winter greenmarkets

I'm a fan of greenmarkets (is that really one word?!), but really how often does one visit such an affair outside of their own neighborhood? I've been to the one in Grand Army Plaza more times than I can count, but if I ever found myself in some other 'hood's greenmarket it was just because I happened by when it was going on. I say this because I always want to explore other markets, but rarely find myself actually doing it.

But: cool link. And very useful - it's good to know that fresh food continues to flow into the city in spite of the weather!

@Uraniumfish I have been to two uptown green markets -the St Stephen's and the 77th street Green market on the UWS but have yet to see goat meat anywhere. We do eat goat and its usually very difficult to find in Manhattan though I believe it is available at the Halal butchers in Queens.

The American consumer in me expects greenmarkets to be open year round! And I do agree with that yahoo article: you do have to be more creative with farmer's goods in the winter, which is half the fun.

@BroadwayBK aha I remember last winter when you were experimenting with a recipe which called for tamarind pulp am I right?

I love goat meat, @uptowngirl! Do you know any restaurants that serve it?

@ajadedidealist Cabrito a Mexican joint which belonged to the Fatty Crab stable used to serve goat in the city sadly though I think Cabrito recently shut shop and is to be transformed into a Fatty Crab/Fatty Cue outpost.

@uptowngirl I think it was fall because the recipe called for sweet potatoes: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kidney-bean-stew-with-sweet-potatoes-and-oranges-recipe/index.html

Thanks for helping me locate some tamarind pulp! :)

@NeverSleeps I'm too lazy to check if greenmarket is one word, but at this point, I feel I know enough of English language usage to make up my own rules, yo!

@NeverSleeps Oh, and I guess this kind of stuff is useful to me because I moved recently and I'm still orienting myself to all the things available to me within walking distance. It's true that I wouldn't venture out to other people's greenmarkets because who wants to lug veggies on the subway?

@Uraniumfish You're lucky you are living in Chinatown then for it has some of the freshest produce in the city and you dont even have to lug the stuff on the subway.

@Uraniumfish Exactly! You don't often see people with groceries on the subway, withstanding the occasional Trader Joe's shopper.

@NeverSleeps that would be moi!

@Uraniumfish: The word "greenmarket" can be one word or separate. It depends how you use it.

One weird feature of chinatown veggie stands: no strawberries, for some reason. Certain fruits and veggies don't get sold in chinatown at all.

@Uraniumfish: Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits. I get them all the time. If the fruit stand doesn't have them, I won't bother to go there.

No, but I mean there's not a single strawberry to be found in all of chinatown, and I have to walk like ten blocks to get my strawberry fix.

@Uraniumfish: What? I'm sorry you have to go out of your way just to get strawberries. Is it that the Chinese don't like strawberries?

@Uraniumfish hmmm that's a bit weird I don't know if the Chinese don't like strawberries for in my supermarket here in HK strawberries imported from USA are hugely popular.I wonder why they wouldnt be sold in Chinatown then..actually you should also look out for this black grape like fruit.. its only sold in Chinatown and I think in Flushing though I really have no idea what its called, my husband's colleague used to buy it for us and it was delicious to say the least.

@Uptowngirl: Is that black fruit you are talking about only seen in certain places, and only by the Chinese?

I'm guessing the strawberry shortage in Chinatown has to do with where the vendors get their stocks.Obviously they're supplied by importers of things like bok choi and those wacky spiked fruits I don't know the name of, so they may not be focusing on importing strawberries, which often come from places like Spain. Just a guess.

@Uraniumfish: Thankfully, when I go down the street, a vendor has his cart parked there and sells strawberries, among other fruit and vegetables.

Actually, there are several spiked fruits I don't know the name of in plentiful supply on every Chinatown stand, as well as starfruit, asian pears, etc. Pretty good, but since theyr'e not the fruits I grew up with it's hard to make the switch. I really just want my strawberries and my melons.

@Uraniumfish: And you should get them, since you want them. You deserve them.

@Uraniumfish the spiked fruits- the pink ones are dragon fruit ( the interior is white and speckled with black seeds and it has a neutral taste), the large yellow spiked ones are jackfruit or durian( the interior is yellow and fleshy and tasty but a bit smelly I am not a fan but many folks I know are). The small red spiky ones are Rambutan and are basically large lychees.I dont particularly like star fruit but you should be able to get honey dew melon and rock melon in Chinatown.

@hhusted that black fruit is like a grape and its very sweet but since I dont know what its called I dont know much about it.

