A huge crowd showed up for Toyota’s Taste of the Market event at the Downtown Farmers’ Market on a blustery Saturday morning. Shoppers (and dog walkers) were amply rewarded with tasty tidbits while they strolled. An impressive line-up of local chefs was paired with area farmers and livestock producers in order to provide samples of delicious locally-sourced food items to the enthusiastic crowd. I was only there a couple of hours and I managed to sample FINO’s rustic Spanish Tortilla topped with a slice of pork sausage from Peach Creek Farm, La Condesa’s fish tacos with grouper from San Miguel Seafood, an earthy rabbit and bacon terrine from Dai Due made with rabbit from Countryside Farm and pork from Richardson Farms,a dainty square of Fete Accompli’s Mediterranean Fritatta made with vegetables from Milagro Farm, and Lambert’s spicy grilled pizza topped with Loncito’s Lamb.
Toyota developed the Taste of the Market promotion that debuted in Austin last weekend as a venue to introduce consumers to the new Venza. They did plenty of advance promotion, paid chefs and growers to participate, and made a $5,000 donation to the Sustainable Food Center that runs the market. The successful event moves on to two popular farmers’ markets in California this coming weekend. Toyota does seem to be everywhere just now – they also signed on as a sponsor for Bravo’s Top Chef and awarded free Venzas to a semi-finalist in each of the last two seasons. I’m not suggesting we all rush out and buy a new Toyota, but I do find it very interesting that a major automobile manufacturer has identified enlightened foodies as a segment of the consumer market worth cultivating, and I’m always glad to see area farmers and food producers get the support they so richly deserve. Oh, and I am very grateful that we all got some rain.
This article appears in March 6 • 2009.