Thursday, March 13, 2008

Fresh and Local

Here is the third part of a series about the Broadway Market written for Buffalorising.com

Fresh is best at the Broadway Market

Western New Yorkers are spoiled in the summer and autumn months. There are farmers markets are all over the place to get fresh produce from local growers. But where do we go in the winter to get quality local produce without paying the supermarket prices for goods shipped from the warmer climates?

The Broadway Market of course!

Lewandowski’s produce has been a mainstay at the Market for almost 25 years. Ten years before coming to the market Mary and her late husband Ron made the rounds at area farmers markets providing an outlet for farmers that could not commit to going to the various outdoor venues. The markets in Springville, Clinton-Bailey, Niagara Falls, and the Super Flea on Walden is where they began their business journey.

Mary buys cold storage goods from local farmers during the winter months. New York State apples are always available. “Our prices are way cheaper than the grocery stores. You can’t compare. Local apples are always 50 cents a pound or 3 pounds for a dollar” states the Broadway Market veteran. “We get our apples from Niagara county grower and potatoes, cabbage and onions from other local growers.”
Local Appleton brand honey is another specialty with one-pound jars starting at low $3.00 a jar.

With Saint Patrick’s Day around the corner, prices for that traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner are surely affordable. At Lewandowski’s local potatoes is just $2.99 for a10 pound bag. Local cabbage is $1.25 a head or $.39 a pound for out of state cabbage. Onions are a steal at $4.99 for the 10-pound bag. Carrots are brought in but still a mere $2.29 for 5-pounds. Baby red creamer potatoes are a buck a pound.

Lewandowski’s expands their business during the Easter Season as they bring in spring flowers. Easter lilies, mums, azaleas, hydrangeas, violets, mini roses, begonias are stacked high. “We buy everything we can get our hands on. “ says Mary. And of course, a huge supply of pussy willows is readily available for area Dyngus Day activities.
The pussy willows are also purchased from area farms. Over 1500 stems are sold the weekend of Easter.

Polish wooden Easter Eggs and the Marushka dolls are a favorite. Mary tries to impress the kids with the colorful Easter decorations. “I like to make a fun festive atmosphere. This way the kids will start to have the memories of coming here at Easter just as older generations do.”

Another produce stand is Famous Horseradish. You cannot miss this place as the pungent aroma of freshly grated horseradish grabs your attention, even from a distance.

Famous Horseradish always has a beautiful display of produce - again at reasonable prices. But freshly grated horseradish is what this place is all about.

Zenon Skup and his sweet smiling wife Wanda have been at the Market for over 25 years. This couple produces a variety of homemade horseradish based products that are a mainstay item of their business. Fresh horseradish root is harvested in the spring and fall and sent to the market where employees grate the root daily, releasing the volatile oils that distinguish horseradish from all other flavors. The bite and aroma of the horseradish root are almost absent until it is grated or ground. During this process, as the root cells are crushed, the oils known as isothiocyanate are released. The ground horseradish is then mixed with distilled vinegar to stabilize the heat and flavor. This basic formula may also contain spices or other ingredients – salt, sugar, cream or vegetable oil. But, Zenon insists that only horseradish and vinegar be the primary constituents in their brand. One of the varieties that Famous Horseradish sells is horseradish mixed with beets, a personal favorite. The color is amazing and the taste is unique. I love to serve it with hard-boiled eggs.
Cocktail sauce and horseradish mustard are some of the other products Famous Horseradish makes. Horseradish is a member of the mustard family - sharing lineage with its gentler cousins, kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and the common radish - so it is only natural that the marriage with mustard seeds works so well. Fresh horseradish root is sold if you want to grate your own.
Zenon suggests that you buy only the amount you will use in a reasonable time. That is why he has various size bottles available. Keep the horseradish in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator to protect freshness. Serve the desired amount of horseradish in a glass or ceramic bowl (it tarnishes silver). Then return what is left over into the jar and close tightly and refrigerate immediately. Horseradish that remains unrefrigerated gradually loses flavor.
Another tip is to freeze it. Put horseradish in ice cube tray compartments, freeze and then pop them in a zip lock bag and keep in the freezer. Great for sauces or mix with applesauce, sour cream or heavy cream for a condiment for your beef, ham or sausage Easter meal.

posted by Sandy Starks @ 10:46 AM   0 comments

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