Source-Fed
Annie Myers is a forager for hire
For many of us, a visit to The Spotted Pig--one of the city's best late-night food haunts--warrants sleeping in late the next day. But in the same early morning hours that sees the Pig's patrons passed out in bed, Annie Myers is already circling the stalls of the Union Square Greenmarket, taking inventory of the offerings before the farmers finish setting up their tents.
As the official forager for The Spotted Pig, The John Dory and the soon-to-open Breslin in the Ace Hotel, Myers is responsible for sourcing the produce that goes into each dish. In order to find the ingredients that meet chef April Bloomfield's exacting standards, Myers can't rely on distributors and middlemen--she's got to see, taste and pick everything herself.
There are benefits to her DIY method: She knows all of the market secrets, like where insiders go for the freshest trout, which Bloomfield features at the Pig with stewed tomatoes and olives.
And lucky for us (and our sleep schedules), Myers is sharing her secrets. Here, her crib sheet for your next Greenmarket foray:
Berried Treasure Farms (Delaware, NY): Seek out farmer Franca Tantillo for the season's best strawberries and ask her about the trout, which she keeps out of sight in a semisecret ice chest behind the stand (at the market on Wednesdays).
Mountain Sweet Berry Farm (Sullivan County, NY): Rick and Nicole Bishop offer sweet, must-have arugula (at the market on Wednesdays).
Yuno's Farm (Burlington County, NJ): This team pays close attention when packing and transporting the farm's produce, making its mixed greens, purple basil and green beans the market's most gorgeous (at the market on Mondays and Fridays).
BRINGS YOU RECIPES,
MARKET-FRESH
INGREDIENTS AND KITCHEN WISDOM FROM TOP CHEFS, ALL FOR FREE.
