Saturday, March 31, 2012

Weekend Cooking...Return to Reading

The Reading Terminal Market that is!

Yes, if you follow my Wordless Wednesday pics, you will know that I went to the Philadelphia Flower Show again this year and no trip to the Flower Shop is complete, for me, without a trip...or two...to the market. Which is easy because it is right across the street from the Convention Center, where the Flower Show is, and on the same block as the hotel I stayed at for the night. Yes, I live just an hour away from Philadelphia but the experience is so BIG, I need recovery time.
I also needed a bit of recovery time from my sampling at the free wine and spirit tasting they had at the Flower Show again this year. Dozens of companies, each offering several free offering.
You do the math.
But that is another story and another group of pictures, several of which are, oddly, out of focus. Hmmm.


Awww...but back to the Market, a paradise for foodies of every sort and a place I could just spend hours wandering in. The Market has two aspects. There is one, frequented mostly by locals, that is made up of butchers and fishmongers, poultry vendors and lovely produce sellers. And did I mention the bakeries, whether The Metropolitan Bakery with their wonderful looking breads or Termini's, with those lovely cakes and all manner of Italian pastries. I usually travel with my folding cooler in the back of the car, just in case.

I found one of the produce stores very interesting this year, maybe because I found some things I had never seen before, chickpeas still in their pod..or whatever it is called, and Sharon fruit, which is a persimmon. What does one do with Sharon fruit?

Then on the other hand we have a large number of stores that cater to tourists and local workers who might be looking for some sustenance, a tiny bit to eat. I will admit these is maybe my favorite reason to visit the Market. And one of my favorite choice is Dinic's, which sells sandwiches, the most popular being my personal favorite, the roast pork.
Freshly roasted, thinly sliced with sharp provolone cheese and sauteed spinach or broccoli rabe. I personally am a fan of a little horseradish on there as well, and happily Dinic's has nice little containers all along the counter along with napkins, lot and lots of napkins. Believe me, you will need them because that is one juicy sandwich.

But there are lots of other choices from Chinese to Thai, Cajun to turkey to the Downhome Diner. Then if you need a little something sweet, how about some ice cream from Bassett, which says it is America's oldest ice cream company, one of the huge..and very good...cookies from The 4th Street Cookie company, or maybe a crepe!
I can personally recommend the nutella and strawberry crepe...yum.
 
But by now you are full and what else can we do?
Well, another of my favorite stop is the Cook Book Stall. Cookbooks, all cookbooks, lots and lots of cookbooks. Now, if they just had a chair so I could sit awhile.
But not too long. We have the pickle store, the wine store, the honey and beeswax store, the candy stores yet to visit. Maybe we should get a bouquet of flowers to take home..or a couple of pounds of scrapple! Yes, let's go with the scrapple!! And maybe some cheese...yes, cheese..... and maybe some bread.


This is my contribution this to this week's Weekend Cooking.
"Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend."
Be sure to check out the other entries this week. As always, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.


27 comments:

  1. What a yummy looking place. I think I'd never leave. LOL

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  2. Thanks for letting us tag along with you at the Market. It looks incredible! You'd have to tear me away from the Cookbook Stall.

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  3. I love the Reading market. You are so lucky to be close enough to visit. I've only been there twice and both were pre bloggling years.

    Loved the tour. I don't remember the cookbook stall -- a must-visit.

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  4. What a store! That's worth a trip to Philly alone. Very unique name too.

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  5. Oooh, I'd do love to go there or a place like it. All those cheeses! Yummy.

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  6. I liked the title of your post! And that sandwich looks fabulous. That place AND the flower show would put a person on sensory overload! Glad you got to go!

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  7. Oh my goodness, what a fabulous place! I've never been to Philadelphia, but when I go, I am definitely putting this place on the list. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. I'd need at least a week there, especially at the cookbook stall. So smart to bring a cooler! What a great trip!

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  9. Oh my, that market would be my idea of heaven. I'm sure I could spend a day in there. Yum on all the fresh veg and bread! My breakfast isn't looking so good anymore. Lol.

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  10. Oh wow! I love this! All the fresh products and a cookbook stand?! I have never came across one of those but that is awesome!

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  11. We're about 2 hours away from Philly, and we have family there. So I really should be taking advantage of that and visiting more often! Especially since I know there are so many neat things to see and do there. I think we may just start making some trips over the upcoming weekends, and the Market will definitely be on our to-do list. Thanks so much for the great photo tour!

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  12. That reminds me of the Dekalb Farmer's Market in Atlanta, which I love.

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  13. I would be in heaven wandering through a market like that - a cookbook stall, who knew?

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  14. Wow! This just made my bucket list of places I want to go to someday. In conjunction with the flower show, of course!

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  15. What a lovely market. I could get lost in there.

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  16. I feel like I've just been on a delicious field trip. Thanks for sharing! I bet the flower show was fun also.

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  17. We have quite a big market here but I can't remember the last time I actually went there! Your post made me want to make an effort to go!

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  18. What a glorious market! Beautiful photos.

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  19. I am SO jealous of your food market. I would kill for one of those. Our pickings are pretty slim here. And I would probably struggle to not spend a whole day there.

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  20. I love persimmons. I just eat them raw like an apple. So good.

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  21. wow...and I have never seen one!
    still, apples are a lot cheaper. ;-)

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  22. The produce ... the sandwich ... the Cookbook Stall! What a fun outing! When you return, bring one of those folding camp chairs to sit in while you thumb through the books :)

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  23. i loved the reading market but the italian market has the best people photo ops in my opinion

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  24. My friend, you have resurrected some fond fond memories of our too short tour in Philadelphia. I shall have to make a detour next time I go to Baltimore. YUM.........

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  25. We were of a like mind this weekend. I posted pictures from the maple syrup. Festival I attended.

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