Markets: A Simple Joy

Farmer’s markets are a source of joy for me. The colors and the smells show a wonderful appreciation for food that a grocery store can lack. And for a student, the price of produce at a farmer’s market can’t be beat.

Weekly markets are a staple back home in Hawaiʻi. Whether it’s Wednesday afternoon in front of Blaisdell Concert Hall or the popular Kapiʻolani Community College Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings, I love wandering the stalls and looking for the freshest local tomatoes, bananas, mushrooms, and even meats and cheeses.

Europe has fantastic open-air markets. I have been to several in Paris and Berlin and look forward to finding a few in Copenhagen during my next block. When traveling, I think eating at restaurants and cafes is a fun way to understand more about a place and while dining out can be a tasting and fulfilling experience, I very much enjoy cooking my own meals at home too. There is a certain special happiness that comes from finding a farmer’s market close to your apartment, picking out ingredients for a breakfast or dinner, and making a meal in one of the most farm-to-table methods possible.

This morning I went to an open-air farmer’s market at Karl-August-Platz. The backdrop of the church was an idyllic setting to walk the stalls and pick out fresh bread, tomatoes, mushrooms and eggs for breakfast over the next few days. Despite being in Berlin, the vendors were able to explain their produce to me in English. They shared a devotion and appreciation for their seasonal offerings in a way that made it difficult not to buy more!

A lesson I took away from my morning jaunt is that even in big cities, we can use farmer’s markets as a way to connect with nature and the food that nourishes us.