Collingswood Farmers' Market

Chef Mark's Collingswood Farmers Market Tours and Lunch require reservations which can be made by calling the restaurant at 856-869-3345. Dates for the tours are: September 13 and October 11th. There will be a Farm to Fork dinner at Tortilla Press Cantina in Pennsauken on Thursday, September 25, with John Ebert of Springdale Farms.

Collingswood's Farmers Market Tour and Lunch

Chef Mark Smith of The Tortilla Press in Collingswood has been a long time customer and supporter of the town's popular Farmers Market. Beginning in May and continuing on through October, Smith has made the weekly Saturday trek to the market with his chefs, a visible presence in his signature chefs coat, selecting produce and fruits and chatting with the farmers with whom he has long established relationships.

"I think our salsas are some of the best around and I credit Springdale's fantastic tomatoes for that." says Smith. "And Kevin Flaim of Flaim Farms agreed a couple years ago to grow some Mexican pepper seeds for me and now he supplies most of our needs…and it doesn't get any fresher or more flavorful than that."

This year Smith decided to introduce his guests to both the Market and its farmers. Once a month he will lead a select group of guests over to the market, make introductions to the farmers and lead a discussion in what's fresh, what's new and what's forthcoming from the farms. Then, after making his own purchases, he will return to the restaurant with his guests and serve lunch from the very items they've purchased that morning.

"It's not an original idea." he says, smiling. "My guests have asked for about 2 years if I would do this. It's such a perfect blend for me as a chef--I get to promote the Farmers' Market and I can spotlight our farmers who produce so much delicious New Jersey produce. Then we put the same items we've purchased into that days lunch. How fresh is that?"