Celery, celeriac and super lunch options this week!

“Celery loves rain,” Sophie Morgiewicz once told me, when I asked. You can imagine her saying that, can't you? Standing strong behind the table, in her flowery nurse wear, two hands firmly gripping either side of the dark wooden crate packed with stalks.

It stuck. And so when it rains, as it has relentlessly the last few days, I always make sure to buy lots of celery at the market. It's always so much more flavorful than supermarket celery. What's great about buying celery at the farmers market is that it comes with leaves attached.

Do not discard those leaves under any circumstances! They are extremely aromatic and can be used as a substitute for parsley in most recipes, or pureed into your favorite soups for added flavor or tucked into tabbouleh. Stuff them in your chicken or your whole fish. Find out everything you need to know about celery leaves and how to use them here. And of course, make celery soup with the stalks. Enjoy with your favorite market bread, be it a Bien Cuit slice ciabatta roll or salt focaccia from Wave Hill or spelt bread from Meredith's.

And save some celery to chop up into mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery that have been finely chopped then sweated). Mirepoix is considered the "holy trinity" of French cuisine: the aromatic base of almost every classic stew or soup recipe.

No doubt Chef Thierry of Escargot Voyageur makes a mean mirepoix. He's one of the most colorful characters to join the market in a long time and has in a short amount of time developed quite the loyal fan base. His crepes are a big hit, of course, but so are his "plats mijotes" - which translates to "coddled" dishes, as in his belly-warming Boeuf Bourguignon or Poulet a la Creole which easily serve two or three for dinner. Don't let his gruff exterior, camo gear and piercings scare you: he's a total softie who fosters rescue pups - sometimes a dozen at a time - and loves to spread joy through food.

It's hard to believe that a celeriac, the knobby, gnarly troll of the turnip world can deliver in the joy department. And yet, celery root, as it is also known, is gaining in popularity because it can be substituted for potatoes in soups and gratins without the carbs. But it's so much more than a potato “light.” Its flavors run deep and are once earthy and delicate. Head to Sun Sprout Farm for some organic celeriac, to make this celeriac mash or this BBC Goodfoodrecipe which turns this turnip-style root vegetable into pasta like ribbons.

New vendor, The Sconery joins us this week. This small-batch bakery from Long Island City offers a dizzying array of sweet (and some savory) scones such as the Irish Brown, Lemon Raspberry and Chocolate Chunk Oat as well as some beautiful rustic galettes showcasing local fruit. I'm guessing some spicy tomato jam from Eltee's Goods would taste downright delicious on one of their cheddar scones.

Lots of lunch options at the market this week! No Place Like Home is here with their giant paella pan that will be simmering all morning. XOLO Food truck will have vegetarian and vegan Mexican tortas and burritos and tacos. And Ambrosia Juicery will be making Acai bowls and smoothies. Something for everyone.

And to cap it all off, the Richard Cortez Band is in the house.

See you at the market!