A trio of plow horses eating grass in a field could not have enjoyed a fresher Farm to Fork experience than Molly, Vince and I had Saturday morning in Madison.
We sat by the window at the appropriately named Graze and watched restaurant employees wheel a cart through the Farmer’s Market across the street to make purchases for the day’s menu items. Distance from market to my plate? Roughly 15 steps.
I know because I jumped up from my table when I saw them, and ran out of the restaurant to chat.
We love Farmer’s Markets and we especially love them during harvest time. Here’s the best way to enjoy Madison’s amazing Farmer’s Market:
Go hungry. This is very important because you will eat. The smell of delicious baked goods wafts out and reels you in. So many displays offer samples that you can essentially eat your way around the block. Cheeses! Apples! Breads! Spinach! Hot spicy cheese bread. Ahhh! I want to go back.
Start with a hot drink in a to go cup, maybe a little something with caffeine. You can make your purchase on the northeast corner of the square and then begin your counter-clockwise stroll. Nibble here and there but don’t fill up. I’ve made the Farmer’s Market rounds on an over-stuffed belly and it’s not nearly as fun.
Look up, down and all around at the exceptionally cute babies. I don’t know what it is about Farmer’s Markets and babies but holy crocheted cow bonnets those wee ones are adorable.
Buy the hot spicy cheese bread, leave your plastic bag open and hold the loaf palm up. That bread is delicious but it will mush up like a Halloween pumpkin left on the porch until Thanksgiving if you seal it up hot. Go ahead and break off a warm hunk but be warned. That stuff is tasty and you’ll woof down a loaf before you realize what you’ve done.
Buy some apples because they’re just delicious this time of year.
Finish up at Graze, and taste the possibilities of all the fresh fruits and vegetables you’ve just seen. We enjoyed pulled pork on creamy grits, a perfectly dressed fresh green salad, Eggs Benedict and Chilaquiles. I meant to take a picture but we cleaned our plates too quickly.
I did snap a few other photos…