Anyone have any suggestions for winter dishes? I love summer food (tomatoes, zucchini, etc) and don't really like potatoes, so I tend to avoid cooking in the winter. I'd like to change that and start cooking seasonally. Any ideas?

Thanks, uptowngirl! It's not5 like they ever label those fruits in English, so until now I haven't even known what they're called.

@ajadeidealist How do you feel about beets and squash. I think winter foods tend to be in the tuber family.

@Uraniumfish I think beets are in season June-Oct..

@ajadedidealist I actually consult the BBC website to see what's in season, which I think will work even better for you since you are often in the UK: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/seasons/january Also I like to check out magazines like Everyday Food and Bon Appetit (RIP Gourmet), as they usually provide seasonal recipes in their monthly editions.

@BroadwayBK Just had a look at the link.. blood oranges for January.. do we get blood oranges in NYC?..I love oranges of all types and am especially enjoying some clementines from Spain at the moment.My recent trip to Singapore awakened another old desire..the desire for yong tau foo soup. I have only ever seen this in Singapore where it is sold at hawker centers(food courts). The Yong tau foo soup stalls sell a variety of vegetables like winter melon, peppers, okra, aubergine which are stuffed with tofu, along with tofu balls and other varieties of tofu and a wide array of greens. You have to pick a few pieces and give it to the server who then asks you if you want it dry or with soup. If you say soup then the server dunks your choices in a bowl of boiling stock and adds noodles or rice if you wish. This is an extremely healthy meal and a I tried to recreate it last night, using store bought low sodium, chicken broth, bok choi, bean sprouts, tofu balls and some shrimp and pork dumplings. I added a dash of chili sauce to give the broth some flavor and it was quite delicious and filling too.
http://www.redcook.net/2009/09/21/the-yong-tau-foo-stuffing-mystery/

@Uraniumfish: I love beets and squash, especially spaghetti squash.

@hhusted have never had spaghetti squash and i just looked it up it looks very interesting..

@Uptowngirl: If prepared correctly, it taste really good.

@BroadwayBK Smarty-pants! Yes, I guess beets aren't quite winter foods, though it never occurs to me to eat beet dishes in spring / summer, for some reason.

@Uraniumfish: I eat beets at least once a week, no matter the time of year.

@Uraniumfish Yeah, yeah - I cook a lot, usually vegetarian things. Beets are amazing in a salad that involves goat cheese - that pairing is unbelievable, and very summer-y.

@BroadwayBK Yeah, it's phenomenal how good beets are with goat cheese - and it seems such an unlikely pairing on first thought.

@hhusted Really, that many beets? That's a lot of beets, really.

I love butternut squash - my butternut squash, apple, and pepper soup is my specialty! I'm not a huge beet fan, but I need to add more veggies and fruits to my unhealthy diet of English Food.

@BroadwayBK I second the beets and goat cheese salad pairing quite delicious and so summery...

@hhusted Beets are quite high in natural sugar and since I am terrified of diabetes which I am genetically predisposed to being South Asian ..I tend to limit my intake of beets, dates and other high GI foods.

I love winter greens - especially kale and arugula. Any soup that involves potatoes is especially welcome in winter as well.

@NeverSleeps Broccoli and Potato soup, yum my total favorite...

@ajadedidealist the butternut squash, apple and pepper soup sounds amazing too..

Pumpkin soup always makes me think of winter. I could eat a gallon.

@Uptowngirl and @Uraniumfish: My doctor told me to eat at least one serving of beets a week. He told me it will promote and speed up my healing process. And considering I am going into the hospital for more surgery in March, well, I will need all the help I can get.

@hhusted what are the health benefits of beets?

@Uptowngirl: Strengthens the heart and fights cancer. Here is a website about it:

http://www.aimforherbs.com/remakingbeets.html

This is why my doctor told me to eat one serving of beets a week. He also recommended one cup of carrots a week as well. Actually, he encouraged me to eat one cup of each a day. But I haven't been doing that, so I do my best to eat both at least once a week.

@hhusted maybe you can make the carrots into a soup?perfect for snowy temps isn't it?

Here's recipe that I have tried and its quite yummy
http://www.self.com/fooddiet/recipes/2010/12/carrot-soup-with-orange-yogurt

Anyone else get massive Americanized Chinese food cravings in the winter? I feel like I can't stop lately!

Lately I mostly just consider what to do with all of the persimmons I keep acquiring.

But now that you mention it, I could go for some breaded/fried Americanized Chinese chicken...

