Category Archives: au marché

April 23, 2013 · 7:10 pm

au marché: the san francisco ferry building

Photos by Lauren DeFilippo

There are cities that you assume have a phenomenal market, and San Francisco is among them. The Ferry Building more than meets expectations, with a combination of indoor purveyors, outdoor stalls and in-house restaurants that could make other culinary cities jealous.

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Among the edibles that made me most envious: peppercress. I’ve never tasted this baby green before, and boy is it fantastic (and spicy!!). So is anchovy cress and mustard cress. New York, you seriously need to work on the super-flavored greens. Washing it down with the sweetest little nub of a carrot makes the experience all the better.

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Also enviable: the airy, spacious—but protected—atrium of the market. On a sunny day, of course,  outside is better, but in the drizzly rain the Ferry Building still seems gorgeously lit.

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A pit stop at Hog Island Oyster reminded me of my days in Paris, where I used to slurp oysters stall-side with nary so much as a slice of lemon. (They have condiments and bread at HIO, but the proximity to fresh produce is the point.)

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It was there that I tried my first Alaskan oyster. From Glacier Point, this particular mollusk boasted a mellow salinity and remarkably clean sweetness that made it prime for condiment-free slurping.

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For those of us who need more than a mollusk in the morning, the nearby biscuit shop will do you well. I opted for the lemon/rosemary, which had actual tart chunks of candied citrus. The crumbly texture was actually like a soft scone, but I’m no stickler for terminology.

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Those with more ample appetites would enjoy the breakfast bars slinging hot sandwiches, such Cowgirl Creamery. I, myself, frequented Mariposa, whose faux rye bread made for a delicious smoked salmon breakfast sandwich.

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If you’ve funkier tastes, consider the array of local ‘shrooms. I eyed them from Mariposa each morning, wishing I had a kitchen in which to play.

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But of all the things I envied most, it was the incredible fruits. Strawberries whose fragrance seduced from yards away. Kumquats so sweet you wouldn’t even make a lemon face. (Though, admittedly, I do like my kumquats sour.) Dried pluots from Bella Viva Orchards that quite literally blew my mind.

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That first day, I left the market with an incredible taste of place. But I returned, almost daily, to dine at the Slanted Door or Boulette’s Larder, to graze on samples of dark chocolate coffee toffee or to simply daydream about the things I’d do with such produce in my kitchen.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who comes here for inspiration, as I spotted local food legend Alice Waters perusing the stalls at the larger Saturday outdoor market. A vote of confidence if there ever was one.

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January 27, 2013 · 9:24 pm

au marché: pike place market

While preparing for my recent trip to Seattle, I started having “fish fantasies”. There I’d be, in a yellow rain slicker, steaming cup of coffee in hand, hanging with the Pike Place fishmongers at 5am.

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Needless to say, my co-travelers weren’t having this. But I did motivate them to head to market around 8:30, on a surprisingly sunny day, with the promise of coffee in their near future.

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For all my fantasizing, I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew they might throw fish, a quirky gimmick I’d witnessed in the opener for Seattle’s Real World. Given the market’s tv-ready renown, I assumed I was walking into a relatively delicious tourist trap.

First, let me attest that throwing fish is a pretty efficient way to move the product. When we arrived, there were very few other onlookers, so we got to chat a bit with the ‘mongers about their fish flinging style. They also let us taste their smoked salmon (I hate this “word”, but mouthgasm seems an appropriate descriptor), and sold us a bit of salmon jerky for the road, while I wantingly eyed the king crab legs.

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As impressive as the fish was, the biggest surprises at Pike’s were the flowers and fruit. Generously bursting bouquets of cabbage flowers sold for the New York price of a bad bunch of dyed carnations. The range of local,  vividly-hued produce was also impressive, especially the iconic-ly tart local citrus: satsumas. We were also seduced by one vendor’s chili-spiced spin on huckleberry jam. In short, the whole market was a series of sensory revelations.

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If I did have one critique of the market, it would be this: when the other tourists did arrive, few of them seriously shopped. It’s hard to support a market on tourism alone, and you could hear it in the mongers’ banter. “Step right up, anyone with money.” “Someone here who actually wants to shop?”

