Saturday farmer's market

May 19, 2012

Aloha kakahiaka! (Good morning!) It is Saturday and that means an early trip to the farmer's market. I tried to take some pictures of things in the market today so people could see it. First, this was approaching the market, I tried to get a view of the MANY vendor stalls but to get close enough to get a good picture I was being a traffic block. I went at 7:15 this week. It isn't supposed to open till 7:30 but it was already PACKED. So here are a few pictures:
This is the Edible Schoolyard Project that I walk past to get there. It was first done at an actual school and was highly successful. Once the project ended they moved it to the grounds of Kapiolani Community College so people walking to the Farmer's Market could see it and understand that such projects are indeed possible and successful.

This is going down the hill approaching the market. I wish I could have gotten a better shot to show that this is a good size market. Not too big, but a good variety.

When you walk into the market from the Community College side, this is the first vendor you see. He is chopping whole young coconuts. He sticks a straw in them and you drink right from them then break them open and eat the coconut meat. I haven't had one yet but it looked neat so I took a picture. You don't see a whole lot of serious machete type knife chopping on things at the Farmer's Market in Kentucky (at least not in Lexington!).

Across from him are always beautiful plants and flowers being sold. I don't get any because I'm only here 3 months but they are lovely.

There are a lot of other vendors. There is a Fried Green Tomato vendor and I've not seen the line waiting to order less than 30 people. Apparently fried green tomatoes are appreciated all over :) Also, there are the fresh dairy people who sell cheeses and butter, the sausage on a stick people, the fresh pizza people (the pesto and fresh slabs of mozzarella looked good today), the korean food, and the bbq abalone place, and too many others. Only one stall was selling fresh eggs, at $7 a dozen. One beef vendor, one fish vendor. Then there is the music. There is nothing like waking up early to go hear a polynesian rendition of Beetles, Elvis, or other classics. It always brings a smile.

I love the fresh breads and baked goods. I got another loaf of the Powergrain bread, it is just so good with the butters, cheeses and hummus. I got a bunch of 5 apple bananas, a container of garlic and herb fromage (soft cheese), and a bigger head of romaine. My new things this week included 4 mangoes in various stages of ripeness (this still counts as new because I learned how to choose them and I've never peeled one or whatever you do with it myself yet) and a small dish of coconut tapioca from the Korean vendor stall. I almost got lychees but I didn't want to buy a whole bag of them. Not a whole lot this week, I still have quite a bit left from last week.

I like to get a drink while I am there and enjoy sipping it as I walk back to my place. This week I got a Hawaiian falooda. The falooda is an Indian drink but it is yummy in this warm weather here. It had soy milk, rose syrup, thai basil seeds and pistachio ice cream.It was tasty but very sweet. It also was kindof like drinking milky tapioca. Very good but I don't think I'll get it on a regular basis.

After that last stop I was finished and the market was getting very busy so I headed home. Of note, last week I had to stop and rest about 4 times and was wheezing and nearly purple from overworking when I got back. This week I just walked on up the hill with my bag of stuff and never had to pause. I wasn't wheezy or straining int he least. Very nice to realize I'm getting in better shape. My lungs definitely need it! In fact, I'm not very tired so I may go out a bit later and offer to help in the garden here. Assuming I can find an area that I won't fry in the sun.

That is all for now. I have some odds and ends to post from my week's adventures. I'll get to that either later today or tomorrow. I hope you are enjoying reading this. Often I feel like I am just talking to myself. Please feel free to comment or ask questions or anything at all.

Aloha oukou, (aloha to all of you)
~Melissa