Union Square Green Market is located on E 17th st and union square . Its open Monday Friday and Saturday 8-6. The market started in 1976 to bring fresh farm food to a urban area. The market sells plants, artisan bread ,jams, cheese, pickles, maple syrups, wines , ciders, wines, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The market has something to offer for everyone. When i walked around i was attracted to the fruits and vegetables. I saw a lot of things that i was used to and seen before but i also saw some things that I’ve never seen before. I purchased a pound of Mexican Gherkins. they have the shape of grapes but the skin reminded me of watermelons. the fruit had the taste of a sour cucumber. i actually enjoyed them and brought some home for my family. I feel like 12/lb wasn’t a bad price. The market also offed tastings of tomatoes, apples, peaches, peppers, and pears. overall i had a great experience at the Union Square Green Market. When ever i am in the area again i will be going back to find and try out some new things.
Mexican Gherkins
I also bought something during our trip to the Green Market. I found a Honey stand that sold Natural Raw Honey Comb. The lady explained to me that every season the Honey would take on different taste depending on where the bees travel. The honey I bought is Spring/Summer honey so she told me this honey would have a sweet but tart taste with a Light floral scent( Taste of summer). This was my first time trying raw honeycomb and it was NOT a disappointment.
Along with the variety of fresh produce,meats and dairy products, flowers are also sold at the market. As I walked through the market, I thought to myself “ Who knew I’d be able to find affordable flowers in Union Square”. I was surprised to find $1 to $10 house plants ranging from small common plants that I’ve seen before to bigger exotic plants that I have not. The plants were in great condition and not on sale because they were dying or half dead, I was explained that they were on sale because their season was ending. A bouquet of flowers start at $5 and range in prices according to their size. Overall, the addition of a garden to the market has been a wonderful idea and profitable for the area.
Union Square Green Market, feels more like a real community rather than a tourist or commercial area. It is a favorite “go to” location for locals to shop and wander around. You can typically spend about 25-35 minutes walking through the market depending on your pace and the amount of samples you stop for. I can assure you, you will want to stop at every station that offers free tasting. There is a wide selection of vegetables, drinks, wine, artisanal goods, fresh produce, baked goods, an impressive display of colorful flowers, and the list goes on. Although the prices are slightly higher than your average supermarket, it feels good to be amongst local farm fresh food and produce rather than purchasing your goods from a bigger supply chain. You can actually taste the difference and see the quality between fresh goods and supermarket goods. Walking through the market I came across a vendor called “Consider Bardwell Farm”. This company specializes in the production of cheese and wood fired maple syrup from Vermont. Of course I sampled the syrup and it was rather delicious. It was so good I asked for 2 more samples and bought 2 bottles. The syrup had a distinct smoky and buttery flavor that was merely sweet. Unlike your retail syrup which is very sweet and heavy, this wood fire maple syrup was pure and light. It had more of a silky smooth feel. The vendor gave me an intro of the company and how the maple syrup is made. I also sampled their Slyboro cheese, which was soft with hints of onion and apple flavor. Altogether, it was great experience and I intend on returning to purchase more maple syrup, in addition to their selection of cheese.