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It killed me not to have a kitchen. Next time I go to Seattle, I’m cooking for myself.

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April 24, 2012 · 2:03 pm

au marché: open season at the new amsterdam market

The uncanny warmth of spring in New York City has inspired a flux in outdoor activity, from tanning to rooftop barbecues. Among the most celebrated gifts of the unexpected sunshine is the bounty of the city’s markets.

With more than 50 greenmarkets in New York City alone, everyone from the Brooklyn hipster, to the Upper West Side nanny, to the Wall Street mogul has access to a cluster of occasion farmstands in their neighborhood. But those who prize quality over convenience will attest that not all vendors are made equal. Despite the popularity of the notable “greenmarket” conglomerate – including the inimitable Union Square Greenmarket – independent cooperatives continue to be standout crowd-pleasers, such as the Hester Street Fair, Smorgasburg or the DeKalb Market.

My personal favorite stop for outdoor shopping is the New Amsterdam Market, opening for the season on Sunday, April 29th. Reviving the site of the historic Fulton Street fish market, NAM recruits an impressive range of entrepreneurial edibles, from food trucks to spin-offs of brick and mortar establishments, artisanal Brooklynites and farmers from both New England and the Tri-State area.

An added asset of NAM is its accessibility to bikers, since the waterside market sits along the East River bikepath. Among the worthy pit-stop snacks : the refreshing and savory “cold grilled cheese” from Morris (ricotta, zucchini, cucumber and mint on grilled sourdough) or the delicious brain freeze of red plum shaved ice by People’s Pops.  For those with less of an appetite, there are plenty of outstanding take-home treats, including the slightly sour and hearty Finnish Ruis bread by Nordic Breads or the award-winning Cabot’s Clothbound Cheddar from The Cellars at Jasper Hill (which will make the bright orange block cheddar of your childhood slink away in shame).

Beyond its edible offerings, the New Amsterdam Market strives to re-invent the traditional New York “public market”, with an ambiance as pleasing to a graphic designer or urban planner as any food enthusiast. And if that doesn’t sell you…the abundance of free samples should seal the (delicious) deal.

New Amsterdam Market
Every Sunday on South Street, 11-4
Btwn Beekman Street and Peck Slip

 


*Photos by Lauren DeFilippo

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April 20, 2012 · 3:14 pm

au marché: haven’s kitchen

Setting aside some sweet treats for an evening event

For most people (in fact, a growing percentage of modern society), the kitchen has become a scary place. Far from the comforting 1950s symbol of domestic bliss, it has become the most intimidating room in the home – a sort of torture chamber, in which fearful instruments of various sizes and unknown purpose await.

Allison Schneider, the founder of Haven’s Kitchen – the recently opened cooking school, retail shop and event space in Chelsea – does not suffer from kitchen-phobia. On the contrary, she has worked at GrowNYC, established CSAs at her children’s schools and is currently finishing a Masters Degree in Food Studies at New York University. But that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten the fearful masses. In fact, she designed Haven’s Kitchen to be a literal safe haven for the famished in body and soul.

The homey accents of HK's shop

The evening I visited Haven’s Kitchen, Allison was preparing to teach a handful of students how to make gnocchi by hand. Even though I had only stopped by for a quick tour, Allison invited me to sit in on the class. After a warm welcome and the requisite hand-washing, she mentally prepped the class with a brief overview of gnocchi history, economics and culture. Needless to say, this is not your ordinary cooking school.

The class quickly continued with a quick overview of gnocchi cooking methods, led by Katie Carey, Haven’s Kitchen’s sous chef, and former head chef at Casellula Cheese & Wine Café . As Katie encouraged the students to start chopping potatoes, Allison jumped in with some kitchen science – explaining that it’s important to start boiling your potatoes in cold water, rather than hot (for the record – it heats the potato slowly, so that it cooks more evenly).

Local purveyors fill the shelves of the shop.

