantro)
• 1 WHITE eggplant $0.75 (I don’t remember how much it was per pound, but who knew eggplants came in colors other than purple??)
• 1 bunch of red-green onions $1.50 (another one of those I didn’t know they could come in different colors. The name isn’t very good thought. Basically green onions with red roots, instead of white). 
• 1 leek, $2/pound and probably about ¾ of a pound, $1.50. (Another kind of produce I just really enjoy)
• ¾ lb red-green zebra tomatoes for $2/lb, $1.75 (They were just so pretty.)
• 4 Serrano peppers, 0.35 (I was out of jalapenos, plus the jalapenos I got weren’t very spicy… BTW, 0.09 each)
• 1 FREE CARROT (A carrot fell out of one of the bunches so the vendor asked me if I wanted it, who am I to say no to free food?)

Farmer’s Market Total: $1+$0.75+$1.50+$1.50+$1.75+$0.35= $6.85

On another note; the things that I wanted but didn’t get from the Farmer’s Market:

• A block of yummy and delicious sheep’s cheese. But the tiny thing was $8.
• I really wanted some quark which is a cow’s milk product. But it was $12/pound and being sold by the half pound. 
• There was a vendor selling percentages of entire heads of cattle. I didn’t really want this one, I was just very intrigued. 
• Organic ice cream. So deliciously creamy. I didn’t even go to the vendor because I knew the price would make me cry. 
• Pickled cactus. I don’t remember how much it was but I remember thinking it was pricey. 
• From the same vendor; pico de gallo and a delicious soup.