Are the big purple things on the right potatoes? Wow. That's some fine produce there, Imec. I particularly covet the little beets with their gorgeous greens.
Yes - the purple things are potatoes (look for an image of the cut potatoes in "Color!"). The beets are the golden variety and were as sweet as candy with a beautiful earthy background note.
Whooo ~~ what a feast for the eyes! The rest of the senses must have been reeling as well, as you walked through that cornucopia, smelling the freshness and happily imagining all you could do with such perfect produce.
I don't often buy aubergines, because I don't find them very interesting, but tonight I made an exception when I saw these 'graffiti' aubergines (according to the sign) at the supermarket. They are from Italy.
Imec, WOW! I got really excited to see those yellow, red, white and orange carrots because I have just received my seed for all those colours from Baker's Heirloom Seeds. All I have to do now is get then in the ground tomorrow and soon I'll show off my own!Whoo Hoo!
So far, only manila mangoes are really in season, whereas my beloved ataulfos are still slightly scarce and more expensive. The grenadillasare really starting to show up. Nothing else here that you all haven't seen before -- tomatoes, carrots, poblano peppers, cauliflower, nopal, cilantro.
I'm back from today's market with my handy little cart --->
I used to schlep everything in shoulder bags, which meant not buying some things because of weight, plus stuff getting smushed as I maneuvered my way through the crowded market. The luggage dolly + laundry basket arrangement means I can get a watermelon if I feel like it.
Today's haul included a begonia, some kind of trailing succulent, a rag rug, a little dress for my blender, onions, potatoes, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, baked goods, bananas, papaya, greens, cilantro, and a super, seasonal treat.
The big cookies are made from raw sugar and are called conejos -- rabbits. On the border, the same cookies are called marranos -- pigs. Go figure. The muffin is "panqué", i.e., pound cake.
Cilantro -- it's always sold with roots on here, as is parsley
BIG bananas!
These are sold in every Mexican market -- mixed greens. The contents can vary depending on season and locale. Some of the ingredients might be considered weeds, such as lamb's quarters, but are greatly valued here. This bag contains chepil, corn, pieces of cut-up squash, plus squash greens and flowers.
Inside the bag. The chepil is on top. It is Crotalaria longirostrata and its use may be specific to Oaxaca. It has a rich, fresh but not raw flavor with a nice, slightly mucilaginous texture.
But this ~~ this was the crowning jewel of the day, the season's first wild mushrooms
I didn't expect to see chanterelles down there. I discovered the chanterelle mother lode up on the mountain behind my house some 15 years ago, but they petered out and now there are none there. It certainly wasn't overharvesting as I always left far more than I picked but they were in a transition forest of alder and the Douglas Firs (as they always will here) took over. My favorite prep for a big load of chanterelles (I would come down from the mountain with a hiking pack full) was to make a huge pot of cream of mushroom soup from them. They also are great coarsely chopped in scrambled eggs and as a topping for a simple pizza.
*snork!* True, Kerouac, that is a great deal of produce. It's hard not to over-buy at the Abastos. For instance, I had my muffin & was happy with that. But walking down the aisle of Tehuanas (women from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec), one of my regular vendors called out, "Oye, güera!" and gestured at her last remaining bag of rabbits/pigs. Then, when I was buying the mushrooms, the vendor touted her greens as being string-free (& they were!). I do make lots of stuff for the freezer, but that amount of mushrooms was because of sheer greed.
Fumobici, the terrain here is so varied that we get all kinds of surprising things. Up in the mountains, it's misty and rather cold, plus there are pine trees -- an entirely different environment from the valley.
I sauteed some minced garlic & a little bit of jalapeño in some olive oil, then threw in the mushrooms whole. When they were cooked & exuding their liquor, I put in a small splash of mezcal. It came out beautifully and there's a good bit deal left over, so I can try one of your suggestions. Thanks!
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous Bixa! How lucky to have access to really wild mushrooms - Clever one you, using the luggage carrier to haul the shopping back home!
