Kale, yeah! | March 25th, 2024

Fresh & Local:

Kale, yeah!

March is wrapping up and we are seeing GREEN! Whether you prefer your greens stewed and wilty over the stove, or raw and crisp in fresh salad form, you’re sure to find them in abundance at the market.

Hearty greens like collards and kale break down when they are cooked, weakening their tough structure and mellowing out any bitterness. If you don’t already have a favorite recipe for cooking greens and you’re short on time, a bit of olive oil, salt, garlic, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will yield perfect results every time. Before the summer heat sets in is also peak salad time - so if you prefer to go raw, there are plenty of spring and mesclun mixes available at market. Young, tender chard, spinach and mizuna also make for great salads.

To get your fix, check out the Monicas, River Queen Greens, Joe Fekete Family Farm, Veggi Co-op, Poché Family Farm, and Isabel’s Tamales and Produce.

Picks of the Week:

Catch those bubbles

You know her, you love her, it’s Bubble Lady Linda! She’ll be back at Market March Madness this week in addition to a great lineup of activities. Now that the time has changed and the Thursday Mid-City Market stays open through 7pm, we’re loving the extra time together.

3-7pm: Art Market in the Station, Cooking Demo with Chef Touissant, Bubble Lady Linda

4pm: Music by NOCCA Jazz Ensemble

4:30pm: Market March Walking Group

5pm: Basketball Activity by Harvest Church in the Station

6pm: FitNOLA Boot Camp

Beverages by Urban South Brewery

Photo by Patrick Niddrie Photography

Greaux the Good Keeps on Greauxin’

Greaux the Good, a program of Market Umbrella, has successfully secured state funding two years in a row to bring SNAP recipients closer to fresh and local food. Before this, only .007% of Louisiana SNAP dollars were spent at local farmers markets and less than 5% of Louisiana farmers markets were offering a SNAP match program.

Now gearing up for its third legislative session, Greaux the Good has expanded fresh food access with 13 partner locations across the state, including our very own Crescent City Farmers Market. Through these partnerships, the program has positively impacted residents in over 80% of Louisiana’s parishes and has supported hundreds of local farmers and producers.

A dollar spent at a farmers market has about twice the local economic impact as a dollar spent at a regular grocery store, making Greaux the Good important for farmers, families, and Louisiana!

Please welcome, Jas!

We’re thrilled to welcome Jasmond “Jas” Tucker as Market Umbrella’s new Healthy Food Access Program Manager. Jas is a dedicated public health professional whose experience demonstrates a passion for community building and strong partnerships. He’ll be supporting our programs like Market Match to bring more of New Orleans closer to fresh and local food. Ask him about his garden, animals, or recent catch!

You can learn more about Jas and the rest of our staff on our website.

Sunday City Park Market Closed on the 31st

The Sunday City Park Market will be closed this weekend on March 31st - but don’t fret! Some of our Sunday vendors will join us on the Greenway for the March 28th Thursday Mid-City Market instead.

We’ll be back in City Park next Sunday, April 7th, with all your favorite vendors! Quench your thirst with fresh bevs from JuiceSEE or satisfy that savory craving with focaccia from Leo’s Bread.

Vendor of the Week:

Women Prepared Food Vendors

Ollie’s Hot Tamales is run by Claire Miller and her daughter Wendy Smallwood. Ollie’s is known for their hand-rolled, NOLA-style hot and large Naca style pork and veggie tamales, fresh-made Hogs Head Cheese, and assortment of cakes and pies, pickled items, and stuffed peppers.Their tamales started as a holiday family tradition, then became the key to a roadside food cart and evolved into the thriving local business it is now! 

Que Pasta NOLA was created by Amanda Allard in 2018 as a way to explore her own heritage, between the influences of her Cuban father and Honduran mother, while folding in her own interest in global flavors. Her motto for Que Pasta is: "What being a black sheep tastes like." Chorizo lasagna, squid ink pasta, pupusas, and more are available at the Thursday Mid-City Market, the menu updates regularly, so you can always find something new and delicious.

Recipe of the Week:

Shiitake Salad with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette

Featuring a mouth-watering sesame ginger dressing and a plethora of nutritious produce, this zesty salad combines popular Asian flavors with smoky grilled shiitakes and crisp, colorful vegetables. It's a 15-minute dish that's fresh, crunchy, and incredibly tasty!