Speaking from Americanized Chinese central, there does come an end point when one has had simply too much Americanized Chinese. It may not seem like there's an end point, JenMac, but it exists. I simply cannot have any more Americanized Chinese, I have had enough.

@Uraniumfish just curious where in Chinatown have you been eating?

Back when it was still warm enough to go outside, I used to satisfy my cravings for Chinese in Sunset. But I like those places where hardly a white man ventures and no one seems to speak English.

@NeverSleeps It is said that the restaurants that are frequented by Chinese populations often serve the best Chinese food.

@uptowngirl I believe it. There are no decent Chinese joints in my neighborhood, that's for sure. Would love to hear about some new ones in Chinatown.

@uptowngirl @NeverSleeps That's something I've noticed as well; the best Chinese joints have A LOT of Chinese customers.

I don't get massive craving for Chinese food. But I do get a craving for candy. Thankfully, my metabolism works quickly and I burn off the sugar and fat in sweets, or I'd be as big as a house by now.

Anyone like Greek food? I've just discovered it and now I crave Greek food all the time. In the past week I've made my own hummus (a bit too salty, but a good start) and a home-made moussaka (amazing!)

I have a roster of places in Chinatown: a few whitepeople places, and a few of the kind where no white person ventures. For when I'm feeling adventuresome and for when I just need a quick bite and have no time. But lately I just cannot face a single dumpling more, authentic or not, and actually have been known to go to Subway for the quick meal.

I have, however, recently become interested in a Peking duck experience and I am researching the best option for this here.

Stray afterthought: there are simply too many dumplings in the world. Too too many.

Ahahaha! Uraniumfish, that's like saying there's too much pizza in the world! Sacrilege! Weirdly, I can't remember the last time I had a dumpling. . . . I feel like I never eat them.

@Uraniumfish I haven't encountered too many dumplings here in China. Much prefer hand pulled noodles as for Peking Duck have never had it NYC but always eat in London at a restaurant called Poons in London's Chinatown.

@Uraniumfish Just came across this blog post that lists the 10 best things to eat in Chinatown and yes it has a recommendation for Peking Duck
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/01/our_10_best_thi_2.php

@uptowngirl Cool about the Peking duck!

Also @uptowngirl This might just be the difference between China cooking and American Chinese cooking. Say what you will, the NY Chinatown Chinese are really just american Chinese.

@Uraniumfish Have you been to China?

American or China. It doesn't matter to me. I just can't stomach it. I guess it was because of being raised on country and soul food most of the time.

Recipe for all of you, which I made tonight: lentil, aubergine, and parmesean (easy!)
Step 1) Cut and salt the eggplants, leave for 30 min.
2) Roast eggplants in oven with olive oil for 30 min WHILE
3) Covering lentils with water, bringing to boil, and simmering for 30 minutes
4) Mix eggplants with lentils on stove, top with parmesan! Add salt, pepper, bay leaf, etc. I made it tonight and it was amazing!

@ajadedidealist @ what temp did you roast the eggplants?

@ajadedidealist sounds amazing lover aubergines and lentils as well...

I went to a new greenmarket today! I couldn't get out of bed before 4pm yesterday, so I missed my regular stop at Saturday's market in Grand Army. But I really needed me some free range eggs, so I crossed the Gowanus to go to the one in Carroll Gardens. It was not as awesome as the one in Grand Army, but I did score some yogurt from Milk Thistle, which is supposed to be the best in the city. Anyone tried it?

@NeverSleeps No. And, no never been to China either.

@NeverSleeps I haven't tried Milk Thistle yogurt but remember seeing it ..maybe at the Union Square green market.

@Uraniumfish Just wondering. Everyone always says that our NYC Chinese food is Americanized, and I don't doubt it, I've just always been curious as to how it is so.

@uptowngirl The yogurt is pretty good, but I think the Fage brand is still my favorite.

@NeverSleeps I don't think all the NYC Chinese food is Americanized, many restaurants in Flushing and Elmhurst serve pretty authentic Chinese food in fact if you ever venture out into Elmhurst do try the Taste Good Chinese restaurant that actually caters to the Singapore consulate so it must be authentic enough.

@uptowngirl Sounds like something worth checking out. Haven't been to Queens in quite a while....

@NeverSleeps Its a bit grotty but the food at Taste Good is pretty good..worth the hike out once in away...

The less authentic places in Chinatown are the ones filled with non-Chinese - it's pretty easy to spot the authentic ones. Just go where the Chinese grandmas go. That's how I found my favorite fresh fish place.

@Uraniumfish Sound advice!