The farmer’s market season opens early in Oregon and a large market downtown Portland is now in full swing. Weather seldom keeps anybody home. It can be raining cats and dogs one minute and the sun can come out the next so people just show up without giving much thought to the elements. I was there at opening bell yesterday and by the time I left the aisles were starting to fill with eager shoppers. I came away with a heavenly baguette, some havarti cheese from Willamette Valley Creamery and a bag of apples that had “pie” written all over it. I was short on time so took a Marie Callender unbaked pie shell out of the freezer, sliced and sugared the apples, added a streusel topping and baked it for about an hour at 375 degrees.
A typical March morning in Portland
And fresh flowers
F.Y.I. I have never subscribed to many magazines. They just pile up, get in the way and make me feel guilty that I don’t stay up on current reading. I have received Gourmet Magazine for years and I should have been happy with that, but, OH NO, I had to branch out and add Martha Stewart’s Living to the stack. I sent in my money and got my first issue, March, after it had been on the stand for several weeks. I was OK with that and enjoyed the magazine. Then, several days later, I got the January and February issues. As you could guess, I was no longer interested in ways to use leftover turkey or how to make Valentine cupcakes so wasn’t too happy with these old issues. Sure enough, a week later I got the April issue (on time). So, in a little more than four weeks I got four issues. I noticed on my April issue that my subscription expires in December, 2009. So….I had two old issues dumped on me and my subscription shortened by the same. Shame on you, Martha. I’ll complain but just want to give you all a warning to watch for this.
Love your Farmer’s Market! I could do damage there. I agree with Martha’s magazine. She did the same to me once and I have since unscribed. We only get Bon Appetit and have so for at least 20 years. It is still our favorite. Pie looks great. I can smell it.
Cathy, your apple pie looks delicious! Love your red pie plate, too.
I’m doing my best not to order any more magazine subscriptions. I’m winning that battle, though the one I’m waging on purchasing more cookbooks seems to be flailing… 😉
that pie looks absolutely gorgeous, as does your farmer’s market. there’s nothing like fresh produce on a spring day (even if it is gray and rainy!)
that stinks about the magazine. i don’t subscribe to Martha… but now i know i don’t want to!
That is absolutely unacceptable about the magazine. They need to extend your subscription…anything already on the newstand should not have been sent. I’m so annoyed…that’s not how you do business in economic times like this if you want to keep customers.
Oh that Farmer’s Market looks great. You were very well behaved! I usually buy too much and then feel obligated to cook it all and give it away!
The pie looks delicious! I wonder if we have those shells here in NY.
And shame on Martha! I don’t that one anymore..I did take the Everyday Food for a year, and I like it…
Oy..Now I see Ms Callender helped..I read too fast this am.. and I put nothing past you:)
Ms. C is your middle name:)We don’t have that here:(
You go girl…give it to Martha!
I wish we had a farmer’s market that looked that good.
I so envy you. Our market won’t open until next week and it will be very slow going until mid May. Fortunately, I have some ethnic markets that will keep me from becoming a real complainer. I love the thought of an apple pie tonight. It’s hailing as I write this.
I can’t wait for our Farmers’ Markets to open. Evidently, the opening bell is something that is common to most of them as we have that here as well.
Great looking pie and shame on Martha!
Love your market, so unlike ours here, which is usually smelly and inorganised…would love to visit your country some day. Could you post your recipe for the apple pie please? Thanks in advance.
What a great looking pie! The farmer’s market in my town is year round, rain or shine, but sometimes there’s not a very good turnout.
So lovely Cathy…no Farmers Market here until June….I love them so.
I would love those radishes…with some butter on some lovely brown bread!
Martha tried that trick with me too…call them up and complain….they will extend your subscription….
L~xo
Wow.. the pie looks so good!
Very nice pictures of the fresh veggies.
I love doing my shopping before the rush comes in. You get the best goodies!
The weather is similiar in Regensburg. It could rain, snow and be sunny all the same day. A lot of ppl are tired of the weather and want spring to finally arrive.
As for Martha Stewart – what a shame! I hope they have the decency to fix the problem.
I forgot to mention that your apple pie looks scrumptious!! MMMMM – being pregnant, I’ve been craving a lot of things and apple pie is one of them! Will have to make one soon.
Good morning, everybody. Its so nice of you all to come for a visit.
Sorry to read that Martha’s bad business practices are not unusual for her.
Susan – The opening bell is an attempt to keep early shoppers out of the market until everything is set up and the trucks have moved out. Vendors at my market can’t sell anything until the bell. Strictly enforced.
Can’t wait to show you all photos of the market in full swing. 175 booths filled with every imaginable local produce, great music and terrific prepared foods.
I love our Portland farmers markets – they are the best. Your pie looks amazing.
What a great looking farmers market!And your pie is delicious looking! I have some apples in the fridge that are now calling to me. Guess I’ll be making pie too.
OMG…YUM-O…I will be right over for some of that fabulous looking pie!!!
Wow, I need to get to the Portland market! The Vancouver market has been open for two weeks now, but it doesn’t have any of those gorgeous greens yet. Just starts and apples. BTW, do you sell your nuts at the Portland market or one of the other markets in town? Would love to stop by and say hi!
oh my gosh….love your pics. Love Portland. Love Farmer’s markets. Love the rain. (I live in the desert). Love apples. Feel about magazines as you do.
You mad the PERFECT post for me!
Looks like we all love farmer’s markets. I’ll be posting weekly updates and recipes when my market starts on Mother’s Day weekend.
Lucy – I am a vendor at the market in Beaverton, Saturdays from 8:00 to 1:30. I hope you will visit. There are several other Portland and vicinity bloggers I hope to meet also. What fun! And thanks for visiting today.
That is quite a farmer’s market you’ve got there. Ours don’t quite add up, but they’re definitely better than they used to be. I’m the opposite of you and had 17 subscriptions at one time. It was the way I decompressed after work when I wasn’t grading papers. Now I get 3. Although I no longer get Martha, I did save them and dig out the seasonal issues to go through them once again. You just never know what you’ll find. But yes, that was pretty sneaky what they did…
The pie looks absolutely divine! The farmers market looks fun – I’ll have to wait until June for ours!