Winter Park Farmers Market

Through the aisles of fragrant flowers, all overseen by the nicest gentleman farmer you will ever meet, Earl Wilson, past whifs of cinnamon, Hawaian Plumeria blooms, Produce that still has the morning dew hanging on to it. THIS IS IT...the best of its kind in the south east. Orchids hang in lugustrum trees like moss by a southern manse, little kids...all beautiful, and pretty dogs skitter here and there. The bamboo man...he is blind but knows more about bamboo than you ever will, and oh yes...the butterfly person...real coocons for sale some are released at weddings. But at 2pm ...it all vanishes like a whisp of a ghost. It all becomes quiet till the next saturday morning....and then down the street come moms with strollers, dogs kids, people who you have to see to believe. The best. more

I have been going to the Winter Park Farmers Market for years, before I was relocated in Los Angeles. I move back to Orlando a few weeks ago and I had to see what goodies were still there. I was looking for famous ""hippie"" the Orange Juice guy but instead I found myself trying a delicious Omelet at the Tastebuds Stand. You can pick the ingredients you would like to have in your dish, from fresh vegetables to ham, bacon and sausage, what really impressed me was the combinations that they have for you, so I went ahead and ordered a Sicilian Omelet, they cooked it right there for me; this one in particular had shrimps , asparragus and spinach. more

I arrived at the Winter Park Market and it was buzzing with people and their pooches. I decided to take a look around. I first walked past potted plants (from trees to hanging pots) and fresh cut flowers. I decided to check out the inside first. Here I smelled fresh coffee and saw pastries galore from buttery croissants to scrumptious personal cheesecakes. I stopped for to taste cheeses including brie blended with porcini mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. I saw many people in line for a cup of joe and danish but I wanted to check out what else this place had to offer. Venturing on I passed by potted herbs, coffee bean sellers, fruit and nut stands and street food stands selling crepes with Nutella and kettle corn. Toward the back I saw what I had been searching for, the pasta stand. I had been at many gatherings were one of these flavored pastas was showcased in the best dish of the night. I asked one of the helpful pasta guys for some advice on what would go with those porcini mushrooms I had been eyeing. He suggested garlic basil fettuccini if I was 1st timer or if adventurous the spicy Thai linguini. I got a 1/2 lb. of the Thai linguini for dinner to toss with a creamy sauce added to cooked porcini, red peppers that I would roast, and finish the dish off with slices of the green sweet onion top and Thai basil from the next vendor. Now what to eat for the rest of the weekend? I bought a rainbow of peppers, the large sweet onion bulb, and fennel that I would roast and pair with tasty camembert/brie cheese and a crusty sourdough baguette. Next I went for red and yellow heirloom tomatoes, basil and arugula to pair with fresh mozzarella for a tomato stack salad. For dessert it was several berries with the rest of the mascarpone cheese (whipped with honey) and to round out my morning of shopping cranberry beans to cook, toss with leftover veggies, and lemon vinaigrette for lunch on Monday to remind me of my delicious weekend inspired by the Winter Park Farmer?s Market. Pros: Fresh Veggies Fruits Pastries and Flavored Pasta Cons: Only open Saturday 7-1 more