The Market

This morning I ventured out into the world at the necessary hour of 8:00. I met with old friend and market comrade Ryan. We met early for breakfast at Nellie's since he would not be joining me today due to other manly plans such as Archery. Ryan and I have, over time, developed a tradition of sorts that involves going to the market and getting the produce for the week. I have begun to really look forward to this tradition each week, and one may even say that I am hooked. I find myself eating much more fruits and vegetables as of late, and I even have been known to buy odd looking fruit on a whim (read: today I bought a papaya cause it looked cool).

The market also lends itself to being the place to see food critic John Gilchrist. I remember hearing John on the radio when I was just a young boy, and then when I moved back to Calgary I started hearing about him again. Last year John named the Calgary Farmers Market as the top new restaurant in the city. Last year John also released another book of the best places to eat in this city. I may or may not own a signed copy, at the time of signing I told John how I used to listen to him while I was growing up. He rolled his eyes and groaned.

The market also offers many unique items found nowhere else. I speak about the fact that there are stands in the market during the summer that are run by hutterite's. I love supporting these people since they are living proof that socialism on a small scale does in fact work, and that farming is a noble profession. Last summer I bought the largest onions I have ever seen. They were only mild in flavor, but they were nearly the size of a child's head, I kid you not. The market also has Simple Simon's Pies. These small meat pies are some of the easiest and most delicious lunch's I can take from the freezer and take to work. A couple of minutes in the wave of micro and out they come all warm and full of great food items. These are not your average store bought meat pies, anything else I have had pales in comparison.

Ah, you say, can it get better? It sure can. Three stalls down from the pie place there is a stall called "The Old Country Sausage Shop". In reality you have to trust me when I tell you that some of the greatest tasting sausage I have ever had has come from this shop. I frequent them every week as they have some excellent turkey and cranberry smokies that are some of the most exquisite tasting morsels I have ever eaten.

But why is the market one of my favorite things? The food is tasty and fits well into the budget. The people are friendly and there are samples everywhere. After enough weeks they start to remember your face and tell you "see you next week". It feels comfortable to know they depend on your business to succeed. And finally, if food critic John Gilchrist shops there, then something much be going right as he is the foremost expert on all things food and beverage in this city. If he says its good, then I have no choice but to believe him.