Saturday Morning Farmer's Market, Cupcakes and Mango Trees

This morning I joined a few hundred other people and went to the Saturday Morning Farmer's Market in La Reine which is one of the biggest and popular ones on the island. I tried to make it there by 7:30 but my body and alarm clock snooze button failed me so I made it out there by 8:00. These markets are big business down here and you have to come early to get the best produce and fish. I wanted fish. And even though I don't really cook often, I had a big plan for my future fresh caught fishy. During the week, I did go out to one of the farms and I did get some fresh fish but I was surprised that it was frozen. It makes sense that you can't keep fresh fish without a freezer but I really wanted fresh fish.

I parked and headed to the men at the end of the market with the fish coolers. You could tell these were caught this morning as there was almost no fish smell but just what looked like fresh bright colored fish on ice. I picked out a Parrot fish for $5 and I asked to have it cleaned. The seller gave it to a school aged boy to go to the back stalls to have it cleaned. I went with him and he started descaling the fish. The fee for this was $1 and I was happy to pay it. He descaled the fish and put it in the bag. I asked him to cut off the head because I didn't want that fish looking at me as I prepared it. He did so much work that I gave him $2 because this seems like a hard job and I went off to shop at the market.

I got some star fish that I remember buying at a supermarket in Chicago but I hoped they would taste different here. I also purchased a couple of mangoes as you can't leave a farmer's market here without mangoes. Four starfish were $2 and four mangoes were $2. These prices are far lower than the supermarkets here and the food is much fresher as these are locally farm grown. I then stopped by Sweet Sue's booth who makes homemade baked goods and jellies. Last week I purchased a piece of raspberry rum cake which was amazing and this week I decided to go for the salted caramel cupcakes. I really wish Sue had a store or something so that I didn't have to wait until Saturday to get more goods.

I was done with my purchases and on my way back home and it wasn't even 9 yet.  I decided I would fry the fish and cut up the star fruit. I had purchased some coconut oil last week at the market so I poured some into the skillet and proceeded to make my fish. I've never really fried a fish before so I decided that salt and pepper seasonings would be enough and it was. The fish came out amazing even though there were a few bones still in it so next time I will probably ask them to clean it out a little better but it was so fresh and light, and felt perfect to eat for breakfast on a Saturday morning. I cut up the star fruit which was juicy and had a sweet tart taste and I poured myself some carrot juice that I purchased yesterday at the grocery store. I decided to eat on my balcony as today like everyday was so warm and breezy. I finished off my meal with the cupcake I purchased from Sue. It was amazing and I never liked cupcakes that much back home. The frosting as well as the cupcake itself melted in my mouth and I could taste the salted caramel and not just the butter cream. These were the best cupcakes I have ever had.

As I ate outside this morning a breakfast that I had just made from the ingredients I just purchased, I realized that I would probably never do this back home. I would never wake up so early because I would have no motivation to do so and I would never eat fresh made fish for breakfast. Here, I can't wait to do this again next week and I can't wait to get more cupcakes. I followed up my breakfast with a walk on the beach. I found a family playing with their puppy in the water and he looked like he was having a great time. On my way back home, I decided to park my car and take a walk around my apartment down to the grocery store below my house (much farther than I anticipated even though it looks very close, you do need a car here!) . As I was coming back from my walk ready to rest as I jut finished walking up a hill, I found a mango tree and now I have my first hand picked mangoes!

I realized as I was resting from my adventures this morning that St. Croix is very much a natural environment with all the first world luxuries that we're all used to. It's not glossy like some five star hotels or manicured neighborhoods in Chicago or New York but it's real. People here work really hard and the kids here enjoy the nature around them. There is sand and dirt here because the beach and undeveloped areas have those things and most of this area is a beach or somewhat undeveloped. And that is what gives St. Croix its charm. We can go to any store here and obtain any product that we have in the states and I have high speed internet, but I also have raw nature and places that are not touched by the glossiness that we are so accustomed to and that makes us think something is unkept if it is not that way. I am learning that some of the best things exist in a place that doesn't care so much about how something looks but cares a lot about the experience of its inhabitants.