Market Report: Volodymyrs'ky Rynok, Kyiv, April 6, 2011

This week, I took a quick trip, amidst a pile of other work,  to Volodymyrs'ky Rynok (market),  near Palats Ukraina,  a place I'd been to once, early on my first trip to Ukraine, long before we thought about the Pickle Project.  Proved a great market scouting trip, both on the streets outside of the market and inside in the large hall.  What did I find this week?

Winter and a tiny bit of spring:  pumpkin, horseradish, eggs, potatos and spinach.

Dried herbs--but I think not so much for eating, as cleaning.  (Suggestions, corrections?) At lower right are the tops of little (bigger than a whisk broom, smaller than a U.S. full-sized broom) handmade brooms still used everywhere.

Pickled tomatos and below, pickled mushrooms and some sort of vegetable/cabbage/tomato mix.

The poultry counter:  chickens,  turkeys or ducks,  and on the right, some little bird we didn't recognize--squab?

Every market has dried fruit and nut venders, and for some reason,  the vast majority of them are from Uzbekistan.  This visit I noticed you could also buy Uzbek pottery at most of their booths, including a souvenir plate from Tashkent!

There are lots of imported fruits and vegetables at the market,  but this stall really represents local food.  Cabbage, potatoes,  carrots, turnips and beets.

The dairy counter.  Milk, soft cheese, sour cream.  Below, pickles three ways.

There's something great about the market ladies:  sometimes a little gruff, always hard-working, and just sometimes, a smile.

And, yes, spring is coming!  Pansies and petunias are out at the market.  Enjoy!