Chappaqua's TABLE Farm Market Opens

On Saturday, Chappaqua residents got a farmers market to call their own. Known as "Chappaqua's TABLE Farm Market" it is backed by Cynthia Brennan, owner of TABLE Local Market in Bedford Hills.

The concept is to host smaller farms without the money or means to join larger farmers markets. Volunteers can manage tables for growers who are not able to stay at the market.

Several tents lined the green area Saturday morning, which was around the train station. In addition, spectators were treated to a live music performance from local artist Bill Bachmann.

Because it is almost autumn, greens and gourds were the most prominent, while Mimi Edelman and Eileen Zidi of I & Me Farm in Bedford each stood behind a table selling their produce and explaining how to prepare the food. Edelman held up cinnamon basil for one customer, explaining that it was good for Moroccan style dishes. That cuisine lends itself to blending the sweet with the savory.

Louis D'Alessandro drove down from JD Farm in Brewster. His gourds and pumpkins are the mainstay of his crops. D'Alessandro said this was the only farm market in which he has participated. His farm supplies produce distributors and area restaurants.

Like other green markets, there were gourmet prepared foods. Sauces, biscotti, pickles, and pies - not from the same vendor - were available. Ice cream, from the Blue Pig in Croton was sold by the pint.

There was a display that stood out visually, which was the portable brick pizza oven that belonged to Cooking With Fire, the catering business run by Jenny Kmiotek and Jen Cook. The giant dome and silver chimney stood at the far end of the market. From the ultra-hot interior came small individual size pizzas with the unusual combination of mascarpone and fruit.

The market will continue to run on Saturdays this fall, until November.