You are what you eat.

I love to shop. Whether it's from behind a window without the intent to purchase or in the aisles of a supermarket, I find myself always drawn to beautiful things.

I have the most fond memories of my weekly trips to the Silvercreek No Frills in Guelph with my old roommate. No matter the weather, we'd trek to that bright yellow store and fill our cart to its brim. The market wasn't an option for us; working as a bartender made Saturday sleep-ins necessary, and my wild child, beautiful roommate would rise only if the words "Breakfast at Molly's!" were exclaimed. (God, I miss her).

I haven't always paid attention to the things I consume but made the decision to do so a few years back, looking to be enlightened. The result was a more healthy, vibrant and energized Kyra, and I had to make sure my habits followed me to Hamilton. You can only imagine my excitement when I learned that the HFM stays open til' 6pm.

My first experience at the market was extremely positive. It was a very busy place and visually overwhelming at first. So many colors! So much movement, so much to look at. The open concept floorplan made navigation a little simpler, though, and signage guided me to vendors I sought.  First stop of the day: Coffee. Red Hill Coffee, to be exact.

For those who don't know me well or at all, I am a coffee snob. I have even been known to turn my nose up at Tim Horton's... I'm sorry, but I find it tastes a bit chemical-y. The coffee at Red Hill was probably the best I've had since I left Guelph over 2 months ago. Their old-world method initially caught my eye; I had never seen coffee commercially brewed in a Chemex pot before, so I was naturally drawn to the spectacle. The dainty-looking glass carafes added a little bit of elegance to my daily caffeine gluttony.

 What's even better was the price: I think it was $1.75, and talking to the charming baristo while he individually brewed my cup added to the deal. I guess it worked out to be $2.75, after tip..

The second vendor I visited was Ercilia's Fine Foods. I was looking to purchase some all natural peanut butter and was beckoned to this booth by the gigantic wall of fruit preserves and jellies. Ercilia herself greeted me enthusiastically as I entered and offered me samplings of all sorts of delicacies, including pure unpasteurized honeycomb! At a whopping $13 a "brick" and not having budgeted for such a purchase, I asked her to explain the benefits of honey in this particular form.

She was very happy to do so! She explained to me that a spoonful of honeycomb daily helps prevent the most irritating illnesses; common colds, strep throat, the flu. Honey is both an antiseptic and antioxidant, and is one of the only consumable, natural products that contains every essential nutrients mankind needs to survive; it has been used as head-to-toe remedy for thousands of years. The honey melts in your mouth as you chew it, and you are left with a wad of wax in your mouth that is completely digestible. It can be hard to swallow, so if you're not a fan you can spit it out. I was totally sold and satisfied by its sweetness.

Overall, I was very impressed by what the Hamilton Farmers' Market has to offer. I will definitely return for another cup of coffee and am excited to explore what insight I will gain from talking to more knowledgeable vendors.

I try to follow a general rule: Eat only what you can pronounce. If something contains an ingredient I've never heard of or can't visualize, I won't put it in my mouth. The market is full of amazing, local products and it feels great knowing where your food comes from and who's putting their heart into harvesting it.

Definitely check out Red Hill Coffee and Ercilia's Fine Foods. You won't be disappointed!

Next post: Missing MacDonell street; Exploring the Hamilton bar scene from the perspective of a longtime Guelphian bartender!