Protect Penn Quarter Farmers Market

This sign is not exaggerating. It is the best bread in the city. I have to refrain myself and stick with a quarter loaf, but I could eat the entire loaf by myself. Easily! It is available at the Penn Quarter Farmers Market on Thursday afternoons from 3 – 7 pm.

Each week people gather from office buildings and their homes to buy the most glorious food. Seriously, even if you haven’t been into food lately, you would fall in love again with one visit. Plus the cut flowers, orchids and gelato make it feel like a small retreat into heaven.

So many options totally knocked Lucy out during our trip with Leah in late July.

I frequently set dates to meet people at the farmers market. I’ve written about meeting Leah on several occasions. And then, Shannon, Kara, Natalie and Nia! Plus Henry.

When I first moved here, I would browse and buy one or two items a month. My purchases seem to increase each season. This summer I have tried to shop primarily from the Farmers Market. It may be a tad more expensive, and that can probably be argued to be a myth. But I don’t throw away nearly as much fruit, because I don’t end up buying an excessive amount of produce just because it’s a good deal. Not to mention the environmental benefits of low food miles. AND how nice it is to hand cash to the person who gathered the food and loaded it on their truck THAT morning.

Plus one of the most impressive parts of the Penn Quarter Farmers Market is to see all of the chefs gathering to pick out food for the neighborhood restaurants. Local foods served at local restaurants. Yum. On one of our first visits of the season, I was standing next to celebrity chef Eric Ripert. I felt like a mini-celebrity because everyone commented on Lucy, who was hanging out in my sling, and respectfully giving him his space. On another visit, I saw the chefs rolling a cart down the sidewalk from Poste. Their web site even offers an exclusive “MARKET TO MARKET” dining experience. And Henry saw Jose Andres last year. (Jose even brought Anthony Bourdain to the market when Anthony was in town for No Reservations.)

The Penn Quarter Farmers Market opens in a couple of hours. Be sure to visit today and show your support. It is under threat. Someone who parks in the block has to drive a different way home on Thursday evenings. That adds an additional fifteen minutes onto his commute. He therefore wants to have the Market moved. Hmmmm… I have thoughts that I will refrain from sharing, but we need to be vocal and make sure that this one squeaky wheel doesn’t get the oil. As I suggested in the comments, maybe he could telecommute on Thursdays.