Culinary treats bountiful at market

I’m not the greatest cook, but I love to eat. Usually on Saturdays I’m running through the Farmers Market between other events so I just grab something at a booth and move on. By the end of the summer I usually will have tried just about every prepared food available.

But there seems to be more variety this year. So this Saturday when I was taking my usual tally of the local produce available, I decided to indulge myself and try out as many new dishes as possible.

My first goal was to try a pizza from Ron and Tamara. Their new little oven is like some space age rocket, quite a different look from the big old-fashioned draft horses on the front of their booth. At 700+ degrees, they can whip out a pizza or calzones in minutes.

The only problem with their made-to-order pizza dripping with cheese is that it was too filling for me to be able to eat all the other food I wanted to try. Answer: share with friends. The first person I approached was waiting for an Alibi halibut taco. The second had just gorged himself on Willy Nye’s French fries.

I managed to find willing pizza-eating help in the Market employees at the Information Booth.

Then I could move on to Gena’s booth. I wasn’t looking for the doughnuts or the fried green tomatoes, but for a rice bowl specialty from Ecuador complete with salsa, fried plantains and topped with fresh Alaska shrimp. Absolutely to die for. Taste tests were passed around among friends.

No longer hungry, but still curious and a little thirsty, I headed over to the Aleesha’s booth for a juice. I went for the beet/apple/grapefruit/celery juice.

I could have lived on just that with all the nutrition packed into it.

Unfortunately I missed the Chef at the Market taste tests.

And I guess I’ll have to save the dessert trials for this weekend.

So much food, so little time.

So head on down to the Market out on Ocean Drive for your culinary adventures and don’t forget that Wednesday Markets are open from 2-5 p.m. as well.

Kyra Wagner is the coordinator for Sustainable Homer and the Homer Farmers Market’s biggest fan.

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