After my out-of-this-world, amazing, spectacular, super,
wonderful, incredible, bomb-diggity run on Saturday morning I was ready for
some SUNSHINE! Hallelujah to warmth and sun – two things that instantaneously
make me a little happier. I got to do 3 things that I would like to share with
ya:
1) Union Square Farmer’s Market
For me,
farmer’s markets generally entail wandering around until I have found every
possible stand giving out free samples, and then leaving empty handed because
there are too many options and I’m overwhelmed and full at that point.
Saturday was
no different. Although I did decide that next weekend, I’m buying sunchokes and
experimenting with them.
2) Vegan
Shop-Up
I ventured to Brooklyn for the
Vegan Shop-Up which was pretty awesome! They had TONS of vendors, and again, I
wandered, trying a bunch of samples and not making any decisions on actually
buying things.
Beyond Sushi was there, and I
came THIS close to buying a roll, but I need to hold out until I can get to the
restaurant and thoroughly enjoy it. I took pictures though, of course, because
it’s all so freaking pretty!
(Sushi, artwork- same difference)
I also tried really tasty
chocolate covered rice cakes!
Yeahdawg had a stand set up
there, and I almost bought their vegan dog with all the toppings, but then I
was like “You’re right near Smorgasburg, why don’t you go get something on your
Smorg list?!” And Barry’s Tempeh was sold out which made me sad. So I hoped back on the L and:
3) Smorgasburg
Again- samples before any type
of decision was made. But at this point
I was beyond starving so I needed to actually eat something instead of nibbling
on samples.
(Smorg is BAAAAAACK)
I went with the Ethiopian BunnaCafé. I asked the woman working what her
three favorites were and said gimme that!
(Bunna Cafe's Smorg menu)
Basically, it’s 3 sides served
with injera- which, according to the always reliable Wikipedia, is “sourdough-risen
flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of
teff flour, it is a national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea.” Sounds about right! It
was totally the weirdest, most unattractive texture. It came with 2 injera, but about 3 spoonfuls
of filling for $6. It was a rip off.
But, whatever.
(Spongy texture? Check.)
I got my injera with yater kik alicha (yellow split peas
cooked with red onion, ginger, garlic, herbs and turmeric), misir wot (red
lentils cooked with a spicy berbere sauce) and shiro (ground chickpeas simmered
with garlic, ginger and herbs). I think
the shiro was my favorite! All the fillings were a great combo of spices and
herbs, but the injera was weird, not flavorful, and cold.
I wrapped up my day with a crazy insane walk from 14th street
and 1st Avenue up to 92nd street- because it was sunny
and I didn’t want to get on a subway or in a bus!
By the time I got home dinner was definitely necessary, so I
made myself a delicious personal pizza using a Joseph’s flax pita (if you
haven’t tried Joseph’s you seriously need
to like, yesterday. Get with it people!
60 calories for the most amazing, moist, tasty pita EVER).
I topped my little pie with
some tomato sauce, spinach, roasted baby eggplant and asparagus, some goat
cheese, balsamic vinegar and pecans! Yeah, pretty impressive, I know.
I then proceeded to fall
asleep by 10 p.m. on Saturday night, because apparently sometime in the last
few months I have gone from a party animal to a farmer’s market goin’ runner
freak. And I’m totally loving it. (Ok,
to be fair I definitely went to a tailgate on Friday night with an open bar and
rum punch- balance, people!)
