Public markets and local food
Know the market before you fill the basket
Sweet Auburn Curb Market is a plain-spoken guide to shopping the stalls — fresh produce, butcher and seafood counters, bakery cases, and the vendors who stand behind them.
Read the latest guidesAbout this site
Written for home cooks, market shoppers and food travelers
Straight from the stalls
Latest market guides
How to Peel and Devein Shrimp Quickly: 3 Methods (2026)
Learn how to peel and devein shrimp quickly with three methods, plus mistakes to avoid, safe storage times, and answers to common…
How to Scale and Gut a Fish: An Easy Guide (October 2026)
How to scale and gut a fish at home: tools, scaling tail to head, a shallow belly cut from the vent, bloodline…
How to Fillet a Whole Fish at Home: Easy Step-by-Step 2026
Learn how to fillet a whole fish at home in with a sharp flexible knife, clear step-by-step cutting-board moves, and tips for…
What to Ask the Fishmonger Before You Buy: 10 Questions 2026
What to ask the fishmonger before you buy in : 10 questions on freshness, wild or farmed, sustainability, cuts, price, and safe…
What Is a Quarter Cow and Is It Worth It? A Buyer’s Guide 2026
What is a quarter cow and is it worth it? Learn the packaged yield, real cost per pound, and freezer space you…
How to Buy Fish at a Seafood Counter: A Fresh 2026 Guide
Learn how to buy fish at a seafood counter in : the freshness checks that matter, which cut to pick, what to…
How to Split a Bulk Meat Order With Friends (2026)
How to split a bulk meat order with friends in : a fair weight, cost, or serving split, plus labels, cold transport,…
How to Wrap Meat for the Freezer: Easy, Safe Guide (October 2026)
Learn how to wrap meat for the freezer to prevent freezer burn and keep portions tidy. Updated for with step-by-step methods for…
How Long Meat Really Lasts in the Freezer (2026 USDA Guide)
How long meat really lasts in the freezer varies by cut, type and packaging. Get USDA-based freezer times for beef, poultry, seafood…
At the counter
Freshness you can check yourself
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Trust your hands first
Weight, give and smell tell you more about a melon or a fillet than any sign chalked above the crate.
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Talk to whoever stacked the table
The person working the stall knows what came in that morning, what is about to turn, and how they cook it at home.
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Buy what the week brings
Market shelves change from one Saturday to the next, so the best plan is the one you finish writing at the stall.
About this site
A guide for market days
Sweet Auburn Curb Market is written for people who would rather buy dinner from a counter than off a shelf — home cooks, market shoppers and food travelers working their way through produce halls, butcher cases and bakery windows.
