Sunday 30 March 2014

Flemington Farmers Market

Until a local farmers market open last year, I visited many farmers markets in Melbourne.  Then we had our own and I haven't ventured far afield since then.  This weekend I had a yen to go to a farmers market.  The fifth weekend doesn't offer many farmers markets.  Thank goodness that Flemington Farmers Market is on every Sunday.  I really enjoyed our visit there and am sure I will return some time.

Our first stop was at the Red Beard Bakery from Trentham.  We tasted their sourdough hot cross buns and immediately bought a six pack.  They were light and fluffy but substantial too.  I looked longingly at the loaves of bread but I have a sourdough starter begging for attention.  Then I dragged Sylvia away from the bread tasting.

Before any more purchases, we walked around the market to get a sense of what was there.  It is always overwhelming to see the array of goodies on offer at a farmers market and it was hard to know where to start.  We walked by the cat treats, the oversized zucchini and the fundraising honey joys.

We began with a snack.  Not one of these pies.  Firstly we shared a soft chewy salted pretzel.  I looked at the Pure Pie stall longingly but they did not seem to have any vegetarian ones that were warm.  It was too early for pies.

Instead Sylvia and I shared a Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart.  They were rich and gooey.  So gooey that I rushed back for some serviettes.  But very delicious.


Then I bought some garlic.  Because we needed it.  And I liked the sound of elephant garlic.  We wandered around and bought vegies from a few stalls.  Two coloured corn, green and yellow zucchini, rainbow chard, purple kale, broccoli, onions.

I really liked the peppercorn tree in the middle of the market.  We stopped there to sample cheese.  Sylvia was very taken by the BoatShed Sun Smoke Cheese and we bought a wedge for $15.  (Not the price we usually pay for cheese but we both love our smoky flavours.)

I was particularly taken by this eclectic stall with the Wild Dog Natural Produce's Strawberry Vinegar.  Sylvia would have stayed and drunk all the tester vinegar.  Instead I bought a bottle ($9 for 250ml) which we took home to drink like cordial with soda water.  It is so so so delicious.  It was only through a little self control that we didn't drink the whole bottle today.

Next we headed over to the apple stall and tasted the three on offer from the Otways.  I really wanted to like the Cox Pippins because I love the name but the Jonagold were crisper.  Sylvia loved the red ones (I think they might have been Akane) so we bought a few of these too.  Don't the apples look just beautiful.  I turned some of them into a crumble tonight.

On the way out I started wondering about lunch.  We stopped at the pie man by the entrance and bought a wagyu sausage roll for E, a morroccan sweet potato pasty for me and a frangipani berry tart for E.  Sylvia got another pretzel.  My pastry had beautiful flaky pastry but was quite spicy.

Here is most of the food I bought.  One of the reasons I went to the farmers market was that I had made an effort to use up (almost) all the vegetables in the fridge.  I was delighted that I managed to get all the vegetables into the fridge.  I feel well stocked yet again and ready to face the week.

Flemington Farmers Market
Mount Alexander College
169-175 Mount Alexander Road, Flemington, Vic 3031

 Every Sunday 9am - 1pm
www.flemingtonfarmersmarket.com.au

20 comments:

  1. I feel like I was there with you! I love these kind of markets. The chocolate tart looks so good

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  2. Thanks for a fun trip around your market. Makes me hungry just looking at these photos!

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  3. I love markets, looks like you got a fabulous haul!

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  4. Oh, I envy you! I haven't managed to get to a farmers' market in weeks, due to extreme business alternating with extreme tiredness. And this coming weekend doesn't look good either. Maybe April 12th...

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    1. Thanks Catherine - this is the second farmers market I managed to get to this year - the first was the week before - often I am too busy or have too many vegies about to justify going - but I did think of you at the markets as I know it is one you have been to a lot

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  5. What a wonderful market. Wish I had one like this near me

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  6. That chocolate salted caramel sounds deliciously gooey! :D

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  7. Those apples look fantastic - and bizarrely, are all varieties I've never heard of. Do you think apple types vary by state?! I think I'd have wanted to drink all the strawberry vinegar too, and mixing it with soda water sounds lovely.

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    1. Thanks Kari - I was surprised at the apple varieties - cox pippins is what I think of as a very British variety and I had never heard of one (not even sure I got the name right) - I have heard of the jonagolds but even these I am not sure you would find at your supermarkets - quite different to the apple stall at the Coburg Farmers Market that I like which has the pink ladies and royal gala that you find in supermarkets (but far superior ones)

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  8. What a fancy farmer's market! I want those hot cross buns and the tarts so badly.

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  9. I love going to farmer's markets, and also living vicariously through others' farmer's market experiences! Those hot cross buns - YUM.

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  10. Oh Johanna! I can not wait until our markets are open. It is taking forever for Spring to arrive but when it does, our markets will be stocked with all types of goodies. Although, I must say, the ones around here don't usually offer so many tastings:) It sounds like you and Sylvia had a memorable time! Thank you so much for sharing...

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    1. Thanks Louise - one of the things I love most about the farmers markets is the tasting but it becomes harder with a contrarian child who when she likes something sees no reason to stop tasting - kids don't understand money and commerce enough for it to make sense - I sent Sylvia to buy an ice cream the other day and had to send her back to get change after she gave the lady the money!

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    2. Hi Johanna,
      It is never to late to teach children the concept of money. I use to "charge" my children to buy back their toys if they left them strewn all over the place. 1 penny here 5 cents there and they eventually got the hang of it not to mention they were more mindful of leaving their toys around, lol...I must say, I'm a little surprised the lady didn't give Sylvia her change back automatically...

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    3. That sounds like a great idea, Louise - I keep thinking I need to set up a bank account for Sylvia - we do have a money box which I think is useful as we have taken money out to go places. The woman did give sylvia her change but sylvia walked away when she walked across to the cash register which isn't right at the counter in that cafe.

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    4. Oh, that makes me feel so much better, Johanna. I thought she was taking advantage of her. Whew!

      A bank account is a great idea, Johanna. That didn't work with my kids until they were a bit older. Now, taking money out of their piggy banks to "pay" for their own stuff, well, that was toally different. They not only had to learn the difference between a nickel and a dime but they had to learn how much they were suppose to get back in change too, lol...

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  11. A Saturday/Sunday morning spent browsing a Farmers market is my ideal weekend activity :) This market looks particularly charming. Those apples are so gorgeous. And now I really want hot cross buns!

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    1. Thanks Emma - I love to visit a farmers market but I need energy and an empty(ish) fridge and this year I haven't had many weekends with the right conditions - so it feels really good to get along there this weekend. The apples were from the Otways which is down near where I grew up so that made me even happier to buy them.

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  12. Estupendo mercado muy completo me gusta el cupcake patriótico con los colores de la bandera,abrazos

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  13. The Flemington Farmers Market is great. My wife and I often visit on a Sunday and leave with a box full of great produce from various vendors. Worth it for fresh 5 & Dime bagels alone!

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