First - the lake picture I promised yesterday. I am not sure if you can tell from my posture in the picture below, but yes, Lake Ontario is cold - glacially cold, in fact. I had no need for the swimsuit, that's for sure. This is as far in as we got. Just down the beach, however, there was a group of small children happily splashing away, wet all over. Maybe you get more sensitive to the cold as you get older? I remember swimming in the ocean off the Olympic Peninsula, and never minding the cold, but I have a hard time imagining myself doing that now, at least without a wet suit. Anyway, we had a nice little picnic, attended by our own personal seagull, who sat and begged - if seagulls can be said to beg. He rather reminded us of Cleo when she wants cheese...
This morning we set off for Rochester, and the Public Market, which has been in operation since 1905. It is a lot like Pike Place Market, but with fewer flower sellers and no flying fish. (If you aren't familiar with Pike Place, it is famous for the fish sellers who literally sling fish about.) There were fish here, they just didn't get flung... Anyway, here is the crowd in one of the market sheds at 10 in the morning. The place opens at 5 AM...
Compared to the markets we frequented in Texas, everything was remarkably inexpensive. And it happens to be about the peak harvest time for lots of produce. The food in the picture below cost us less than $30. On the table are:
Asparagus ($1.50/bunch), peaches, grape tomatoes, regular tomatoes, eggs, 2 ears of corn, lettuce, apples, 2 eggplants, 4 green peppers ($1.50 total), a watermelon, honey, andouille sausage, a pound of fresh ground beef, and a cinnamon roll.
We passed up the giant boxes of tomatoes, peaches and apples, not to mention the multiple varieties of plums, shellfish, pasta, and prepared foods. Not to mention the cheese store, coffee store, empanada stand ... We are thinking of going back next week or so to get a large box of tomatoes to can or freeze for the winter. Yum!
3 comments:
What a wonderful bounty! New beginnings can be so exciting:) Keep up the exploring.
Van
Trent's sister used to get up and go to that market at the crack of dawn (earlier in the winter!) so that she could beat the rush-- but of course that just meant getting there in time to jockey for position with all the most competitive shoppers. She described some pretty vicious scenes. Don't get between any rabid women and their free-range chickens!
Pretty sure you don't WANT to get any of that lake water above your ankles...
Glad you're enjoying my old stomping grounds. Next time you're in Rochester, stop in to Parkleigh (gift boutique at the corner of Park Ave & Alexander St, not far from the public market) and afterward pop across the street to Great Harvest, which will serve you a giant FREE slice of yummy bread just for coming in the door. Stever's, also on Park, is a must-stop for Easter candy. Other random thoughts: Abbott's chocolate almond frozen custard; Aladdin's mediterranean food (we went there when you visited me, if you recall--right on the Erie Canal path if you want to ride all that way from home); Hicks & McCarthy cafe in Pittsford; Great Northern Pizza Kitchen. And thank God for Wegmans (no blasphemy intended). ...Apparently I did nothing but eat for six years!
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