When I visited New York in August, I skipped the morning session of my conference so that I could explore the crown jewel of the cities farmers markets - Union Square Greenmarket. I was there on a Friday so there weren't quite as many vendors as a Saturday, but there were still sufficient treasures to find.
In addition to abundant produce, you could enjoy fresh squeezed juices, pretzels and cheeses galore. I was particularly impressed with the Valley Shepherd Creamery sheep's milk cheeses - the pecorino was amazing.
The meat choices were plentiful as well. Several stalls offered everything from beef, pork, chicken, rabbit and beautiful fish. In addition to chicken and duck eggs, you could also buy emu and ostrich eggs.
I asked if anyone ever bought the emu and ostrich eggs and the vendor assured me that they sell all the time. The ostrich eggs are the equivalent of two dozen chicken eggs and he noted that people often buy them to make large omelets for parties - a novelty to please the crowd.
I found my favorite treasure of the day in one of the produce booths. The bin was loaded with what looked like very small tomatillos. When I asked the farmer what they were, she said the were husk cherries. I'd never heard of them before so I bought a pint.
Their name is deceptive as they are related to tomatoes, not cherries. The little fruits are alternately called cape gooseberries, but again they are not related to berries. To eat them, you peel back the husk and pull out the fruit. They taste a little like a cherry tomato, but with a sweeter flavor and very little acidity. I should have bought two pints so I could play with them in the kitchen. Instead, I ran around town making all my foodie friends try them.
The next time you're in New York on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, wander over to Union Square and see what treasure you can find. The market is open four days a week from 8 am to 6 pm. It's worth the detour.
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