I was out picking up tomatoes about three weeks ago at the Sunday market when I saw the happiest of sites -- a pile of pears. I asked the ‘Mater Man’ about the unexpected appearance of pears and learned that our odd weather this summer has led to early pears. That’s good news to me, as I love pears in lots of savory dinner dishes. If you consign this crisp fall fruit to no more than a snack, you are missing out a on an entire world of happiness.

It’s one thing to walk into a restaurant or bar and have the proprietor know you and your poison. It’s another thing altogether when farmer’s market vendor knows your preference in tomatoes. I love it.

Most of us know about the lazy farmer’s market, the one on Sunday afternoons outside Rainbow Blossom on Lexington. But do you know that’s where the best little tomatoes in Louisville are to be found?

by Michelle Jones
michelle@louisville.com

As if there weren’t already enough reasons to love our local Farmers’ Market now we’ve got another one. Not only can we hit the markets to buy fresh, local food, now we can watch and learn from some of our community’s best chefs preparing meals made from the same farmers’ market ingredients we’re buying.