Autumn has to be one of my favorite seasons. Sunny days with cool yet comfortable temperatures and trees exploding in a bright Technicolor display of yellow, orange and red. Then there are the big and bold red wines and rich and satisfying slow cooked braised meat and root vegetable dishes that I love. And nothing makes me feel like Fall is here like a road trip to St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market.
We made our annual pilgrimage to St. Jacobs this past Thanksgiving weekend. Open Thursday and Saturday from 7:00am to 3:30pm all year long, there’s a little something for everyone.
With a huge selection of indoor and outdoor vendors, the big draw for us is the incredible (and affordable) variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Throw in fresh baked breads and pies with pure maple syrup, artisan cheeses and tasty cured meats, and we generally end up stumbling back to our car loaded down with bags and bags of fresh and delicious ingredients for the following week.
St. Jacobs Market is also a great place to grab a tasty lunch. There are numerous food trucks serving everything from souvlaki and spring rolls, to perogies and Egyptian pitas. On this visit we sampled some amazing maple baked beans and pulled pork and smoked brisket sandwiches. Perfect Fall fare!
There are also tons of vendors selling everything from house wares and clothes to sports collectables. You can easily spend a few hours wandering the market. And with some really talented artists playing live music outdoors, you have a cool background soundtrack to complement your afternoon. Lots of fun for the whole family. Make sure you fit in a visit to St. Jacobs before the really cold weather hits. For now, back to the cage.