In The News"Offbeat and organic, tasty and traditional Eastern Market opens for season with new features and old favorites"
From aged artisan cheeses to crusty whole grain breads, exotic Ethiopian foods to melt-in-your-mouth chocolate macaroons, Lancaster's Eastern Market has a range of locally grown and prepared products. That includes free-range chicken, grass-fed beef and brown eggs from free-roaming chickens. In fact, when Eastern Market begins its third season as a revived farmers market at 308 East King Street this Saturday, there will be a bounty of fresh produce, dairy and meat products, baked goods, flowers, ethnic foods, soups, sandwiches, ice cream and much more. "We're very excited about the reopening of Eastern Market for the season," says Douglas Smith, Eastern Market house manager, adding that there will be about a dozen market stands, possibly more. Some are newcomers to Eastern Market, while others are back by popular demand. A few of the new kids on the block include Carmen & David's Creamery with refreshing ice cream, The Fed with a variety of locally grown produce, Fu_d with what else, but lots of sandwiches, soups and other fu_ds, Kingston Caribbean Cuisine with Jamaican and West Indian cuisine, Serenity Now with locally-sourced foods like pulled pork and potato salad and Shuey's with its tasty hamburgers that benefit local charities. Eastern Market staples are A Loaf of Bread with cookies, croissants, vegan cakes, muffins, scones and organic breads, Expressly Local, known for its local raw milk, raw cheese, yogurt, baked goods and other Amish goodies, Gursha's organic Ethiopian cuisine, Hamid's Food & Produce with a variety of produce and falafel, Lime Valley Mill's fresh produce and Sweet Infinity's tempting cookies, macaroons and other pastries. "Over the past three seasons Eastern Market's customer base has steadily grown, and a new Wednesday evening market was added last year," says Smith, adding that he has seen a surge in interest for buying locally produced products. After all, Eastern Market may be in the city, but it's just down the road from Lancaster County's lush farmland. It's really a return to the past, since the historic market house dates back to 1883 when it was first opened. The market closed in 1927, only to come back to life in 2006. As Smith points out, the revived market re-establishes Lancaster as the historic market city that it once was with its North, South, East, West, and Central Markets, not to mention Fulton and Acadia. It helps to unify the neighborhood, welcome others from the area and offer a venue for start-up businesses, farmers, musicians and artists. "Where else can you enjoy such diverse produce, prepared food, talent and festivities?" he asks. The festivities include local artists who showcase their talents every second Saturday of the month, as well as monthly festivals like World Refugee Day sponsored by Church World Service on June 20, JazzFest on July 18 and Children's Day on Aug. 8. Smith admits that he's hooked on Eastern Market himself, discovering the indulgences of a falafel sandwich from Hamid's followed by a "divine chocolate macaroon from pastry chef Eric Moshier at Sweet Infinity." When summer comes, he's often right in the heart of things, dining on tomato salad with Lime Valley Mill's sweet cherry tomatoes and basil with olive oil, served on toast from A Loaf of Bread. "It seems that everyone has their own favorites. You should come out and discover yours," says Smith. Located within the Historic East Side, Eastern Market is a project of the East King Improvement District with assistance from the USDA. |
