Amsterdam is to have an underground farmers market! At an as yet undisclosed location in the city center, on 16 May. Homemade jam, cheese, and sausages are all promised, as well as a wonton making demo. Goat cheese bonbons! Possibly live music!
It’s really a problem in Amsterdam that small producers have little chance of participating in the city’s markets. All stall holders have to pay a fee, which is too big of an obstacle for many potential vendors. There are also organizations that run the city’s markets with implicit and explicit rules, about what’s allowed or not allowed to be sold and at what price. It’s very normal to go to a city market, and be faced with every stall selling virtually the same thing at the same price and almost none of it having been grown by the farmer themselves.
I hope this underground market goes some way towards breaking up these cartels which don’t benefit any consumers and not very many small farmers.
Very cool! I wish we had more of that here. The “Farmer’s Markets” are so commercial anymore, they just seem like profit centers. Even at roadside stands it’s hard to know where the produce was grown.
Hi Lzyjo, It’s really nice to hear from you again. Thanks for all the comments of late.
While on one hand I think it’s cool too, I also have to wonder how much it’s just intending to provoke the health authorities. Homemade jam? This could be a real risk for botulism if not made right. Goat cheese bonbons? If this isn’t kept at the right temp and made hygienically, this could be a real source of all kinds of nasties. Homemade sausages? Well I’ll leave that to your imagination.
I don’t know anything about these guys, but I sure hope they can make their point without making anyone too sick!
I might have to taste one of their yuzu marshmallows however…