In addition to this multidiscliplinary approach to cooking, the mission to support sustainable, local food production distinguishes Haven’s Kitchen from the city’s other cooking schools. The message pervades the decisions made by the staff on a daily level. For example, Katie selected one of the sauces for the gnocchi because there was leftover basil from a summer- themed photo shoot that morning. And the tarts baked for said photo shoot? They were up for sale at the coffee bar.

Which brings me to the retail shop. When I first approached the entrance of Haven’s Kitchen, I couldn’t help but notice the constant stream of turning heads – neighborhood regulars curious to catch a glimpse of the elegant newcomer on the block. From behind the glass, artisanal goods from a carefully curated crop of local purveyors beckon – Bellocq Atelier’s artisanal tea, Old Field Farm’s raw honey and maple syrup, and Salvatore Brooklyn’s ricotta, to name a few – as well as Haven Kitchen’s house granola and pancake mix. The shop also sells books by modern sustainable chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi and Tamar Adler. And the aforementioned coffee bar sits just behind a friendly communal table, bedecked with a gleaming refurbished espresso maker that serves up coffee from La Colombe.

The curved staircase leads to homey, intimate event space.

Beyond the retail shop is a winding wooden staircase to the second floor event space (to be expanded in the future with a third floor and rooftop garden). The stairwell is hung with vintage Parisian prints and movie posters, as well as an eclectic, minimalist “chandelier”. The upstairs cocktail area continues this aesthetic, with homey accents and a mildly mod, Parisian flair, while the dining room has a cleaner palate and features a kitchen for on-site food preparation. It’s easy to imagine you are a guest in a very chic friend’s apartment, which is exactly how events team, wants it. “The goal is to make Haven’s Kitchen feel like you’re in your own home – complete with a kitchen, dining room, and living room. We want to help throw your dream party minus the stress.” I could easily envision planning a birthday, office party or even a wedding in the charming space.

A sampling of the organic staples on HK's shelves

The overarching result is an inviting escape from the city streets – in large part due to frequent French accents, hand-selected by Allison at Parisian flea markets. The black, white, yellow and wood accents (the gorgeous floors, by the way, are originals that were discovered during the renovation) are stylish, yet subtle, and the staff is equally chic and nonchalant, happy to answer questions or pause for a chat. In fact, there’s nothing dogmatic or overdone about Haven’s Kitchen, right down to the understated, hand- scrawled manifesto:

It's all in the details. Unique linens are hand-tied with a HK card.

“Food : Buy it with thought;
Cook it with care;
Serve just enough;
Save what will keep;
Eat what would spoil;
Home grown is best;
Don’t waste it”.

Haven’s Kitchen
109 West 17th Street
(212) 929-7900
http://havenskitchen.com/

 

*Article originally published in Müdd Magazine

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February 27, 2012 · 11:58 am

au marché: richard lenoir market, paris

It is difficult to pick a favorite market in Paris – some have the best prices, others have higher quality or more unusual products and a few have simply incredible ambiance.  But if I had to pick one market in Paris to be the “best” market for first-time visitors to the city, I would pick the Marché Richard Lenoir.

This renown market is impressive in both its size and the diversity of its products.  Stretching north of Place de la Bastille (under the watch of the famous monument’s gleaming angel), this twice weekly market fills a fountain-lined promenade with a motley crew of both vendors and shoppers.  As you enter on the Bastille end, you will walk past cheap clothing and hygiene/beauty products, followed by kitchenware merchants.  You will then see stands of prepared/hot foods, fruits and vegetables, and eventually dairy, meat and seafood.  Once deeply entrenched in the market, specialty vendors of Italian goods, honey, spices or wine will also dot your path.  (Word to the wise: it is worth walking the entire loop of the market before deciding on any purchases.  And a line typically means that a vendor has good value and/or high quality products).

The ever-elusive olive fougasse.

