The Market: Vegetables and side dish

The Central Market that is part of the core of Latin life never really took hold in the United States, though it’s not entirely absent. New York has two excellent Latin markets: La Marquetta at Park Avenue and 166th Street in Spanish Harlem, just a short subway ride from my home; and the Essex Street Market on the Lower East Side, just a couple of blocks from my restaurant. Both are run by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and both are run by Alberto Padilla, a true hero to the community for his revitalization of this treasured Latin tradition.