Yesterday we headed to Bethesda Row to check out the new Bethesda Central Farm Market. We loved its European feel and wandered among various vendors proffering vegetables, flowers, breads, pasta, sausages, cheese and fish. At the Meat Crafters table, we tried tiny bites of sausage laid out for sampling. A young man with a huge grin on his face after tasting the "Merguez," lamb sausage flavored with North African spices, sold us on that one. We also tried (and bought) the Capitol Half Smokes, loving their not-too-salty, mild yet very savory flavor. We then checked out the fresh pasta offered by Catering by Anna St. John sold for $1 a piece. We opted for four tomato/basil/mozzarella, two caramelized onion and portobello and two arugula and asparagus, which we dressed with a little bruschetta at home. Fantastic. We couldn't resist stopping into Cork&Fork after seeing their sign out front beckoning visitors in for a wine tasting. After owner Anna Landragin opened Calina, a Chilean chardonnay, for us, we duly tasted and promptly bought the spicy, yet light wine (no heavy oaky overtones) for $13.99. Our shopping done, we headed home, cooked everything up, added some greens, and savored a homemade meal made with fresh, local ingredients. Delicioso.

Posted by Karen A. Watkins at 2:46 PM

http://mocoscene.blogspot.com/2009/06/our-trip-to-bethesda-central-farm.html

Bethesda, MD, May 12, 2009…A new, regional farm market is set to open in two locations in downtown Bethesda. To celebrate the occasion, a ribbon cutting was held at 8:30 AM on June 7 with local business and community leaders and elected officials.

The Bethesda Central Farm Market will be open Sunday mornings starting June 7, 2009 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm in the parking lot at Elm Street, just between Woodmont Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue. A smaller market will run on Thursdays from 3:00 pm-7:00 pm on Bethesda Lane beginning June 11, 2009. The market on Elm Street will run until at least November 1, 2009 and the market on Bethesda Lane will run year round. Both locations will feature an array of high-quality vendors, farmers, producers and growers.

The market also plans to hold chef demonstrations, offer entertainment for kids and host farm dinners featuring the products of the market vendors. A valet service will be on hand to help shoppers with their groceries.

Bethesda Central Farm Market is the vision of two local food industry veterans, Mitch Berliner and Ann Brody, in conjunction with Federal Realty. “Our goal is to create a vital shopping experience for Bethesda and environs by providing quality products that are regionally farmed, raised and/or produced and are the best of class,” says Berliner. “We also see the market as a place people can gather, learn about the products and how to use them and enjoy a sense of community.”

The Bethesda Central Farm Market will work with Fresh Give! and Manna Food Center to help provide fresh food for less fortunate citizens in Montgomery County. The market will also support the initiatives of Bethesda Green, a private-public partnership working to encourage good practices to protect the environment. To help support that mission, Federal Realty will sell reusable bags to benefit Bethesda Green.