A loose strand of hair flutters in front of my eyes as a cool, crisp breeze blows softly. I stride quickly downtown, having adopted an admittedly self-righteous attitude toward my simple, eco-friendly Saturday morning ritual. I wake up around 9 a.m., grab my Publix supermarket green bags and walk to the nearby farmer's market to enjoy fresh, local produce. Late summer is my favorite time to visit, when plump, juicy heirloom tomatoes of every color conceivable abound, children inevitably wander from their parents to purchase a homemade "spudnut" from the unique Charlottesville bakery and the sun has lessened its intensity so that it no longer induces a sticky, profuse sweat.\nAs I near the collection of white tents lined up along the South Street parking lot, I recall earlier visits, beginning to trace my time at U.Va. and wax nostalgic. The summer after my first year, a coworker introduced me to the city market and to a local jeweler from whom I bought a funky necklace. Several times during second year, I walked to the market with some friends, and we would eye the fancy cheeses and bright, sunny flowers while lamenting our meager college budgets. Every so often, we would indulge in fresh goat's cheese and divide the much-anticipated delicacy among us. And I think back to the time third year when I gathered with other members of my fellowship group to discover the Charlottesville which exists outside of the University. We caught the trolley to the Downtown Mall, charged with the task of preparing a meal using ingredients solely from the farmer's market. That night, after a satisfying but exhausting day of exploring local parks and community gardens, and experiencing the trials and tribulations of public transportation, we filled our plates with heaping servings of warm, hearty ratatouille (recipe follows) and colorful mixed greens. Finally, fourth year: I count the number of market days which remain until my graduation, all the while regretting those many fall Saturday mornings I have let pass by, simply because I was too lazy to leave my bed.\nBut now I am here. I approach the first stand and finger the smooth skin of an eggplant. I soon fill my bag with tender squash and zucchini, cherry heirloom tomatoes, arugula, blueberries and peaches. The market is my guilty pleasure, my time to escape the hectic, frenzied, demanding college environment and temporarily leave my endless to-do list behind. No longer must I hurry to the next appointment which claims my time. My entire pace slows, and my heartbeat, stride and speech relax to a calm, smooth rhythm. Here, I see real families, children roaming about, dogs and local residents who greet the vendors familiarly. For once, I am in a place that does not revolve around Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia, undergraduate students or me - and it feels good.\nAfter I finish shopping, I circle around the tents and take in once more the flowers, the handcrafted cutting boards and jewelry, the homemade sauces, pastries, and sandwiches, the ripe, colorful fruits and vegetables. I stand for several moments and breathe in the clean, sweet scent of the air. I close my eyes and lose myself in the market's sounds and smells. When I cannot justify lingering any longer, I turn to capture the soft murmur of peoples' speech and rustling shopping bags one final time.\nI head back toward Grounds. My heartbeat quickens.
The City Market is open April to October during Saturday mornings from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
City Market Ratatouille\nThis vegetable stew originated as a peasant's dish and incorporated whatever vegetables happened to be on hand. Although it contains no meat, it is surprisingly rich and hearty and can stand alone with crusty bread or be used as a sauce for pasta or chicken.
1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch disks\n2 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/4-inch disks\n2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch disks\n2 14.5-ounce cans basil, garlic, and oregano tomatoes or 5 to 6 medium tomatoes with seeds and pulp, coarsely chopped\n3 cloves garlic, minced\n1/2 onion\n1/4 cup balsamic vinegar\nOlive oil\n1/8 tsp. oregano\n1/4 tsp. basil\nSalt, to taste\nPepper, to taste
Heat desired amount of oil in a very large skillet or pot (if you do not have a large enough skillet, you may need to do the following steps in batches). Add garlic and onion; saut
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