Chris with La Condesa's Head Chef Rene Ortiz and Pastry Chef Laura Sawicki

One of my favorite things about going to the farmers market is being able to talk to the farmers: Each one has a story.  It’s also nice to know where our food comes from and what it looks like before it’s processed. Thankfully in Austin we have several farmers markets to choose from.

This past weekend, we went shopping at the Austin Farmers Market  Downtown with Rene Ortiz, Head Chef at La Condesa, and Laura Sawicki, Pastry Chef at La Condesa, as they prepared for the Sustainable Food Center‘s Chef Series Dinner.

Chef Rene’s family was with him at the market, and for me, it was interesting to watch the kids react to seeing the dead animals that would become food.  In fact, the idea of knowing where our food comes from came up quite a bit as we hopped from stand to stand, checking out the various meats.  It was also cool that each farmer had a book of photos showing the living animals and the environment in which they grew.  You don’t get that at a grocery store!

In the video, below, Chris and the two La Condesa Chefs chat it up with Roberto San Miguel from San Miguel Seafood and Sebastian Bonneu from Countryside Farm.

WATCH: Chef Rene tells us about growing up on a farm. Sebastian shows us his favorite goose. Laura impersonates a dead lamb. [Scroll down for video and stills]

SUPPORT: The Austin Farmers Market is a product of the Sustainable Food Center, a local non-profit to that wants to make affordable, healthy food available to everyone.  Through organic gardening and other programs, they educate children and adults on the importance of  sustainability in order to increase the health of Central Texans. Donate here.

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Chef Laura Sawicki and Chef Rene Ortiz

Locally grown greens at the Austin Farmers Market

Roberto San Miguel holds a Red Snapper

Sebastian Bonneu from Countryside Farm shows off duck eggs, a rabbit and a Guinea Hen raised on his farm.

Chef Rene's final dish was: Roberto San Miguel gulf shrimp, tamarind, lime & chile, Texas crab salad, Hands of the Earth red amaranth.