Ranunculus and Other Market Delights

Two of my commitments are to support small businesses whenever possible, and to commit to wellness on a daily basis. Last night, I realized that my Sunday trips to the Dupont Circle farmer’s market (a relatively new tradition) are really the coming together of these two commitments.

I love the Sunday visit to the market more than I could ever have imagined. I look forward to seeing the male couple that runs Firefly Farms, where I buy my favorite (non-Swiss) cheese. I even look forward to the slightly grumpy man at Blue Ridge Dairy Company where I now buy butter. The mushroom lady makes me laugh. And the ladies at EcoFriendly Foods, where I have been buying meat, discusses sausage and bacon fat in ever innovative ways. Going to the market makes me feel good in so many ways: shopping local and supporting small businesses; purchasing healthier produce; learning what some vegetables look like in their natural state (this is coming to me later in life …); learning what fruits are in season when; and feeling like I am doing something fabulous for my health and my waistline.

Last night, I realized that having all of this fresh, expensive, locally-grown produce in my fridge actually made me want to make myself dinner (instead of just having cheese and crackers, which is my standard). If you know me, you know that I really don’t cook. I own two pans and three different wine bottle openers, if that gives you any idea. Yet last night, I made myself a salad (fresh tomatoes, a boiled egg, and a bit of cheese), and I roasted some kale (sprinkled in coarse salt and olive oil). I actually used my oven for the first time since I moved into my apartment… And it was delicious.

With a glass of Chardonnay and a beautiful bouquet of ranunculus (going to the market even teaches me new English words!) in front of me, eating delicious greens, I remembered the trips to the farmer’s market in Geneva my grandmother took me to when I was little – and I wondered why I waited so long to regularly visit the one in Dupont Circle. Is it Sunday yet?