Sarasota Farmer's Market: A Saturday Tradition

Located between Main Street and Lemon Avenue in downtown Sarasota, the Sarasota Farmers Market is open rain or shine year-round every Saturday between 7 am and 1 pm. Established in 1979, the Market features over 70 vendors providing the community with fresh local produce, plants and blooms, prepared foods, artisanal products from fresh pasta and guacamole, as well as local seafood and popular food trucks, where a handful of Sarasota restaurants got their start. Overwhelmed by the scope of the market since I was last here about five years ago, we made our way slowly through markets stalls stopping at Kinsey's Produce for fresh hulled pineapple, homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli and squid ink tagliatelle from Peperonata Pasta, followed by Worden Farms for organic radishes and Dynasty's outstandingly delicious guacamole, makes a trip the the market worthwhile on its own. 

Kinsey's fresh local seasonal produce 

Fabulous organic French breakfast radishes from Worden Farms for just $2 

Outstanding fresh guacamole made with limes and ripe Haas avocado mixed in a large bowl and sold in plastic containers at Dynasty Guacamole

Shrimp and Mango Taco from Maggies Seafood

Beautiful blooms from Suncoast Flowers

One of the food trucks at Sarasota Farmers Market selling iced coffee and fruit smoothies

A Sarasota legend, Perry is famous for his 'Original Roadside BBQ' and signature sauce

www.sarasotafarmersmarket.org

Curried Curly Endive Soup with Romanesco

Serves 4-6

Recipe courtesy of Worden Farms

4 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1/2 tbsp minced  garlic

2 scallions, sliced

1 minced jalapeno

1/2 cup minced yellow Onions

2 carrots, small dice

1 cup romanesco, broken into small florets (green cauliflower)

2 cups curly endive or escarole, chopped

2 stalks celery, small dice

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp paprika

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock 

2 oz roux or corn starch slurry

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 lime, juiced

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, then add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, jalapeno, scallions and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the romanesco and endive, and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the spices to the vegetables and cook 3 minutes on low heat. Add the stock and simmer for 30 minutes, then season the soup to taste. Add the roux and whisk until smooth. Then add the coconut milk, and bring to a simmer for 10 Minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and warm through. Adjust the seasoning as desired.