2002-11-10 - 4:27 p.m. San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers� Market Every Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m., more than 80 artisanal bakers, farmstead cheese makers, organic farmers, and thousands of ravenous consumers descend upon a downtown San Francisco parking lot with views of the Bay and turn it into a diverse open air marketplace for half a day. The previous week�s stormy weather left small puddles of water in the asphalt cracks and kept a half dozen of the market vendors at home, and could account for the relatively small crowd of shoppers this week. On a sunny morning, market shoppers are elbow to elbow by 9:30 a.m. and have to stand in line for up to ten minutes to score one of Healdsburg Bakery�s popular doughnut muffins, if any are left by that hour. The market produce and artisanal food booths are arranged in a double-sided horseshoe around the southern perimeter of the parking lot. Tables in the booths are covered with wooden boxes of the last of the season�s dark garnet and royal purple plums, stacks of grass green asparagus bunches encircled by blue rubber bands, metal cans of tiny white plastic spoons next to dozens of jars of organic conserves ranging from fig and plum to marmalade open for tasting, coffee cans full of lilies, gladiolas, and wildflower bouquets all in shades or orange, pink, yellow, and white, and baskets full of rustic baguettes and rosemary studded pugliese loaves. The north side of the market houses an espresso cart with a line six deep and restaurant tents serving up hot breakfasts and lunches. This is where the real action is this morning. There are easily 20 tables full of market shoppers enjoying lattes and baguette slices covered with scrambled eggs, bacons, and tomatoes from the Hayes Street Grill booth, handmade enchiladas with black beans and a glass or blood orange juice from Cocina Primavera, and sizzling handmade linguisa, spicy Italian, chicken and apple and other handmade sausages from Aidell�s which is the source of the predominant scent in the air at this end of the market. Those occupying the limited table seating create a convivial atmosphere by inviting strangers to sit down and share their tables, then chatting them up. This week, this results in a young couple with a stroller full of produce and a baby in their arms sharing a table with two middle aged women who have either not yet started their shopping or who have come here for coffee, a good chat, and some people watching. Equal parts food market, open air caf�, and agricultural education center, the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers� Market provides urban dwellers and tourists alike the ability to support local sustainable agriculture while they reconnect the food on their plates with the people who produce it, all while enjoying a respite from the fast moving city life this spot embodies during the work week. This is one of my favorite places in my City. any comments? (1 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09