Market to Kitchen

I love Farmers' Markets. I like the sense of community, wandering around with a basket and asking people about what they make. It's easy to forget that we actually make things here. We grow things here. Not everything comes in crates across oceans with a "Made in _____" any other country in the world label. I like to see what things people come up with sometimes after long hours spent contemplating a thing or from the scraps of something else. Do-It-Yourself tasks are amazing and since I rarely get the opportunity to spend time on DIY projects...I'll go to Farmers' Markets and buy the wares of others who do.

I recently too a Saturday off, a rare occurrence in my world, and spent the day wandering about and along the way I came across the Farmers' Market in Old Town Alexandria. I bought a basket, bangles made from the fabric scraps left behind by a woman who makes beautiful quilted bags, homemade tortellini, flowers (which are still beautiful two weeks later), fresh strawberries, tea and chai from a group of young men who'd decided to start a business, and listened to a man and wife play Spanish guitar. It was a great day and as I walked down to the waterfront to enjoy a cup of tea and dip into my strawberries I had to wonder why I don't allow myself more days like that...allow seems an odd choice of word but it's fitting. It's something I need to work on...taking more time off to wander.

As I love these markets it was a great surprise to find DailyCandy, yet another deal friendly, regionally specific site, send me an email entitled, 'Market to Kitchen'. Which highlighted upcoming cooking classes - offered by Loulies.com - in DC which start at the Farmers' Market and migrate to a kitchen to cook, can, and enjoy all for $25 per class. I cannot wait to sign up for some of these classes and see how I can make a trip to the market even more worthwhile, not just as someone who enjoys them but as someone who understands how to appreciate the richness of the produce on display and what to do with it when I bring it back to my kitchen.