Why a farmers market should be your first stop on any trip

I had never heard of a “Market Master” before.

I pictured it as one of those cool dream jobs you always want but never understand how to get, like “chocolate-fountain taster” or “professional book reader at a local library.” Turns out, it’s an important, meaningful role that involves many more details than I had originally imagined.

Earlier this year in April, I had embarked on an Interrail train trip using a Global Pass with a group of journalists across France, Germany and Switzerland in search of food that brought us closer to the hands that grew it. Read more about my experiences in this itinerary.

Freiburg im Breisgau's Münstermarkt felt like an essential stop on the trip. Named after the towering Gothic Freiburg cathedral it spawns out from, this farmers market is said to be almost as old as the city itself – going back more than 900 years. 

To keep Freiburg’s local economy thriving, the city appointed two Market Masters – Walter Drayer and Kalinga Wijetunga – and Münstermarkt Project Manager “Ben” Benedikt Budde to organise the market, manage the day-to-day operations and publicise and promote it.

“Walter and his colleague Kalinga, they're the two people who run the show... these guys set up this market every day. Every day means 300 days a year,” Ben told us proudly.

As they walked around the market, I saw the connections that the team had built with the sellers – they weren’t just managing the market but sharing lives every morning for the most part of the year. In their busiest season every summer, thousands of people traverse the market every day and I could begin to see why.

The Münstermarkt is open six days a week from Monday to Saturday and represents the soul of Freiburg with around 130 local businesses spread across different sections of the square – from freshly harvested fruits and vegetables to breads just out of the oven, aged alpine cheeses and tart chutneys, Black Forest honey, and artisanal wooden handicrafts. 

As I walked through the Münstermarkt, I thought about how farmers markets have always felt special to me. As a non-European immigrant who now lives in the Netherlands, my first introduction to Dutch culture was through its farmers markets.

It was a warm but slightly breezy Saturday in Enschede, a city in the far east of the Netherlands, during the summer of 2018 when I first travelled to Europe. It seemed like the whole city was there, picking up their groceries and treating themselves to piping hot stroopwafels and what I consider to be the best fries in the whole world: the Dutch Patat. I was enchanted.

Over time, as I travelled through the Netherlands’ neighbouring countries, I realised that going to farmers markets was perhaps my favourite way of discovering a city and its people. Each time I visit one in a new city, I get this feeling that I could live there – that I could almost belong there.

Like I could grab fresh fruit for breakfast from the Cours Saleya in Nice, or grab a quick on-the-go lunch with some salty aged Gouda cheese and a freshly-baked baguette at the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam, or pick the crispiest vegetables for dinner on a walk with a friend as we discuss work, life and love at the Mercado da Vila in Cascais.

We asked Walter and Ben about their three must-haves from the market, and they immediately took us to try the region’s legendary Lange Rote or long red sausage that’s best enjoyed grilled and on a bun with fried onions.

A local favourite, Lange Rote stalls draw huge crowds in mid-week afternoons for on-the-go work lunches, and early on a Saturday morning, when the Friday-night partygoers stop to refuel before heading home.

We then savoured a unique, raw vegan cake from FrohNat made by combining nuts with fresh fruits – the flavour and texture were entirely new to me but still felt familiar, like I was eating a not-too-sweet, just right, mousse cake.

And they recommended Stephan’s famous butter-yellow fluffy cheesecakes made from fresh lemons, cream and quark that I saved for my next visit to the market.

I asked Ben to design the perfect Freiburg and Black Forest itinerary. “They should come to the Münstermarkt. That should be their first thing,” Ben chimed in. “And then they should go on Schlossberg. That's the mountain.”

Later that day, we took Ben up on his advice and took the cable car up the mountain. The setting sun cast a glow on the city’s skyline that I could not tear myself away from for the most part of our dinner.

Ben’s other picks were Feldberg, the highest mountain in the Black Forest range and Schluchsee, the largest lake in the region. He also recommended mountain biking with several trails around Freiburg.

“You should go hiking. And then you should go to a traditional restaurant after that. And of course, you have to try the famous Black Forest Cherry Cake. It's of several layers. You have like chocolate cake, cream, cherries,” he added. I was sold – as a beginner hiker, any hike that ended in cake sounded like the ideal plan.

“Prepare for where you’re going, what kind of markets you have” and look up opening times before you get there, Ben suggested. While most markets are just open in the mornings, there are some that stay open till late afternoon and many others have fixed opening days.

He went on to tell me about his experiences visiting local markets in Portugal, how each market is so different from the next – some are small and just sell produce and some focus on handicrafts and pre-loved objects. He also highlighted the importance of carrying cash in case a small business owner couldn’t accept cards.

His most important piece of advice: “Always bring time when you go to a market because you shouldn't rush a market. You should really sit down, watch what's happening and never interfere with the Market Master.”

Never interfere with the Market Master. I love that tip.