Winter Delights

St. Paul Farmer's Market caters to those who want to eat well -- and local -- no matter the weather

Squash, potatoes, and yes, root vegetables are still on offer at the St. Paul Farmer's Market.

Image credit: Photo by Joye~ via Creative Commons

Recommended by the Editor

A Christmas Eats Story

Small Bites

By: Mecca Bos

I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to get back into the swing of things after the holiday crush, after the holiday hangover, and after a few days on the couch doing sweet, sweet nothing. Harsh, isn’t it? And probably, the last thing on your mind is cooking and food. But, you still gotta eat, and I’ve got a tip for you.

I’ve been working on an upcoming Eat & Drink section about local eating in the winter, and if you can, I suggest a stop at the St. Paul Farmer's Market this Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here you'll find an abundance of wholesome foods. Don't fret: they're the kind you don’t have to fuss with, the kind you can just fix and forget and then get on with your life. There are still local apples to be had, believe it or not, and of course some squash, some potatoes, and yes, root vegetables.

But my best advice is to grab a pork shoulder, pitch it in your Crockpot (you know, the one you got for Christmas) along with a handful of garlic, some lime juice, some brown sugar, salt, pepper, and whatever fresh herbs you like (I like cilantro, but basil or thyme will also be great here). Crank it on for eight hours, and now you’ve got meals, for your whole family, for a week.

What kinds of meals? Well, of course you have tacos if you pick up a pack of La Perla tortillas for a buck, you have fancy ramen if you buy some bricks of noodles for nineteen cents, you have breakfast if you can poach an egg, and you have sandwiches if you can open a jar of barbeque sauce. And sure, by the end of the week, you’ll be porked out, but then it will be Saturday again, and you can go to the market for a chicken, and repeat this process. 

Other things at the market you’ll probably want to buy: local cheeses and a loaf of bread (which you already know is a meal in itself, anytime of day) a dozen local eggs, which you also know should never only be relegated to breakfast—crack one into a hot bowl of soup for a nourishing winter meal, scramble them up and pour over an leftovers at all for a fritatta—delicious enough for company along with a glass of wine and a field green salad, or hard boil them and take them along wherever you’re going for something more nutritious than what you’re probably already eating for lunch.

So, the winter farmer’s market—get to know it for a bit of simple, nutritious motivation these next few chilly weeks. Springtime, and all of its culinary inspiration will be here soon enough. And, check out our February issue for more local eating tips this winter.

+ The St. Paul Winter Market, 290 5th St. E,  St. Paul, runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through April 21, when it reverts to its usual hours. For more information visit stpaulfarmersmarket.com.