Another Market

We are regulars at the Crescent City Farmers Market, especially the downtown market on Saturday mornings. We usually make it there sometime in the 8am-12noon window and leave with fresh veggies, shrimp, crab meat, herbs, plants, fresh flowers, or fresh baked bread. The market is just part of our weekend routine.

Many groups have been putting together markets, with art, produce and other local fresh foods, all over the city. Even our old neighborhood is slated to start up the Broadmoor Farmers Market on September 20th.

One market I've never visited is the Vietnamese Market in eastern New Orleans. The 6-9am window is a tough one to make, but Liz and I ventured out to Alcee Fortier Boulevard this morning. As we were heading out, I realized I had never even been to the area of town which is anchored by Mary Queen of Viet Nam Catholic Church.


Many of these New Orleanians remain separate from the city because of the destruction that physically surrounds their community, but they are also creating their own New Orleans. All of the vendors were women, many were elderly, and few spoke English. I was curious about what the produce was and how it could be prepared, but have no Vietnamese vocabulary.



The vendors sold mostly fish and produce. This teenage boy and his mother were walking away with a large fish in a trash bag, See the tail sticking out of the top?


A vendor weighs a *large* catfish and has other fish and rays for sale, as well as a few plants.




After weighing, it would then be cleaned, chopped into pieces with cleaver and put into a bag, along withe the head.




I did speak to a young woman who owns the grocery store whose parking lot hosts the market. She explained the market is about 1/4 of its preKatrina size. Their store doesn't make much money during the market, but she thinks it's important for their community because it is a time for people to come together and socialize, especially the elderly. And she's right. Markets are good for creating community and maintaining neighborhoods, something many of us crave in these postKatrina times.



I'll be back to this market, and hopefully be more of a participant than an observer. Don't think I can manage the fish, but some vegetables for sure, and maybe some of those noodles inside the grocery to go with them. I just need to do a little research to know what I'm looking at and a few key vocabulary words would help.