Saturday Farmer's Market Bounty

Its been a few weeks since I managed to be "up and at em" early enough to make my way to the Saturday Farmer's Market at KCC. The market runs from 7:30 to 11:00 but if I am not there by 7:30 or 8:00, I usually won't go--it is so popular that things tend to run out pretty quickly. Since my CSA box "took a holiday" this week, I needed some lettuce and other produce and some things for a couple recipe challenges so I headed on down. The crowds were out as usual--I miss the "old days" when there were about half the people that there are now--the place gets crazy sometimes.

But you have to love it as this is THE Farmer's Market to go to and one of the only ones featuring all local produce from Hawaii. The quality and freshness are outstanding and the prices are good (for Hawaii mind you) for what you get.

So what ended up going home with me in my market bag today?

--2 bags of mixed local greens

--a couple of cucumbers

--3 mangos

--2 bags of Chinese parsley (cilantro)

--a small bag of shitake mushrooms

--a small bag each of flat leaf parsley, shiso leaf, mint and apple mint (great in juice or tea)

--a catnip pillow toy for Max (bring on the kitty high!)

--the smallest bag of Ogo (seaweed) that I could talk the vendor into selling me for something I am making for a challenge

--a jar of Mango Jam from Maui (I tasted it and couldn't resist!)

--2 bottles of my favorite curry powder (Kaiulani spices--$5.00 each here rather than about $7.00 in the stores)

--a bag of limes

--small bag of yellow and red cherry tomatoes

--a large bag of local tangerines picked this morning (they don't look ripe but as I have come to learn from experience and from the growers, it is not the color that matters, it is the softness--these are soft, ripe and sweet)

I sometimes try something from one of the food vendors at the market. Today I bought a Burmese Chicken Curry and a Mango Sticky Rice from a sweet lady selling food from Thailand, Nepal, Burma and other places that she had lived. I am not sure I have ever had Burmese food before (it is supposed to have strong influences from both China and India according to this site) and this looked good. Served on top of a thick, almost udon-like noodle, the curry came with a little container of lemon juice to pour on top.

Very tangy but mildly spiced, with cabbage and onions, the curry was good and filling. I might have to try cooking some Burmese food myself. I have a passion for mango-sticky rice and this one was good and creamy, the mango very sweet.

Max loves his catnip pillows from the ladies that sell all the herbs. Only a $1, it is cheap entertainment and gets chased around the room, held and licked until it's all wet and then laid on. After some "munchies" and a nap it starts all over again...

In other Saturday news, some ducks have "adopted" my front lawn and come by frequently to hang out and see if I'll feed them like the neighbors seem to. I try not to, and never in my yard as the "thanks" they leave is messy, but they still stop by most days. Yesterday they laid in front of the driveway to the carport and it took me almost 10 minutes to get them moved so I could drive out. Max likes to lay in front of the screen door--sometimes they come up and look at him and "quack" at him.

Well that is the report from my neighborhood today. I am heading off for some dinner with friends.