Marché Jean-Talon – King of All Farmers’ Markets

I was awestruck by the bounty of fresh and vibrant produce at Marché Jean-Talon. The produce was beautifully displayed in several stalls under a massive tent. All of the fruits that I sampled were bursting with flavor – if only I could shop here every weekend! The perimeter of the market is also surrounded by specialty shops selling cheese, pastries, meats, and anything else your heart could desire.

So many bright colors and types of produce…and all so neatly stacked!

Even plain cauliflower looks pretty
A bell pepper fiesta!
Even the potatoes show up in colors. Purple potatoes are especially fun!
Baskets of darling little heirloom carrots
Enormous bread selection inside Boulangerie Premiére Moisson
Pâté anyone?
So many cakes and pastries, so little time.

Needless to say, I was giddy as I walked around sampling all the wonderful food at Marché Jean-Talon. I loooove this place! I also went to Marché Atwater during my visity, but it’s much smaller and more crowded with tourists than Marché Jean-Talon. [Tip: Marché Jean-Talon is further from Montreal’s downtown center, but an easy trip on the subway with its own stop.]

BITE METER: Marché Jean-Talon – 4.5 bites (out of 5)

Jack London Square Farmers’ Market

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, so B and I decided to check out the Jack London Square Farmers’ Market in Oakland (Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market in SF is closed on Sundays). Similar to the Ferry Plaza, this farmers' market has tents set up along a waterfront, giving it a beautiful backdrop. There’s also a soon-to-open plaza/building for permanent local vendors.
What I liked about this market:
- Has more of a festive vibe and family-oriented atmosphere than the one in San Francisco
- The prepared food stands were excellent! My favorites were the Indian food stand (forget name, but not Sukhi’s), East & West Gourmet Afghan Food stand, and Cholita Linda’s taco stand.
- Tons of seating on the lawn and along the water with gorgeous views
- Parking was surprisingly easy

What I didn’t like about this market:
- There were only a few produce stands and the selection was slim. (Keep in mind, that I’ve been spoiled by the size and number of vendors at the Ferry Plaza for several years)
- It's relatively small and doesn't take long to cover the whole market
- They don’t proactively give out of free samples and let you try the fresh produce/food

Chicken Tikka Masala Naan Roll – my favorite eat of the day! You must come to the Indian food stand and get one. I forget their name, but make sure it’s the one with a portable tandoori oven. I was really impressed that they actually had a tandoori oven at a food stand to ensure the quality of their naan…and you can definitely taste the difference! It’s warm, soft, and a little bit crispy on the outside, but not too doughy on the inside - basically, awesome. There were many different types of naan rolls, but I chose the one filled with savory and spicy chicken tikka masala…DELISH!! [Tip: the naan rolls are large and quite filling, so I recommend sharing one if you want to eat at more than one food stand]

East & West Gourmet Afghan Food – I was smitten as soon as I tasted a sample of their spinach bolani (thin, stuffed flat-bread) topped with their garlic mint cheese spread and sweet jalapeno jelly. YUM!! I loved the interplay of the cool mint and creamy cheese with the sweet spice of the jelly, and the bolani was the perfect canvas. Of course, I had to buy some!
Cholita Linda – their mint limeade is a must! Refreshing and thirst-quenching. I also liked their spit-roasted chicken taco (the fish taco was just ok), and appreciated the side of tortilla chips with oxacan cotija cheese.
Golden Nugget Mandarins – I’ve never seen such wrinkly and bumpy oranges before. Fortunately, they taste better than they look.
Organic Strawberries – Beware of this stand! The strawberries looked beautiful when we purchased them, but went bad and molded the very next day...grrr.
BITE METER: Jack London Square Farmers’ Market – 3.5 bites (out of 5)

Exotic Foods of Sydney’s Asian Markets

These large, brownish-purplish crustaceans are Mud Crabs (aka: mangrove crabs), which I had the pleasure of eating a few days before.
One of the largest species of crab in the world, this Tasmanian Giant Crab was literally twice the size of my head! They average 20-30 pounds each…now that is a LOT of crab meat. I will definitely have to feast on one next time I’m in Australia.
The Kona Crab is probably the strangest looking crustacean I’ve ever seen. I wonder how it tastes…although it doesn’t look very appetizing to me.
These Mangosteens were gorgeous! Bright purple and lime green, they are my mom’s favorite fruit. The inside is white and fleshy…super sweet when eaten fresh, but they turn sour very quickly if you don’t get eat them in their prime.
I first had Rambutans during a trip to Vietnam. They are funky looking, but sweet and juicy on the inside…like a larger version of the lychee fruit.
I thought these Kiwiberries were so exotic…until I later saw them at the Whole Foods in Boston (no idea how I missed them until now)! Anyways, I had never seen them before this trip and thought they were cute. They tasted exactly like a tiny kiwi.

I 'heart' Heirloom Tomatoes

Every summer, I anxiously await the arrival of my beloved heirloom tomatoes. Once I spot these colorful, organic beauties at the Farmers Market, I then spend months devouring thier juicy flesh, intoxicated as they burst with flavor. As this summer nears to an end, I wanted to say goodbye lovely plants...see you again next year.