Downtown Saint Paul’s Sunday Farmers Market
290 E. 50th Street
http://www.stpaulfarmersmarket.com/members/locations/st-paul-farmers-market-downtown
Sundays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This morning I noticed the Downtown Saint Paul Farmers market was open, and was immediately filled with a longing for empanadas.
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| Inside a Filipino empanada from A Toast to Bread |
I restricted my gluttonous urges by limiting my daily empanada intake to one. This Filipino variety is stuffed with a generous portion of a sweet, ground beef mixture laced with raisins, peas, potatoes, and seasonings. The Argentinian empanada is filled with a less-sweet, ground beef filling and slices of green olives, spiced with cumin. The flaky and delicate crusts are somehow sturdy enough to retain crispness in spite of their moist fillings. I felt a bit sheepish when I found out that I waited all winter in vain, sans empanadas, since they are available at the winter market.
This vendor only brings a few baskets of empanadas to the market and often runs out, although they can be ordered in advance. Each costs approximately $3.50.
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| Fresh spring asparagus, $5 |
Many plants including herbs and flowers were for sale. Besides asparagus, I saw mostly parsnips, green onions, dried chili peppers, and spinach.
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| Olive tapenade, $5 |
I admired the plants, wishing I had a yard in which to garden, and headed to the Heartland Farm Direct Market on the way back to my car.
Heartland Farm Direct Market
289 E. 5th Street
http://www.heartlandrestaurant.com/index2.php#/info1/2/
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| Ficelle, $2 |
Three varieties of bread were available. I chose two Ficelle, which are like thin baguettes with a hard crust. Although the Ficelle crust was strong, it didn’t destroy my mouth and the inside was tender and moist.
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| A quarter pound of a mysterious cheese, $16/lb |
I admired the cheese case, pointed at a variety that cost under $20/lb, and ordered a quarter pound. I can’t recall the name of this cheese, which is firm like cheddar, mildly crumbly, and made from more than one type of milk. The flavor is pleasantly tangy and pungent.
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| Duck liver pâté, $9/lb |
I thought about ordering a Bahn Mi sandwich. After some internal debate, I deducted that I was really craving the liver pâté, instead of the sandwich itself. Pictured about is a half pound of duck liver pâté. A half pound of pâté is a generous portion, considering its richness. I am enamored with the clean flavor and butteriness of this pâté.
I never tasted, let alone saw liver until I was 24 and only in pâté form. I liked Spoonriver’s pâté at first taste and swooned over the liver smear amusent at Meritage. This pâté is on par with the previous versions and I am the proud, first-time owner of a half-pound stash.
I look forward to making my rounds at the markets this summer.
That all sounds divine! I will have to make a pilgrimage down in the next week or so. (I live in Coon Rapids, we don’t have that kind of fun at farmer’s markets up here!)
have fun! hopefully it’ll remain beautiful outside.