Theory has it not to shop for food at the supermarket or other food venues when we’re hungry because we’ll just buy items that we don’t really need.  A bag of chips in your cart or some other easy eatable?  But when I go to a farmers market I like to nibble on local food as I visit various vendors.  The thing is you need to have hand food at farmers’ markets to accomplish this–in au natural fashion, of course.

Baklava at Mulberry Delicacies and cheese at Spring Day Creamery, Brunswick Winter Market

At the Portland Winter Farmers’ Market, there’s scant opportunity to nibble while shopping, though maintaining your locavore status is essentially a given. For a snack-and-shop experience, the one exception is at Swallowtail Farm where farmer Lauren Pignatello  features her baked goods at her stand.  This past Sunday she brought giant scones studded with local berries.  But elsewhere that’s about it unless you like eating raw eggs, chickens, potatoes, beets, and more at the market.

But I was hungry and wanted something to eat.  I could have left and gone to a diner for breakfast but didn’t.  It wasn’t until I reached the Brunswick Winter Market that I advanced into serious nibbling.  From the snippets of pumpernickel bread at Hootenanny Bakers (it was so good I bought a loaf), to a cupcake made to look like the original Hostess Cupcake at Paula C’s to a popover from Farmer’s Daughter to bits of bread with Casco Bay Butter spread on tasting cubes, to some chips and dips at Lola Taqueria and gorgeous baklava at Mulberry Delicacies…well it was a veritable feast.

“Hostess Cupcakes” at Paula C’s at Brunswick Market

You might note that there’s a big difference between such markets as Brunswick, Portland, Bath and Saco where at those markets, except Portland, there’s plenty of ready-made food to eat on the go.  Portland is strictly limited to selling items that are basically plucked from the ground.  So that leaves out products like bread, cakes, prepared foods, etc.

Delicious nibbles at Brunswick Market: Clockwise–Lakonia Greek Products, Casco Bay Butter, Lola Taqueria, Farmer’s Daughter popovers, Hootenanny pumpernickel

At Brunswick the market does not use the word “farmer” in its title since it’s more like a true local marketplace where besides Maine grown farm fare is sold you can also buy crafts that include hand-blown glassware to bowls,  scarves and hats and even hand sewn linen bags and kitchen towels (The Craftin Scot).  That leaves our beloved Portland Indoor Farmer’s Market strictly serving food items grown on the farm while the others have broader appeal because they are true marketplaces to visit.  And while they’re still in indoor winter operation visit Saco, Brunswick and Bath for a delicious Saturday market excursion.