I have a granny cart too, though not on steroids like bixas. It is mostly used for schlepping cat litter, soil for plants and other heavy things, and in the wintertime when I don't cycle to the market (that is, when it is icy - I don't care if it is cold).
I really feel badly for you, Bjd. We had several years worth of extended dry seasons here and they can make you feel despair.
The wild mushrooms are a once-a-year treat, Tod. The lady said she'll have the big, thick red ones -- lobster mushrooms? -- on Friday.
The funny thing about the cart is that I've had it for at least 15 years, but now that most suitcases roll, it hadn't gotten any use for a long time. Then one day the light bulb went on over my head.
Thanks so much for your words, Mich. They made me feel quite fortunate.
Interesting points about getting around without a car, LaGatta. It's possible and even preferable in cities, convenient in countries such as Mexico, and almost impossible in suburban US.
Today's haul included a begonia, some kind of trailing succulent, a rag rug, a little dress for my blender, onions, potatoes, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, baked goods, bananas, papaya, greens, cilantro, and a super, seasonal treat.
? Don't tell me, Bixa. I bet you also crochet those covers for toilet paper rolls.
Lagatta, yesterday when I was in town, I seen a woman on a tricycle. An adult size tricycle! I loved it and want one when I return to the city to live. It had a lovely large basket behind the seat where you could certainly fill with cat litter, groceries etc. Cheers, Mich
? Don't tell me, Bixa. I bet you also crochet those covers for toilet paper rolls.
Don't tell me you're jealous?! It really does look like a little girl's sundress. If you're nice to me, I'll show you a picture so you can make your own. *snicker*
I don't know it, looks like it's a kind of hemp... you eat it?
Hemp??! ? It's not hemp-like at all, but a delicate green. You'd probably love it on one of those plates of raw vegetables you're always showing as part of your meals. I looked up "edible legume greens", and it appears we should be exploiting more of them: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/v1-391.html Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the list. You might already be eating some of them.
An adult size tricycle! I loved it and want one when I return to the city to live. It had a lovely large basket behind the seat where you could certainly fill with cat litter, groceries etc.
Mich, you don't have to stop with a mere rear basket. Scroll down to the photo of the popcorn cart in Reply #6 & read the side text here.
I need to get a larger basket for my bicycle to schlep more into on market days. This past week I drove because I knew I wanted to get watermelon and some other larger items.
I would love to get my hands on some chanterelles like those. I too,was somehow not associating your climate producing these gems Bixa.
I don't know if our springtime drought is going to affect our oyster mushroom harvest this year. I need to ask the resident mycologist what's up regarding this matter.
The only mushrooms I see at the market here are dried. There used to be a vendor there that had crimini mushrooms on a regular basis. I always bought from her.
I felt like doo-doo today, probably because I'm mildewing from the inside out, due to all the rain. Still, I had to go pick up the crawfish I ordered last Friday. I scored on some bell peppers -- usually scarce & expensive around here. Bought way too many. Also too many cucumbers, as they came in a bag of about a trillion for 10 pesos. Ditto parsley -- I couldn't find any & a woman heard me asking, so brought up a secret stash from behind her stand. What's that about? Anyway, she'd only sell me the entire monster bunch, another 10 peso purchase. I gave half of the parsley and half of the cukes to my neighbor. The other big thrill was finding crabs. The dreadful thing is that I still feel kind of nauseated, so haven't cooked any of this stuff.
Bixa, sorry to read that you are not feeling your best, wish I could be there to help you roast some of those peppers and enjoy learning from you what you will do with those crab and crayfish!! I would be very proud of that market trip!
Don, I am correct in guessing, calamai, crab cakes, clams and scallops, or maybe shrimp are on that platter? I was not hungry until I seen these two posts!
Shrimp (by far the best part), clam strips, "scallops", fish filet, "crabbe cake", etc.
It came with cole slaw, French fries and onion rings. I could have had a cup of soup instead of the slaw. I had to take the crabbe cake home. I had it for breakfast. Not bad.