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Table Talk: Memphis Farmers Market opens this weekend
 
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At the Memphis Farmers Market on Saturday, April 1, there will be 13 produce vendors; four selling protein from beef to fish to pork and poultry; four food trucks; 31 prepared food vendors; 10 artisans; two garden plant growers; and two pet treat makers, in addition to half a dozen or so restaurant partners. (The Daily Memphian file)
 

At the Memphis Farmers Market on Saturday, April 1, there will be 13 produce vendors; four selling protein from beef to fish to pork and poultry; four food trucks; 31 prepared food vendors; 10 artisans; two garden plant growers; and two pet treat makers, in addition to half a dozen or so restaurant partners. (The Daily Memphian file)

Welcome back to Table Talk, where Daily Memphian food and dining editor Jennifer Biggs sends the latest food news (along with a dash of this and that) to your inbox every Wednesday.

If my weather soothsayer is correct (her name is Accuweather, if you ever need her), April 1 will dawn crisp and cool, perfect for the first day of the Memphis Farmers Market.

No, there won’t be tomatoes. No corn, okra or watermelon either on Saturday — everything in due time as MFM is truly a local market. But there will be 13 produce vendors; four selling protein from beef to fish to pork and poultry; four food trucks; 31 prepared food vendors; 10 artisans; two garden plant growers; and two pet treat makers, in addition to half a dozen or so restaurant partners.

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What I’m saying is: We literally will have the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker, all under one big roof at Central Station Pavilion.

The farmers markets obviously get better as we get deeper in our local growing season, when we all clamor to find the best tomatoes, count down the days to the silver queen corn and eagerly await the figs, which are always later than we think they will be.

But go Saturday, because it’s a great time to meet the folks you’ll be trading with over the summer, and there’s plenty there. I bet there are a dozen folks baking, but you can count ’em for yourself by clicking here and taking a look. I’ll miss this weekend because I’ll be on bell duty, but I can’t wait to get down there next week. 

Bell duty, by the way, is family code for taking care of an infirm person. Any sick kid lucky enough to spend the day with my grandmother was given a bell and if we needed anything, we rang it and Nanny came. My daughter is having shoulder surgery and staying with me for a couple of days, and she let me know that she’s bringing the bell. So send your good mojo, whatever yours is, this way — to her for healing and me for patience. And you enjoy the market. It’s open 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.

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Was I kidding when I told you in last week’s Table Talk that Bog & Barley is something else? I sat down with co-owner DJ Naylor and some of his staff last week to talk about what’s coming, and I admit I fell under the “ooh, aah and wow” spell that general manager Brad Allbritten says strikes just about everyone who walks in the very impressive place that will open April 7. Read more about it here

The interior of Bog and Barley seen from its mezzanine March 22, 2023. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

This is exciting for East Memphians, too: Belle Meade Social is opening at the corner of Poplar Avenue and Perkins Extended, in a space last home to Strano by Chef Josh and previously to Jim’s Place East after it left its longtime home on Shelby Oaks. It’s a super location, and I admit I’ve missed that long bar, where in the Jim’s days on many occasions I walked in to find a video of “Bad Boys,” the documentary about the Detroit Pistons, playing. I’m looking forward to getting back in there and seeing what the new owners are doing; you can read about the plans by clicking here

We also ran a great story recently from Bianca Phillips, who brings you The Early Word every weekday and sometimes steps away to write a story or two. Julie Piatt, owner of SriMu, is moving her popular vegan cheese production from Los Angeles to Crosstown, where she’ll also make kombucha and serve it with wine, cheese and vegan charcuterie. I think that’s all exciting and I’m ready to grab Bianca and have a meal, but it’s the backstory she captures here that interested me. Five triathlons in seven days? You’ll have to read the story. 

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Julie Piatt poses for a portrait outside of Crosstown Concourse March 3, 2023. Piatt plans on opening a vegan cheese factory inside the mixed-use building later this year. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

And the people love hot pot! 901 Hot Pot & Korean BBQ opened in the Wolfchase area last week, and the wait has been crazy, but I made it in for lunch and explained in my story all about how to do it. It’s not like eating hot pot in a restaurant where they simply bring a pot to the middle of the table. You have to work equipment here, and there are more than 100 items available — plus about two dozen sauces to let you customize your meal. 


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And speaking of barbecue, Joshua Carlucci scored a home run on a $10 Deal at BallHoggerz, which is a smoked turkey leg sandwich with two sides for $8. This place is definitely going on my barbecue list.

These are a bit of a departure from barbecue and hot pot, but take a look at the pretty pastries Courtney Sanderson is turning out at 901Bakes, which you can find at City & State and Comeback Coffee. With all these artisanal bakeries popping up — it seems we find another one every week or two — I fear we could get fat. Or I fear I could — you do you and no judging here.

Speaking of sweets, what about Pat Klinke’s rum cake from Recipe Exchange last week? It starts with a box, so it’s super simple but is apparently enough of a showstopper that Klinke was able to entice big donations from folks for the Le Bonheur Club with the promise of her signature cake. 

And I’ll sign off this week with a teaser: Speaking of Recipe Exchange, we have something you’re going to be very happy about coming Saturday. You’ve definitely asked for it, and you’ll have it soon.

Have a great week.

 

 
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