Today was the big day–I met Alanna of Veggie Venture and Kate of CooknKate at the downtown St. Paul Farmer’s Market, for a first-time “skin-on” meeting, a cuppa joe, and a very pleasant veggie-acquisition mission. It was an unqualified success! 
We had a very nice chat over coffee at a coffee house adjacent to the Market, then proceeded on to spend the big bucks (in my case, $19) on a beauteous selection of fresh vegetables.
I will confess that between Kate and her culinary school and Alanna and her years of food-writing, I felt like a babe-in-the-woods in regards to my cooking knowledge. (“What do you do with parsnips?”) But it was wonderful to meet these charming women and have a chance to peek into their brains as they shopped.
For my $19, I got nearly 2 pounds of green beans, a bunch of Anaheim peppers, several bell peppers in a variety of colors, including purple (!), parsnips (a first for me), a handful of very homely but incredibly tasty Peruvian Purple Potatoes (the ugly little fingerlings above the parsnips–they are an heirloom variety), a head of the most beautiful broccoli I’ve seen in years, and a large basket full of fresh beets. Also, Alanna sent us each home with a bottle of wine from one of the wineries in Missouri–I brought home a “Country White” from St. James Winery, and the description on the bottle–”bursting with sweet apple and pear flavors” was spot on. It was sweeter than I normally like, but I did like it, and it paired well with my roast chicken and fall root vegetables (the parsnips, beets, and Peruvian Purple Potatoes–say all that 4 times fast!)
If I haven’t convinced you with my previous ravings about the Farmer’s Market, please take another look at my beautiful veggies in the photo, and Get Thee Hence To a Nunner…er…To a Farmer’s Market!
Big thanks to Alanna and Kate for meeting and for a lovely morning.
Laura
It really WAS great, Laura! I love being able to place a name to a face. I will gladly sip coffee and talk food with you anytime.
I am so jealous…our farmer’s market is pretty much winding down. Makes me sad!
Hi Kate ~ it was a lovely morning, for sure! (You betcha?!) My favorite find was the Minnesota apples, my goodness, all the varieties! And please! Laura, you’re no babe in the woods! I was so impressed to hear about all the canning and gardening and … and … and you are SO lucky to blog with your sister! (Yes, Barb, your name came up often! If only we could teleported you from NC!)PS Next time I’ll work to seek out ‘dry’ Missouri wines, they must exist!
If my teleporter had been working, I would have been there! What fun your get-together sounds! Our farmer’s market has pretty much wound down for the year, so we’ll have to have the NC gathering next spring!
Barb
I found an organic gardener here in Hawi, Hawaii (the big Island) and bought fresh baby greens and lovely large beets. Barb, I was inspired by your beet creations and so after cooking them I served them in a salad with thin sliced grilled tri tip and baby greens…dressing was a creamy Maui onion. Thanks for the inspiration! I can’t wait until she comes back tomorrow!
Joan