This week on Flavorphiles, Tanner and Jerry head to the farmers’ market to figure out what is actually worth buying—and how to keep your ambitious haul from becoming expensive compost.

Tanner starts with the best things to buy at the market, why high-water foods often deliver the biggest improvement over their grocery-store counterparts, and the etiquette that keeps you from becoming every vendor’s least-favorite customer.

Then, Melanie Anderson, Executive Director of Farmers’ Markets Ontario, joins the show to explain what separates a great market from a disappointing one and how her organization supports more than 180 markets and 6,000 vendors across the province. Next, Tanner explains how to shop the market “backwards,” use classic flavor pairings to build meals from what looks best, and make sure your produce actually gets eaten. And when it inevitably doesn’t? There is no reason to feel guilty about the occasional forgotten vegetable.

Finally, chef Cory Vitiello, Executive Director of Culinary and Concept Development at LFG Growth, talks about creating summer discount menus, overseeing the food at 12 restaurants across Canada, and the famous chef who openly admitted that he did not particularly like his customers—or his employees.

It’s an episode about shopping smarter, cooking seasonally, supporting local vendors, and accepting that every farmers’ market trip begins with optimism and ends with one bunch of herbs slowly dying in the refrigerator.

Amuse Booze: Local Jam Old Fashioned

Thank you for listening! Join us again every weekend for more food inspired fun. Have questions you want answered, comments to make the show better, do you want to join our growing list of radio stations partners, or just keep in touch? Let us know at Flavorphiles.com. 

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