Haymarket
A friend of mine likes to buy produce at Haymarket, mainly, she says, for the “experience.” I’ve lived in the Boston area for close to a decade, but until this past Friday, I never got around to going to Haymarket. It’s open Fridays and Saturdays only, which doesn’t quite fit my routine (usually involving shopping and cooking for Shabbat Thursday night and then eating leftovers for several days).
Classes are over, though, and the weather has been nice, so I decided to make the trek. But first, of course, I had to Google “Haymarket Boston” to find out what to expect. The general consensus seemed to be that the market is characterized by crowds, rude vendors, and lousy produce, but with prices low enough to make it worthwhile.
I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the produce. Most of it was as good or better than what I usually find at the supermarket, and the crowds and vendors weren’t too bad, either. I attribute this mainly to my having gone Friday morning. The prices were, as advertised, ridiculously low. (This is apparently due to the low overhead cost of running a booth at an outdoor market as opposed to a store.)
I spent exactly $20. Here’s what I got:
- 3 lbs. rhubarb
- 2 lbs. strawberries
- 1 lb blueberries
- 1 lb raspberries
- 1/2 lb blackberries
- 2 heads Boston lettuce
- 1 bunch spinach
- 1 bunch radishes
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1 bunch parsley
- 4 red peppers
- 6 large lemons
- 7 tomatoes on the vine
- 1 Vidalia onion
- 1 ginger root
Two of the peppers turned out to be rotten inside, some of the berries were sour, and the tomatoes got smooshed on the T, but for what I paid, it hardly mattered. We’ve had many salads since then, and there are mixed berry sorbet and Moroccan preserved lemons in the works.
In conclusion, I highly recommend not having a real job if you live in the Boston area and want good quality, dirt-cheap produce. If that’s not an option, consider taking a Friday off at some point, for the experience.
(Cross-posted to Apikorsus)
Elf,
I tried shopping at Haymarket once when I visited Boston, and my experience was similar to yours. Some of the stuff I bought was surprisingly good, but most was subpar.
My biggest issue was that almost all vendors sold the exact stuff, as if they were pawns for the same wholesaler.
The prices are really good, albeit no better than what is typically found in ethnic produce markets in NYC, e.g. Chinatown. The quality is pretty suspect, and I was quite upset with a vendor who refused to let me taste before buying. (Why wouldn’t he share the risk? –rhetorical question…)
I love outdoor markets, so I would probably visit again next time I am in Boston on a Friday. I will note that Haymarket pales in comparison to the Grand Street vicinity in Manhattan’s Chinatown/Lower East Side. (For those living in NYC, quality cherries are being sold @ 3 lbs. for $4, and the new crop of lychees are selling at $4/lb.)
The reason that “almost all vendors sold the exact stuff” is that, in theory, a farmers market is supposed to reflect what is in season and local.
It is NOT a farmer’s market though. Mangoes and Papayas, lychees, bananas, do not grow in Boston, and are all available in haymarket. This is very unlike NYC’s greenmarket, where all produce is grown within 150 miles.
As I understand it, Haymarket is not a farmer’s market. Vendors sell the same stuff, imported from all over, that usually ends up in a supermarket.