I heard of the Green Barn Market for a while already but did not really have the motivation to seek it out. Not being a morning person myself, I value my rare treat of sleeping in on Saturday mornings. However, a craving for farm fresh eggs was enough motivation to make the trek today. Am I ever glad that I did!
There are plenty of farmer's market in Toronto but not many of them are open in winter. The year-round North Market of famed St Lawrence Market is an exception of course. I'm not particularly a fan though because the place can get a little touristy at times. What makes Green Barn Market different is its neighbourhood feel and its strong focus on local and organic goods. I am also partial to The Stop Community Food Centre. I think the organization is doing a lot of good things in the community. More importantly though, is the market any good?
The photo on left shows the bounty I brought back. There are leeks, carrots, and kale in purple and green. I love the sweet potato stand with its varieties of sweet potatoes. I got a bunch of yellow flesh ones with a mild taste. I love kabocha squash and eat them everyday. Unfortunately, I've run out of my stash which I bought in early December from the friendly Japanese farm stand at J-Town. At this point, my neighbourhood supermarkets only carry squashes from Mexico. When I saw the precious Ontario-grown kabocha at Green Barn today, of course I snatched a couple! I picked up a smoked pork hock for my next batch of split pea soup. I got a dozen of farm fresh eggs as planned. As soon as I got home, I soft boiled one for snack. Mmmm, eggs with real flavour! Last but not least, a bag of cheese curds. These ones from Empire Cheese is not squeeky but the taste is so unbelievably milky. They reminded me what milk is suppose to taste like. I could not stop eating them!
I have big plans for my winter bounty from Ontario. I'm thinking Caramelized Onion & Leek Goat Cheese Tart, Kale Sauteed In Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar, and Roasted Root Vegetables. Looks like I'll have some cooking to do this weekend!
