Mercado Fresco de Slow Food Yucatan

This weekly market (Saturdays) was inspired by the members of Slow Food Yucatán, the local chapter of an international movement which promotes local production of food, preservation of regional culinary traditions, and healthy eating. The location of this market is Calle 31 #70 between 12 and 14, Col. Chuburna de Hidalgo, a block west of Calle 60 near Costco (see map in Related Gallery).

Some of the things which are there: Fresh tofu and soy milk, quail and eggs, free range chickens and eggs, locally grown vegetables and fruits (some of them organic!)…and more:

Yury sells delicious homemade chimichurri sauce, as well as vegetarian chili. She also has dipping sauces with a milk and feta base, with herbs and nuts…delicious.

Roberto brings organic honey…no chemicals, no antibiotics.

The Grupo Marañao has cashew nuts, with various flavors…salt and lime, habanero, garlic and spices, and more. They also have sugar-free nut “butters”…cashew with chocolate or plain.

If you are a granola fan, try Susan’s granola which has “everything in the world in it”…cranberry, coconut, nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, oats, bran, and more…sweetened with a touch of honey.

Soña sells her homemade jams and chutneys, as well as seven seed rye bread and walnut rye bread. Her rabbit and chicken patés are very popular too.

Aliza has homemade sweet pickles made from her crunchy cukes…and also sells dill leaves and mustard leaves.

Los Dos Cooking School is offering peanut butters: plain smooth, chunky, or chocolate. They also have certified organic honey, from both Dzidzilché and Tajonal flowers.

Doña Elsa sells lots of organic fruits and veggies, as well as Yucatecan recados…those great pastes you use for Cochinita, etc.

And for those of you who want to grow better things at home…Lu’um sells organic fertilizer, humus de Lombriz.

Hostess Monique has muffins, breads, cookies, and more…and these are no ordinary baked goods! They have to be seen (and tasted!) to be believed.

And how do the buyers like the Market? Well, people started coming the day before the event! Ellyne is just delighted…sees it as a great beginning for something which will grow over time. Beryl says it is just fabulous, and she will come every Saturday. Lori and James from Philadelphia feel it is one of the things which attracted them to Mérida as a place to retire.

The market is held on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.

“MERCADO FRESCO DE SLOW FOOD YUCATÁN” VENDOR RESPONSIBILITIES

FEE
• You are required to pay a fee of $25 pesos to Slow Food for the right to sell your products in the market. This fee will be used to cover any expenses of the market (paper products, garbage bags, etc.) as well as to build a fund for Slow Food projects.
• Payment is due each day you attend the market, and is payable before you set up your table.

YOU WILL NEED
• Your own table and chair. Slow Food will provide tablecloths to unify the appearance of the market.
• Your own change box, complete with sufficient change for your customers’ purchases.
• Your own water for the day, snacks or whatever else to keep you comfortable.
• Your own towel or paper towels for cleaning up at the end of the day.

PARKING
• There is limited parking on the grounds of the property. Spaces on the premises should be reserved for customers. Please come early, unload your products and tables, and park on side streets nearby. DO NOT park in Super Faraón at the risk of being towed.

SETTING UP
• The market will open promptly at 9:00 am.
• Vendors should arrive no later than 8:30 am in order to unload and set up their tables in time for opening.

BATHROOM
• The bathroom on the premises is unisex.
• The bathroom is for use EXCLUSIVELY by vendors and Slow Food staff. Should customers ask for a bathroom, the polite answer is “Sorry.”
• DO NOT flush the toilet. This will cause a loss of water on the important baking day of our hostess. Instead, there will be a bucket full of water next to the toilet for that purpose.

RESPECT
• The market space is kindly hosted by Monique Duval who runs a bakery on the premises. Saturday is her baking day and employees are busy with their work. Please respect the property and the workers and do not enter off-limits areas.

CLOSING SHOP
• The market will end at 1:00 pm.
• All vendors are responsible for helping to clean up. There will be a large garbage pail with garbage bag provided by Slow Food and your hostess. Please gather any accumulated trash and put it in its place.
• You must also remove all crates, boxes, bags, tables, water bottles and anything else you bring into the market.

VENDOR CRITERIA

All vendors at the Slow Food “Fresh Market” should fulfill one or more of the following criteria. PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING INTO AN EMAIL MESSAGE AND SEND IT TO chefsterling@los-dos.com

INDICATE ALL THAT APPLY TO YOUR PRODUCT:

• My products are all organic.
• My products are grown and produced within a 100 km radius of Mérida.
• My products are produced artisanally in small quantities.
• My products support local growers and families.
• My products are part of a Yucatecan/Maya culinary heritage.

VENDOR FORM

Please fill out the following form and return it no later than the Wednesday before each market day. Since space is limited, if we do not receive the form by that Wednesday, you may lose your chance to have a space in the market.

E-mail to:
chefsterling@los-dos.com

Name______________________________________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________________________________

Cell phone_________________________________________________________________________________

Product information:

Product description (if more than one, describe each briefly):

Product retail price: