Last Wednesday, in the cold autumn weather, I traveled to the Union Square Green Market as I found their aim to connect small-time local farmers with consumers to increase agriculture and environmental sustainability to be rather intriguing. Emptier than I had expected for afternoon hours, I observed as regulars with a keen eye for picking out the best products. Small farm stands sold locally grown and hand-made products from vegetables, fruits, and flowers to baked goods, meats, ciders, and dairy products.

Crops mostly in the Cucurbitaceae family dominated the selling field for what was in season with a wide variety of pumpkins, butternut squash, and kabocha. Sales ranged from vegetables such as tomatoes going down in price from $3.50 to $2.75 per pound and greens like collards, arugula and bok choy selling at 2 for $5 or $3 a bunch. Their was a mix of familiar foods like red delicious apples and concord grapes but a larger amount of unfamiliar foods like red devil apples and carnival squash which you don’t come by in supermarkets. Depending on the farm stand, food prices were definitely higher for items such as mackintosh apples selling for $2.50 per pound which normally sell for $1.50 per pound in supermarkets but is justifiable for it’s fresh and local nature.

While exploring, Kernan Farms caught my attention, selling low acid tomatoes resembling golden jubilee heirloom tomatoes. To my surprise, they were very firm without any soft spots, so I purchased some while considering the endless possibilities for acid-sensitive dishes. I decided to use it in my favorite breakfast “eggs in purgatory” which really enhanced the flavor and texture of the dish, becoming my new found replacement for using regular tomatoes. This Greenmarket visit was an unforgettable experience that opened me up to shopping their more often for the diverse amount of fresh ingredients I can use for in many new dishes.

By Anthony Caliendo

Just this past week I have visited the greenmarket in Union Sq to look and see what they have to offer. The greenmarkets are in all 5 boroughs with Staten Island having 2, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens having multiple and the Bronx about 9. The reason for green markets existing is because these markets are selling fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, affordable food, people wanting to try new things or samples, and ingredients. The food that is usually being sold right now at the greenmarket that I had visited was, lots of Vegetables and Fruits like Squash, Apples, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Celery, Kale etc. The prices on the other hand seemed to be pretty high as it was mainly “per item”, and not by “Pound” or “Oz” like it is usually would be at a smaller market or supermarket, one of the few items i noticed was sweet Potatoe and other types of potatoes being sold for $4 per one and some fruits like pears or apples being sold for around $3.25-$4. So, the produce here at the greenmarket is a little more money and expensive, but I also feel it could vary by location. 

The ingredient/item I decided to choose was Bell Peppers. Bell Peppers are typically classified as a fruit, and they can be used for many things like Sauteed Peppers, Stuffed Bell Peppers, Stir Fry, Grilling and more. The flavor is usually a lot better when it is grilled or cooked in a pan/mixed in with other foods but eating them cold has a bitter taste to it. This fruit originated in Central and South America and has been transported worldwide since the late 1400s. A few special things bell peppers provide are also reliable sources of vitamin A and fiber, as well as also having antioxidant properties which help against fighting diseases like cardiovascular disease.