Farmer’s Market at the Marco Polo Every now and then most of us wish we had more greens in our diet. A garden-fresh salad for starters, a zesty vegetable stir-fry for seasonal flavor, perhaps a slice of fruit to jazz up dessert.  by ARDIE RIVERA  photography STEFFEN BILLHARDT

IF YOU LOOK UP PAST THE SKYLINE of urban Cebu, the mountains loom large over the city. Busay Hills, as locals refer to them, is where local farmers grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Most weekends, it is a favorite drive for families in search of fresh produce. To get closer to the city, the Cebu Food and Wine Festival Board under the auspices of the Department of Tourism Central Visayas invited neighborhood farmers to a weekly event and allocated the parking area of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, which is conveniently located at the foot of the hills. Every Saturday, from 7am to 2pm, the farmer’s market attracts consumers by the dozen to peruse the stalls for the freshest of produce. How fresh, you ask? Farm-to-market fresh. The benefits of shopping from a farmer’s market are plentiful. Transactions here are easy on the budget. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with the community: people here trade recipes, gardening tips, and other kitchen lifehacks on the fly. Plus, you’re helping honest folk with their livelihood and showing solidarity for locally-sourced, organically-grown, and environment-friendly farming. It’s a whole layer of economic and ecological sustainability that you’re supporting. So, what are you waiting for? Kumpra na! One pass at the rows upon rows of fully-stocked stalls and my mind is already buzzing with ideas. Those potatoes will be lovely in a shepherd’s pie, or as fritters to dip in sour cream. Vegetables and greens abound to add to a salad, soup, or hearty stew. Those cauliflowers are just begging to be chopped, fried, and eaten tempurastyle. That basket of fruits can totally jazz up dessert. And I’m definitely grabbing a bushel of carrots to ask my mother to bake them in that decadent carrot cake of hers. My mouth is already watering, and that’s just me standing here. So, grab your own eco bag. Make your way here. If we bump into one another, be sure to tell me what’s cooking!