Review: A Pearl of a Farmers Market Deep in the Heart of Texas
San Antonio is known for many things: The Alamo, the River Walk, and outstanding Tex Mex cuisine. And now you can add farmers markets to the list.
The Pearl Brewery used to make it’s home in San Antonio and when the brewery shut down, it left behind a large, vacant shadow over downtown. The wise folks in San Antonio have re-purposed the old Pearl Brewery as a retail and office space with plenty of room for special events including a weekly farmers market (Pearl Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm – Rain or Shine.) They even extended the River Walk to the brewery steps, and you can meander down to the shops and restaurants in the heart of downtown.
I’ve had a chance to visit the growing market twice over the last year and am delighted with its progress. The market now has over two dozen vendors with a variety that lets you fill your basket with everything from produce to meat to cheeses and even olive oil.
The produce vendors (Braune Farms, Finca Pura Vida, Hartman Farm, Oak Hill Farms, and Wheeler Farm) offered a bounty of seasonal vegetables including Brussels Sprouts on the stock during my last visit. L & M Beef sells most popular cuts and even had soup bones at the bargain basement price of $2/lb. I bought a ham steak from Menzies Farm, who suggested that I pan fry it with salt and pepper, a great way to bring out the flavor of the lamb.
I was a little stunned when I saw a booth with farm-raised tilapia. R. Scott Enterprises, Inc operates an aquaponics farm where they grow lettuces hydroponically and raise healthy tilapia without antibiotics, something rarely accomplished for farm-raised fish. I was skeptical, so I did the only thing I could do: I bought some.
The HGD Foods booth a few stalls down was selling Gourmet Gluten Free pantry items including a Fish Fry mix that would pair nicely with my fish. I made the fish this week and it was fantastic; it was flaky, light and delicious. I never would have guessed that it was farm-raised.
One of the true treasures at this market is the Chef’s Table by MesAlegre (which means very happy) and Chef Johnny Hernandez. During spring and summer, for $20/adult you get to enjoy what looked and smelled like a truly delicious meal from the local farm products. It is recommended that you buy your tickets online as the table frequently sells out.
Texas Farm to Table Café, at the entrance of the Pearl Brewery, also offers sandwiches, salads and breakfast items that are sourced from Texas farms whenever possible. The Deep Ellum Blue salad very tasty and the cafe was a pleasant place to refuel before we headed home.
If you find yourself in San Antonio on a Saturday, I definitely recommend a stop by the Pearl Farmers Market. I bet you’ll discover more than one treasure during your visit.
