Today I could have slept in, but I awoke before 7. Tuesdays and Saturdays are the big days at the market and since I have a fruit and veggie market next door to my house, I decided I would go take advantage of it. But, first things first...it was time for me to do a bit of cleaning and take out the garbage. It certainly didn't take me long since my apartment is so small.
So let me try to describe the market. It consists of a number of dirt alleys lined on each side with small storage stalls. Each stall seems to be for one particular farmer and type of produce. I saw many, many stalls of potatoes, probably of different kinds. Did you know that the potato originated here in Peru? There are over 3500 different varieties and many ways to prepare them. They told us we would never be able to try them all while we were here.
There seems to be a retail and a wholesale portion of the market, though I'm not sure. The retail section is closest to my house and each of the vendors has a variety of fruits and vegetables that they are selling. Today I bought carrot, onions, garlic, and limes to go with the chicken and shrimp I bought the other day. I'm planning a stir fry tonight. I was also lucky to be able to pick up some water there so I didn't have to carry it far. In the rest of the market, each vendor has only one or two items that they are selling and they were in big bags, like what another vendor might buy.
This afternoon, I'm going to walk around to see more of the historic center. So far, this is the part of the city that I feel the most comfortable in. Artisan shops, the Cathedral, the main square. More about what I find later?
Sounds like a great market; and to have it so close to your space is fantastic! I had No Idea there were so many varieties of potato. Pffft! ...and I'm married to an Irishman. (so much for stereotypes!) One of the absolute best dishes (that I've never come close to replicating :( was a baked tomato, cheese & herb blend in a casserole with sliced potatoes, in a little German restaurant in Nurnburg (?), the Kartoffel Kellar.
ReplyDeleteYou might remember Ellen Stark from FA. She's one of the best gardeners we know; gives us loads of summer produce, including heirloom & fingerling varieties. I'm eager to hear more of your culinary finds! Thanks for sharing :D