Wherever he goes, Richard Ruben stops by the local farmers’ market.
The chef and author of “The Farmer’s Market Cookbook” says he visits markets to get a taste of the culture off the tourist track.
Even though travelers can’t buy a pound of beans and cook them, they can still enjoy visiting markets on the road, says Janet Fletcher, author of “Fresh From the Farmers’ Market.”
“You can still get a wonderful sense of what’s grown in that community, and what you can find in restaurants when you dine there,” she added.
Nina Planck, author of “Real Food: What to Eat and Why” and founder of London Farmers’ Markets, advises travelers to shop as though planning a picnic.
“Go straight for the quiche lady, or sausage guy, and see if he has some cured meats,” she said. “Or the cheese people and the fruit people.”
