If I Could Turn Back Time, I Would Have Bought That 5-pound Bag of Pasta

By Lisa Morales

If you’re like me, you’ve probably had at least one, “if I could turn back time” moment since the beginning of the pandemic. Am I right? Mine is that I would have bought a five-pound bag (or two) of pasta from The Italian Depot at Yellow Green Farmer’s Market in Hollywood, Florida. If only I had known…

The Last Saturday

It was Saturday, March 14th, 2020. Like most Saturdays, I’d wake up early; put on my running clothes; pack a cooler with lots of ice in the back of my SUV; and drive to Yellow Green to buy groceries before heading over to the beach for a long run. My first stop would be at The Italian Depot to pick up olive oil, a can or two of San Marzano tomatoes, Tipo 00 flour, and pasta.

At checkout, the cashier knew to make me a cappuccino served in a paper cup with a lid so I could sip it while strolling through the market. Sometimes it was on the house or served with a couple of delicious Limoncello chocolates— yummy!

Usually, I’d chat with the owner, and he’d always try to sell me something else before I walked out. On this particular day, he had five-pound bags of pasta on sale for $3.00 each. It’s a special too good to pass up. “Stock up on olive oil before I sell it all to a restaurant,” he told me. I replied, “I live day-by-day, thanks. See you next week!”

Little did I know that Yellow Green would close the following week because of the COVID lockdown. Fortunately, now one year later, it has finally reopened. I and at least 56,800 other people (based on their Instagram account) were heartbroken for more than 12 months.

This is my tribute to the reopening of Yellow Green Farmer’s Market. Although close to home, it was my first destination before I even thought of another trip, and here’s where I stopped…

The Italian Depot

The Italian Depot sells only made-in-Italy products such as pasta, flour, olive oil, canned

tomatoes, preserved specialties, sweets, some cheese and cured meats. The products are not artisanal, but good quality and inexpensive. www.instagram.com/the_italian_depot

Mari’s Kitchen

I have yet to find a better place in Broward County to buy prosciutto, speck, mozzarella, or Stracciatella, than Mari’s Kitchen. Led by Tony (from Italy) and Maria (from Venezuela), their booth and countertop eatery was a welcoming stop and always filled with hungry visitors. The family continues to take catering orders and sells certain products online.

www.mariskitchenmiami.com

More Information

Open only on the weekends, Yellow Green Farmer’s Market is South Florida’s largest farmer’s market. Although, I’ve only mentioned three of my favorite small businesses, there are many other stands that I visit and some that I have yet to discover. Not only can you purchase things to take home, there are dozens of places to sit down and have lunch.

When they finally re-open, you’ll find me buying at least one five-pound bag of pasta, a case of olive oil, a few pounds of charcuterie meats, and cheese. Not just as a way to cure my “If I can turn back time” malady, but hopefully a small gesture to help support local when it’s needed most.

Yellow Green Farmers Market 3080 Sheridan Street Hollywood, FL 33021 www.ygfarmersmarket.com

Francis Fresh Produce

Francis Fresh Produce is also a family run business. Their large booth is well stocked with fresh produce, eggs, pre-cut fruit such as pineapple and papaya and freshly made salsa, guacamole, and dip. There are a lot of produce stands to choose from, but Francis is my favorite because they accept food stamps. I believe our country is a much better place, if everyone has access to affordable, healthy food.

www.instagram.com/francisfreshproduce