In the days before you could buy your dinner at Walmart, markets were a critical part of city life.  It was where you bought produce and where you picked out the cut of meat you would cook for dinner.  The merchants at the market either grew the food themselves or knew the people who did, and they could tell you what was new, what was good that day, and what your neighbors bought before you got there.  Shopping at the market was part of the daily routine, and fresh, local food was the norm, not the exception.  

In most cities today, the only remaining relic of market culture is a farmers market, if you’re lucky enough to have one within driving distance.  New Yorkers are spoiled by a city full of Greenmarkets, where we can find local produce any day of the week, and as markets return to the city in a few different forms, we’re getting the chance to see how they can work for today’s customer.  Chelsea Market is an indoor collection of stores and restaurants dedicated to quality foods.  The Brooklyn Flea serves up vintage clothes, antiques, handmade crafts, and delicious food every Saturday and Sunday.  This weekend we visited the New Amsterdam Market at South Street Seaport, which recently began running weekly after working their way up from occasional and then monthly showings.

The first thing that caught my attention about the New Amsterdam Market was its location.  Picturesque might not be the right word; it’s located under an overpass for the FDR Drive.  Historic is more appropriate, as the market sits where the old Fulton Fish Market operated for 183 years.  I’m not one to cry over the state of New York City real estate, and it probably made sense for the fish market to make its move up to a new facility in the Bronx with better highway access and newer technology.  I’m glad, though, to see that space repurposed in a way that is both attractive to tourists AND useful to locals.

The New Amsterdam Market offers row after row of booths from local butchers, cheesemongers, bakers, and brewers.  The array of products was a nice balance between items you eat right there (like a brioche sandwich with ground cherry jam and Salvatore Ricotta cheese from Sweet Deliverance) and items you take home to cook with later (like fresh pasta from The Ravioli Store).  There were several stands for buying local, sustainable meats, and fresh produce is available from farms like Stone Barns.

When it comes to prepared or crafted foods, I saw several items that I haven’t seen at other local fairs and markets, hard cider and kombucha being two examples.  The market also has a good showing from restaurants like Jimmy’s No. 43, Porchetta, and Luke’s Lobster.  In addition to strictly local products, the market offers “selected imports” from companies like Mast Brothers Chocolate and The Filling Station; while the cocoa beans and olives aren’t local, the businesses that turn them into chocolate and olive oil are.  The New Amsterdam Market says its mission is to promote regional economic development, and while that often means going local all the way, blurring the lines a little makes room for everyone (and more chocolate for me!).

The market is running weekly on Sundays through December 19th, from 11:00am to 4:00pm.  What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than wandering the market with a delicious snack, connecting with the history of your city, and pondering what to make for dinner next week?