Recently, I paid a first (of many) visit to Foragers City Grocer. I found out about it when I asked a good friend of mine–and fellow conscious eater–where to buy fish around the city. The farmer’s markets weren’t happening for me that day since rain was in the air, but I did go to one of her recommendations: Foragers City Market. There are two locations actually. One in DUMBO and the other in Chelsea. I went to the Chelsea location, which is apparently smaller (note to self: check out other location when I find myself in Brooklyn). Despite the small size, I found what I was looking for.
Here’s a little foreword about them from their site:
Foragers City Grocer was born of the idea that our neighborhood in DUMBO lacked quality food options. Over the years we have built a unique, independently owned neighborhood grocery whose sole focus is on the pleasure that food should bring to the lives of our customers and to the producers that grow and make what we sell. Our goal is to always strive to shorten the distance both emotionally and physically between farm to fork.
They also have a restaurant in the store where you can enjoy a meal or a snack, and a wine store as well–Foragers City Wine.
- I love admiring the variety that occurs in nature
Whether it’s the funky shapes, the brilliant and surprising colors, and sunspots. I love it all.
- The mushrooms were a sight to behold.
I perused through their selection of artisanal and quality goods, quaint varyingly colored eggs, and their fish selection (my main reason for going there). This is a small location, but that didn’t bother me. Sometimes I love going to places that have a seemingly endless selection, but this felt more like a gallery than a museum. A selection of curated goods, and a place where quality makes the idea of quantity fade to the background. Being “new” to fish I didn’t feel overwhelmed with selection since it was quite small. I ended up taking the Alaskan Wild Coho salmon home with me, along with some other produce goodies.
Here’s an interesting article about the Chelsea location, and some features: Foragers City Market Coming To Chelsea.
- These crimini mushrooms looked so earthy.
Things like this encourage me to seek out produce from local family farms or my own garden because the organic produce from the big farms just isn’t as inspiring. With that in mind, what else can one expect when something is mass produced? But there are days when I “need” something, there’s little time, and perhaps the market isn’t even running–that’s when I make a quick run to one of the corner stores (luckily there’s one that has a good selection). Those quick runs can be exciting though, and I appreciate how convenient it is to live in this setting. Then there are times when I go to the market and see questionable items and prices that make me think, “seriously?” Oh boy, I’m a picky produce shopper aren’t I? Let me get back on track…
- The beautiful piece of Wild Coho salmon…
- With its brilliant skin…
Now the question was, “what to make with these?”