There are two elusive and addictive foodstuffs sold at this market that I have never found of equal quality elsewhere in the city.  The first of these is fougasse, a doughy webbed bread, that I prefer stuffed with black olives.  This particular Parisian delight is an obsession of my bread-loving sister (who, ironically, doesn’t like olives, but apparently loves olives encased in perfectly fluffy, soft bread).  The second time I lived in Paris, my apartment was steps from the Richard Lenoir market – and I can actually recall waking up at the crack of dawn, rolling my suitcase to the bread stand (before they were even officially set up),  and purchasing still-warm fougasse, just to hail a taxi and hop on a plane back to the ‘States – just so she can have it (relatively) fresh. (Yes, it’s really that good).

Pain au thym, Deliciously bubbling away.

The second of these products is less portable, unfortunately.  Pain au thym  is a lebanese flat bread spread with olive oil and za’atar – a middle eastern spice blend of thyme, marjoram, oregano, sesame and salt.  Heated over a cast-iron dome, the circular flatbread is then folded into parchment paper, piping hot and ready to eat.

Pain au thym, tempting to burn your tongue with briny salt and crispy thyme.

After thirty seconds of impatience (which are necessary, I have in overeager moments burned my tongue), the fragrant bread is ready to bite – inundating your taste buds with an herbaceous, salty and slightly acidic punch.  An empty stomach is an undisputed prerequisite for such a market trip, but filling that stomach immediately with pain au thym more than gratifies the short-term sacrifice (and may help inspire moderation during the rest of your shopping experience).

Famous Foodie Andrew Zimmern, just buying some supplies for a batch of bacon ice cream.

Last but not least, this is a market well-worn by savvy tourists, and thus easier to navigate for English speakers than others (for example, the nearby Place d’Aligre market, which is very popular and often preferred for daily shopping by full-time residents of the quartier).

Scouting the market on a Thursday morning with my fougasse-loving sister.

If you have the chance, check out the Richard Lenoir market early on a Thursday.  It is far less packed than it will be on Sunday, and thus easier to grab the elusive fougasse (which tends to sell out in the first couple hours).

For more coverage of the Marché Richard Lenoir, check out expat foodie David Lebovitz’s perspective.  And don’t forget to visit Catherine, his favorite chicken lady.

Finger-lickin' chicken. Roasting away and dripping all the love and goodness onto some fingerling potatoes.

My mother's favorite RL product - plump, flower-like artichokes

My most famous RL purchase, an octopus! To read about how I cooked it, head here: http://laviefranglophone.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/foodaphilia-poulpe/

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October 26, 2011 · 7:36 am

au marché: Grubstreet at the Hester Street Fair

Camille of Cam ci, Cam ça - my favorite jewelry designer at the H'St Fair by far. http://camcicamca.blogspot.com

After a long Saturday of singing and shaking along to the newbie bands of CMJ fest, I rolled out of bed this Sunday, a bit too early and questioning my desire to embark upon another weekend-day of sensory over-stimulation.

For the second year in a row, the much-lauded, LES small business laboratory-cum-market known as the Hester Street Fair was to go 100% grub (well, Grubstreet).  The number people at last year’s inaugural event shocked both attendees and organizers – the Pies ‘n’ Thighs line alone nearly suffocated the small, formerly-abandoned lot where the Hester Street Fair takes place each Sunday.

So you can I imagine my (pleasant) surprise when I arrived on bike to find 1) a parking spot next to the fair’s entrance and 2) the event had (far) more than doubled in size, overtaking an adjacent lot that stretched all the way to Grand Street.  The new roomy digs meant that the weekly H’Street vintage/jewelry purveyors were permitted to stay on site and sell their wares in the beer garden area, while the actual edibles relocated to the larger lot.

Pies 'n' Thighs Molasses Cookies

Hunger peaked by the long bike ride downtown, I eagerly scanned the offerings.  Pies ‘n’ Thighs was in attendance, yet again – but this time I wizened up to the inevitable line, immediately buying myself – not a chicken biscuit – but a molasses cookie. Necessary backstory: I have a serious thing for molasses/ginger cookies – and the Pies ‘n’ Thighs iteration, in particular, has haunted my memory since last year’s fair as “the one that got away”.  (Sure, I could have gone to Brooklyn and bought one anytime I liked.  But unrequited love is so much more fulfilling, no?)  Anyway, all the anticipation was well worth it – because that bendy, spicy, chewy delight of a cookie wow’ed not only me, but also my “uninterested in sweets” dining companion.

