Local farmers are bringing more obscure products to the city's streets. Some sting, some stink, but one thing's for sure: They're all tasty. Here's what you should try the next time you visit the farmers market.
Spring听is officially here, and the city’s farmers markets are back in full swing.听And while you’re sure to find听tables overflowing with lettuces and baskets brimming with strawberries,听many of the area’s farmers are bringing more obscure products to听the city’s streets.
Some sting, some stink, but one thing’s for sure: They’re all tasty.
We recently took a walk through ‘s Dupont Circle market with Executive Director听Mike Koch and Juliet Glass to learn more about some of the lesser-known products that are in season. Here are the top picks.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Green Garlic or “Spring Garlic”听
Passionate about garlic? Then you’ll want to try green garlic听—听a younger version of the traditional garlic plant.
Some may mistake its white base听and tall green stalk for a scallion, but the taste is unmistakably garlicky听— albeit milder and fresher. Green garlic’s lighter flavor is the perfect addition to saut茅ed听vegetables, grilled fish or a batch of pesto.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Garlic听Greens
If you’re in search of an even more delicate听flavor, garlic greens are the answer. Use them as you would use chives: Chop them up and add them raw to salads, or mix them in with a soft cheese to make an herb spread. Garlic greens are great over eggs, and can lighten the flavor of any dish that calls for traditional garlic cloves.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Duck, Duck, Goose Eggs
Fruits and vegetables aren鈥檛 the only seasonal foods at the farmers market. Come spring, 鈥檚 Melanie Dietrich Cochran comes to the market with a handful of duck and goose eggs.
Unlike chicken eggs, duck and goose eggs are only available certain times of the year. Ducks lay their eggs from January to June, and geese from mid-March through May, Cochran says.
What can your taste buds expect? Duck eggs are slightly richer in taste than traditional eggs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a stronger-flavored egg. The yolk is bigger, so it鈥檚 creamier 鈥� a little yolkier, a little denser,鈥� she says, adding that they are great for baking 鈥� and brunch plans.
鈥淭hey make amazing poached eggs because the whole egg is firmer.鈥�
Planning a “Game of Thrones” watch party? A goose egg will impress your hungry guests 鈥� and remind them of Khaleesi鈥檚 dragon eggs. The eggs are much larger in size (one goose egg is the equivalent of five chicken eggs), but mild in taste compared to duck eggs.听Just keep something sharp on hand to crack them open.
鈥淵ou actually need a knife to split the membrane,鈥� says Cochran, who adds that the eggs are perfect for a crowd-friendly frittata.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Heirloom Tomatoes听
There’s good news for tomato fans: You don’t have to wait until August to sink your teeth into the juicy, flavor-packed fruit. Emily Zaas of grows her heirloom tomatoes in three large greenhouses during the听winter, so they are ready for the spring markets.
Unlike hydroponic tomatoes (which are also available outside of the typical tomato season), Zaas grows her tomatoes听in dirt, which makes听them more flavorful. The early-season crop also helps keep her farm’s workers employed year-round.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Kaleidoscope
If you want to branch beyond the Brussels sprout, pick up a handful of 听kaleidoscope for your next dinner party.
The kale-Brussels sprout hybrid is听tender and a touch sweet, plus it adds a splash of color to any plate with its green and purple leaves. Martin Jolin of 听recommends saut茅eing or roasting听kaleidoscope.
The hearty vegetable will only be available for a few more weeks.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Kaleidoscope Rabe听
Ease your way into kaleidoscope with kaleidoscope rabe — the flowering part that grows off (or bolts from) the听kaleidoscope.
Twin Springs Farm’s Martin Jolin recommends preparing kaleidoscope rabe just as you would broccoli rabe.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Gem Romaine听
Spring is the perfect time to get your fill of salad greens (you won’t find them once summer’s heat and humidity kick into high gear),听and the gem of the springtime crop听is the Gem Romaine.
Zach Lester, of , says the petite heads of lettuce are tasty raw with a squeeze of lime, a pinch of salt and some chopped mint, or enjoy them halved and grilled.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Stinging Nettles听
True to its name, you’ll get听a good sting should you handle this vegetable raw, but don’t let that discourage you from trying the seasonal green.
Tree and Leaf Farm’s听Zach Lester bags them up (鈥淲hen we harvest [stinging nettles], it鈥檚 a double-glove situation,” he says),听so all you have to do is dump the nettles into a pot of hot water and听blanch them. Once they’re cooked, they no longer sting.
Lester says the intensely green and earthy-tasting vegetables are great when made into a pesto or in any pasta dish.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Morels听
At , Eli Cook and his team cover a great distance听— sometimes up to 800 acres — foraging for morel mushrooms. The prized mushrooms have a short season听—听Cook says听he will likely only be able to find the mushrooms for a few more weeks.
If you’re hoping to score a morel or two for your next omelet or risotto recipe, get听to the market early. Cook typically sells out within the first hour. 听
(AP Photo/M.L. Johnson)
AP Photo/M.L. Johnson
Ramps听
Ramp up your favorite recipes听with the darling vegetable of spring: the ramp. For a few weeks each year, chefs, home cooks and food fans all go crazy for the wild leek.
Unlike most vegetables sold at the market, ramps are not commercially grown. Farmers forage for the onion and garlicky-tasting green.
Most market-goers chop up the white base and green stalks and听saut茅听them with other seasonal vegetables, or throw them in eggs and omelets.
FRESHFARM Market’s Juliet Glass prefers them pickled, and some market vendors even turn them into condiments, such as ramp mustard and ramp pesto.
(草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)
草莓传媒/Rachel Nania
Pea Shoots听
Sure, a plate of peas is a welcome springtime meal, but so is a plate of pea shoots.
Cinda Sebastian, of , says the green stems taste exactly like peas (think light and fresh).听Eat them in a salad or quickly听saut茅听them for a warm weeknight side. Just be sure not to overcook them.听Sebastian says pea shoots only need a minute.听鈥淪et the table, make sure everything鈥檚 ready, then throw the pea [shoots] in the pan and turn the pan off,” she says. A little olive oil and some salt and pepper is all they need. 听
(Thinkstock)
