last saturday i was surprised to find the newest union market, on 7th avenue between 12th & 13th st, was open for business. i was especially excited, because the prospect park farmer’s market has been hit hard by the cold weather, and the little produce they had available was pretty frost-bitten.

the produce section in union market is small, but jam-packed with out-of-season produce, such as baby zucchini and enormous artichokes. considering the carbon footprint of these products made my head spin, so i passed over most of it.the grocery section is full of local products, like rick’s picks pickles and (my personal favorite) five boroughs ice cream. there’s an impressive wall of cheeses, and a full selection of healthy and organic snacks.more interesting is the selection of prepared foods, including both savory items and some incredible looking pastries.

most of it is pretty expensive, — how much can one expect to pay for a few ounces of dried morels? even with the rising population of foodies, i don’t know if the south slope can support two gourmet groceries. grab, only two blocks south of the new union market, has been around longer but is much smaller. can both survive? only time will tell.

Posted by Howard

Related Posts:

• No Related Post