(SPOT.ph) Buying from the farmers’ market is a great opportunity to give back to the community by making meaningful purchases. Even a small one can go a long way for these vendors whose livelihoods have been affected by the global pandemic. In Cebu, there's the Saturday Farmer’s Market, where local farmers and small businesses gather every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Marco Polo Cebu in Lahug.
Spearheaded by Kate Anzani—plus her team who is also behind Cebu Food and Wine Festival—the market now has a total of 58 vendors (they started with 10 stalls!). It includes a mix of local farmers, food vendors, and small business owners. The market is held in the open-air area of the hotel, so there’s a lot of space for you to roam around. You can even bring your kids and pets! Some stalls accept cashless payment methods, like GCash and Paymaya, to minimize physical contact, and everyone is encouraged to bring their own eco-bags. Note that vendors come and go at the Saturday Farmer’s Market, so there is something new to discover every Saturday.
Farm-to-Table Finds
True to its name, the Saturday Farmer’s Market has lots of locally harvested vegetables, fruits, and other products. While some are resellers from the fresh market in Carbon, you can also find farmers themselves selling produce that’s freshly harvested in the mountain barangays like Busay and Guba. One of which is Anton’s Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, where you can buy Native Pechay (P60/kilogram), Tomatoes (P100/kilogram), Pickled Veggies (P160/bottle), and the like. The Doctor’s Green Pharm sells organic seedlings and fertilizer for those who want to start their urban farm. Macual Panaligan, the farm’s director and agriculturist, manages the stall himself, so you can ask him for advice on how to plant, take care of, and harvest your veggies.
The Farmer’s Market has quite a selection of food choices that are good for the mind, body, and soul! Apricus is a specialty food shop that offers a curated set of healthy food choices such as the Vegan Basil Pesto (P250/200 g) and Durian Ice Pops (P150 for six pieces). Inday Adlai is a social enterprise that sells adlai grains, a healthy substitute for rice. Their brown adlai rice starts at P185 for 500 grams. Bez Acre manufactures their own products like Peanut Butter (P150), Pickled Papaya (P150), and Coconut Vinegar (P150) at their farm in Toledo City.
Must-Try Eats
Open just in time for brunch, the Market has tents for those who want to dine in. Grab a crepe to munch on from Clara’s French Crepes. Their signature crepe flavors are Salted Caramel Banana (P100) and Lemon Butter Sugar (P105). Have it with Crewe’s Strawberry Kiwi Organic Tea (P85) or brewed arabica coffee that starts at P95.
For the solo diners who might want something filling, drop by Alas Smoked Barbecue for Brisket Pares (P150) and Beef Burnt Ends with Wedges (P250) or Gian Carlo’s Rice Topping, where you can get meals like Pork Hamonada (P150) or the Chicken Curry (P140). If pizza's your hankering, you can order a 10-inch hand-tossed Pizza Funghi topped with Oyster Mushroom and Parmesan for P350 at Pizza Therapy.
The Farmer’s Market is also home to international cuisines. Papa Chulapa is the only place in town where you can get your Chalupa (P149) fix. Among Street8’s meals, they also sell Thai favorite pad thai (P149). If that’s what you’re into, you can also check out Soi Dos’ Mango Sticky Rice (P120) and Vietnamese Rolls (P50).
Handmade With Love
More than just fresh produce and grub, here you’ll find various entrepreneurs who’ve devoted time and passion to their crafts. It’s really like a bazaar where you can discover new items that aren’t commonly found in big-chain retailers. Barefoot Baklita has unique Kombucha (P375/750 mL) with exotic flavors such as Rose and Cardamom, Hibiscus with Cloves and Fennel, and Gingerbread Spice. You can pair their kombucha with their vegan sweets such as the Matcha Squash Brownies (P350/six pieces) and Coconut Overload Macaroons (P300/12 pieces). Three Cheers also sells liquor-infused ice cream, such as Mudslide, Wine, and Margarita (P275/tub).
Abrazo Bakery has artisanal pastries that can be enjoyed on their own, like the Parmesan Ensaymada (P240) and Carrot Loaf (P400). They also have chewy Plain Seeded Wheat Bagels (P120) that taste even better with breakfast fillings. You can get Alie’s fluffy Vegan Banana Bread (P240) or their Sourdough Donuts (P220/four pieces), which has a tangy strawberry lemonade filling. It’s best to check what’s on hand on their Instagram pages, because these goodies are freshly baked every Saturday.
If you’re not in the mood to eat, you can browse the stalls that sell handcrafted baskets, scented candles, and other gift items perfect for Christmas. Liana’s sells Holiday Gift boxes (P388) that include a batirol and single-origin tablea, perfect for making sikwate at home. Baskets from Fifty Shade Basketry are handcrafted in Consolacion. Their baskets vary in size and start at P150 a piece.
Meanwhile, if you're looking for hand-poured soy wax candles, Wax Candles Cebu has different scents and sizes for you to choose from. They have Travel Tins (P225/80 grams) with scents like English Lavender, Clean Sheets, and Strawberry Champagne. They even have calming scents like the hotel-inspired Paradise (P420), White Tea and Ginger (P490), and Green Tea Bamboo (P420). They also carry scented candles in Japanese ceramic cups with scents like Fresh Bamboo and Mocha Latte that start at P320.
The Saturday Farmer’s Market is open every Saturday at the parking lot of Marco Polo Hotel Cebu from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. As of writing, the Saturday Farmer’s Market runs indefinitely. For more information, e-mail pr.cebu@marcopolohotels.com or call (032) 253-111.
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Source: Spot PH
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