It's Saturday morning and the sun is out in Syracuse.
By now (9 a.m.) the Central New York Regional Market on Park Street is awash in produce and plants, filled with the cinnamon-sugar aroma of just-fried donuts and crowded with people.
It's always fun to grab a cup of coffee and check out the scene. But the Regional Market is also open Tuesdays (4 to 8 p.m.) and Thursdays (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The selection is good, and it's pleasantly uncrowded at those times.
Here's a look at what we found on Thursday:
Brilliant, beefy radishes, $1 a bunch.
Herbs for planting, including parsley, pineapple mint, chives and sweet basil.
Salt potatoes, $2.
Green squash and yellow squash, $1 to $2 for four.
On Wednesday, I finally got around to checking out the farmers market held each week in the parking lot at Green Hills Farms Supermarket, on South Salina Street in the Valley section of Syracuse.
The market draws four vendors each week, including Jamie Edelstein of Wyllie Fox Farm, in Cato, who offered scallions, red leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, collards and other greens.
Nothing tastes better than a salad made with freshly picked greens.
Here's a quick dressing recipe to try:
Caper-Tarragon Vinaigrette (from Gourmet magazine)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon drained bottled capers, chopped
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Gradually whisk in oil in a slow stream until emulsified, then whisk in tarragon and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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