You cannot buy a vowel

Strudlhaus pastry stand
Des Moines Farmers´ Market
South side of Court Ave. west of 4th st.

my sweet bounty

Pastries on the right

 I posted last week about the Strudlhaus sausage stand at the market.  Today I had the chance to try some of the goodies at the adjoining pastry counter.  Despite growing up in Iowa I hadn´t been exposed to dutch letters until moving to Des Moines (maybe because Des Moines is closer to Pella, the main dutch colony in these parts). They´re quite tasty: flaky, S-shaped, and stuffed with almond paste.  I wasn´t up for a whole one today so I got a piece (calle it a Dutch punctuation mark) and this other pastry which they couldn´t name but I know I love from experience.

Not your average pops

Fresh Market Stand, Farmers´ Market
3rd St at Court Ave. (NW corner), Des Moines

All of my savory treats got me thirsty.  I was thinking I´d get a wheat grass shot from Fresh but thought better of that when I saw they were selling wheat grass popsicles!  It´s actually wheatgrass mixed with agave-sweetened lemonade.  And only $1.  Awesome and refreshing!

Papillon Bosnian Food Stand

Des Moines Farmers' Market, across from Java Joe's

L to R: zeljanica (spinach pita) and sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls)

My technique for eating zeljanica to go (patent pending).  It lasted me about a block

I got out of the house bright and early to beat the crowds/heat to the market and hit up a longtime favorite of mine: Papillon, run by the folks who cook at Euro Café in Urbandale and a soon-to-open outpost in the 700 Locust Food Court (!!).  On tap for today, two of my Saturday breakfast favorites: sarma (cabbage stuffed with ground beef and rice; served with bread and ajvar (red pepper sauce) in a pepper/tomato broth) and zeljanica (spinach pita with cottage and mozzarella cheese).  Delicious and filling!

Kabab House Stand- Farmers' Market

veggie samosa with green peas and potato

The Kabab House (actual restaurant located on Ashworth in West Des Moines) was out at the market and I got to sample some of their tasty wares.  For those who don't know, a samosa is a type of savory turnover shaped like a lumpy pyramid and stuffed with ground meat and/or vegetables.  This particular one was quite tasty, especially the green jalapeño salsa they had with it (not pictured b-c the whole thing looked a little unappetizing given the poor light).

Lovely day for a sausage at the market

faces obscured to protect the hungry.  The owner´s bakery serving dutch letters is right next door.  We´ll leave that for a future post (can´t wait!)

#7- beef and pork with jalapeño, white pepper and spices (+ kraut)

all dressed up and only one place to go!

StrudlHaus German Sausage Stand- Des Moines farmers' market.  South side of Court Ave west of 4th St.  For more information visit the strudlhaus website

Michael Leo is an Austrian living in Iowa, so he knows his sausage and was looking for a butcher to supply him with the authentic goods.  His country's consulate referred him to another Austrian in Oklahoma certified by their government in Austrian sausage-making.  His business sells sausages and is also a bakery so you know the buns are top notch too.