by Whalehead King

Created on: February 03, 2009

Haymarket. If you want some fresh produce, you go to Haymarket just off the Orange Line, close by Fanueil Hall. I warn you the produce is just shy of its expiration date, but that means it is at its peak of ripeness. If you are going to eat a lot of something in the next day or two, this open air institution is the place to visit. Once the weather becomes a bit warmer, any Farmers' Market in Boston will be able to satisfy the same needs, but in winter, Haymarket is what you get so take advantage of it. There are nutrient-rich bargains by the bushelful.

Be choosy and don't feel harassed by the barkers. The people who rent the space for their booths have to sell as much marginal produce as they can at the highest profit margin. The prices are cut rate and cut throat but take your time to examine what you are purchasing and don't be intimidated by the professionals. Feel free to haggle, but don't feel compelled to do so. You really will get more than you pay for. Nothing rotten gets sold at Haymarket otherwise the Health Department would have closed it down long ago. Instead it is a city institution.

What is true in the Haymarket is true in every corner grocer. Buy fresh but examine what you are purchasing. Chinese, Vietnamese and Hispanic green grocers abound in Boston, most of them no more than a block or two from each other. It pays to shop around and that is part of the adventure in supplying the ingredients for a meal. Don't be ashamed to leave a shop empty handed only to come back an hour or so later to make a purchase after having examined the competition. The proprietors of small shops will recognize you and appreciate your discerning eye.

There are chain supermarkets in Boston. There are Trader Joe's outlets and Whole Foods and Stop & Shop and Shaw's. They are all located near subway stations or highway exit ramps and they offer excellent produce, but the seemingly low prices on fresh vegetables is subsidized by the high prices on everything else. None of the big chains are as convenient as the shop around the corner that charges a little bit more but charges an equal mark up on every item on the shelves. Would you rather drive to Whole Foods in a blizzard or would you rather walk to Gene & Paul's Fresh Meats a few blocks away. I'll take Gene & Paul's where the people know my name and offer me the best cuts of squab and the bell peppers that were just flown in from Holland to the Port of Boston last nigh. Living in a city, you have plenty of options depending on how you cultivate them.

Even in Haymarket, after you visit a few weeks, the vendors will recognize you and offer you a deal and a discount on items stashed under the counter. This is city living, a way of life made up of connections.

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