Speaking of sweets, there were really too many.  The ratio of hot dishes to cold cookies, popsicles, shaved ice, ice cream, etc. was definitely disproportionate.  This did, however, help us decide quickly upon a short-rib, shredded pork and hominy chili from Char No. 4.  Certainly spiced, but not really “spicy”, the slow-roasted meat and fluffy hominy combo was definitely a winner – leaving us satisfied and comforted, without the typical post-chili paunch.

The afternoon sun finally made an appearance, and we took the tour of the remaining vendors – most more-or-less familiar from other NYC markets.  Among the exciting newcomers was The Comfort Kitchen, a budding business run by a French Culinary Institute Grad., Suzanne Michaud.  Most noteworthy among her wares were the Florentine biscotti – authentically inspired by the recipe of an old Italian family friend.  Light and toasty with a touch of amaretto – these old world cookies were a significant upgrade from the dense, coffee-destined biscotti I recall my elders eating as a child.

White Belly Bruha Pizza

But my favorite of all the market newbies was White Belly, a wood-fired pizza operation on wheels.  The WB chef already owns one familiar food stand, Daisy Duke’s BBQ (which makes a great Arnold Palmers, by the way), as well as the Warren St. eatery, Brick.  It’s a shame that the latter brick-and-mortar establishment doesn’t have a wood oven, because White Belly’s Bruha pizza was a picture-perfect pie.  Light and fluffy, but not overly floppy, this barely al dente crust was topped with homemade ricotta, sweet butternut squash and slightly singed sage.

With that perfect-for-early-fall flavor trio lingering on my tongue, the Hester Street/Grub Street collaboration hit its high note.  I strolled back to my awaiting bike on Essex more than satisfied…. and had to laugh at the incomprehensible queue for the omnipresent Mr. Softee, right outside the fair’s gates.

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October 21, 2011 · 8:32 am

au marché : new amsterdam market

New Amsterdam Market
Sunday from 11am to 4pm
(at the Old Fulton Fish Market on South Street and Peck Slip in Lower Manhattan)

As every reputable gastronomic publication in the US has already noted, the organic/local farmer’s market movement is on the rise.  And with more than 50 greenmarkets in New York City alone, everyone from the Brooklyn hipster, to the Upper West Side nanny, to the Wall Street mogul has at least noticed a cluster of farmstands that set up weekly shop in their neighborhoods.

But those willing to journey beyond the convenience of the nearest greenmarket in their vicinity will attest that not all markets are made equal.  Despite the popularity of the notable “greenmarket” conglomerate – and the very well known Union Square Greenmarket of said group– independent markets continue to be stand-out crowd pleasers, including the Hester Street, DeKalb, or New Amsterdam Market.

My personal favorite of all Manhattan markets is the New Amsterdam, only open on Sundays and filled with foodtruck-moguls, entrepreneurial Brooklynites, and farmers toting products from New England and the Tri-State area.

In my opinion, the best way to enjoy this re-invention of the historic New York “Public Market” is by bike.  Whether coming from Brooklyn, uptown, or downtown, this waterside market sits right along the East River bikepath, making for a most enjoyable pit stop.  A few of my favorite mid-workout snacks?  The refreshing and savory “cold grilled cheese” from Morris (ricotta, zucchini, cucumber, and mint on grilled sourdough) or the delicious brain freeze of red plum shaved ice by People’s Pops.  And if you’re not after the ready-made, there are plenty of outstanding take-home items for your next smorgasbord, including the slightly sour and hearty Finnish Ruis bread by Nordic Breads or the award-winning Cabot’s Clothbound Cheddar from The Cellars at Jasper Hill (which will make the bright orange block cheddar of your childhood skulk away in shame).

But no matter your mode of transportation or your edible intentions, the New Amsterdam Market is a festival for all five senses; it’s as likely to please a graphic designer or an urban planner as a foodie.  And if that doesn’t sell you…the abundance of free samples might just seal the (delicious) deal.

Check out a list of my favorite markets in NYC and abroad.

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