Edinburgh Farmers Market- A User's Guide

Markets have seen a popular return in recent years, but for the uninitiated they still offer something of a challenge. Here The Skinny's Hamza Khan offers his advice on finding the best of Edinburgh Farmers' Market

Feature by Hamza Khan | 06 Jan 2008

If you're tired of the harsh fluorescents and vapid feel of your local super-hyper-mega-mart, venture out to Edinburgh's Farmers' Market for a selection of fresh food and beverages direct from the producers. You'll have to wash off gnarly carrots and stare into the pleading eyes of still moving crustaceans, but rest assured you'll buy the highest quality and help the local economy too.

Taking place between 9am and 2pm every Saturday, you'll want to get up obscenely early to avoid the crowds and ensure you have your pick of the produce. First stop by Stoat's Porridge Bar to wake you up with a wholesome bowl'o'oats and a variety of toppings, though we recommend you skip the white chocolate or raspberries and head straight for the whisky: you've got a hard morning ahead of you.

Now fortified, head to Ardna Mushrooms for organic shiitake mushrooms available fresh or lightly smoked. A big bushel costs £2 and should last a week at least. Dried, long life 'shrooms are also available for every student who buys fresh vegetables and ignores them for a few months. If the sight of farmers toiling has inspired you, Ardna offer "Grow Your Own Mushroom Kits" consisting of a fertile rock which, with tender love and affection, will provide numerous waves of mushrooms. Packaged and designed well, they'd make a fine present for the person-who-has-everything-except-a-big-rock-that-grows-mushrooms.

A few stalls down from Ardna and your next stop is German bakery extraordinaire Falko Konditormeister. Despite the store being a short walk away, everyone should appreciate the FK stall for providing easy access to heavenly bread and pretzels. Instead of focusing on made-to-order cakes as their store does, the stall offers a selection of loaves and small deserts. If you've spent the entire week lusting after a specific baked good (oh Walnut Bread, how I long to hold you in my arms) it's best to arrive early - there's usually a queue and everything sells out fast.

With all that wandering under your belt, you're probably feeling peckish. Ignore the giant Reiver Country Farm Foods van, inside which a team of white coated chefs carve a whole hog for the line of hungry customers. While it's impressive watching the carcass reduce to bones and gristle, the meat itself is dry and the apple sauce has never been introduced to its namesake. Instead saunter over to The Crisp Hut, where slivers of potato are hand fried before you in flavours like Italian Cheese, Caraway Seed and Tarragon Herb, with lots of daily specials. The Crisp Hut also pioneers eco-awareness by calculating its food miles: a mere 22.

While crunching away, you might walk by Belhaven Fruit Farm's selection of hand crafted iced desserts and hear someone say "You have to taste this ice cream, it's gorgeous." And since it's fat free, gluten free and dairy free too, you'll look pretty good on it yourself.

But the joy is in exploration, so wander along the stalls to find what makes you happiest, whether it's hand-churned butter or artisanal beer, you're sure to find something worth getting out of bed for.

http://www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk