When you’re headed out for a day of sunshine, consider packing an ice chest and grabbing some groceries from Bryan’s neighborly open-air food market. Take along a tablecloth or blanket to lay out your spread, whether you’re headed to the park, hanging out at the pool, or just want to see where the road takes you. No matter where you end up, you’ll be prepared with tasty provisions that are fit for a feast. —Ellen Ritscher Sackett
Chill out with some cold beverages to down with your meal on a hot summer’s afternoon. Farm Patch carries a number of craft soda options from Dublin Bottling Works, Texas’s oldest soda bottling facility, which is best known
for having produced the original Dr Pepper recipe. Although the company no longer produces Dublin Dr Pepper, it does offer a variety of flavors available at Farm Patch, including Dublin Vintage Cola, Dublin TeXas Sweet Peach, Dublin TeXas Root Beer, and Dublin Cherry Limeade — all made with pure cane sugar. If soda is not for you, a French Sparkling Limonade made by Rième may hit the spot and brighten your day as well as your palate.
Simplify the menu with freshly prepared, grab-and-go foods that are made onsite “with lots of love” in Farm Patch’s kitchen, according to manager Molly Hagan-Ward, who has worked at the
market for the past six years. “A lot of the recipes have been passed down over the years,” she says. Look in the refrigerator for the house-made rotisserie chicken salad and pimento cheese, and add some sides to make the meal, including pasta salad, Italian coleslaw, or potato salad. “There is such good variety ... something that everyone is going to like,” Molly says. Among her favorites is the tabouli. It’s hard to get tabouli from anywhere else, she says, because “it’s so good — so tangy and fresh!”
What’s a picnic without sandwiches? This Old World-style Polish bread rises to the occasion for any outdoor meal with its crispy crust and soft, dense center. Local chef Andrez Nowakowski makes this flavorful staple that’s baked fresh daily, but don’t wait too late to pick up a loaf because it sells out quickly. Didn’t pack a bread knife? No
problem! The store also offers sliced white bread from Brenham-based Kountry Boys Sausage & Bakery. It’s the greatest thing since … well, you know.
Add some European flavor to your feast with Poseidon green olives. Grown on family farms in Greece, these salty snacks are an easy way to add elegance to your outing. The store’s shelves contain other exotic eats, like Russian-style dill pickles from Bulgaria,
Croatian plum butter, and creamy spreadable cheese from Denmark. Or peel back the pop-tops of canned Lebanese hummus tahini and baba ghanoush to pair with crackers or chips. Your meal can become a grand charcuterie by adding some slices of Bulgarian sheep’s cheese and Italian salami, coppa, and prosciutto. Go ahead and leave your passport at home — It only takes a quick trip to this local market to bring a world of food to your Brazos Valley expedition.
Cherries, peaches, and watermelon are summer’s bounty, so now’s the time to take advantage of the season’s finest fruit. They’re not only good — but good for you too! — and easy to pack as well. Other healthful options that don’t
involve preparation (aside from rinsing) are blueberries, grapes and strawberries, and toss a bag of baby carrots in your basket for good measure. Don’t overindulge, however, lest your tummy turns to trouble from too much of a good thing. There’s always tomorrow, remember, as this popular produce market is open seven days a week.
What’s for dessert? Lots to choose from! Complete your picnic with a decadent treat, such as a personal-sized pecan pie made onsite from Texas pecans using a proprietary recipe. Want to go gluten-free?
Muriel’s GF Bakery makes individually wrapped brownies, sweet breads, and donuts, or opt for the gooey chocolate chip cookies that come in a package of four. Can’t decide? You can’t go wrong if you get some of each! IN
Farm Patch Produce Market | 3519 S. College Ave., College Station | (979) 822-7209 | thefarmpatch.com
