We should have written this article at the beginning of the summer, not the end. But since autumn is also a time when Mother Nature is at her most productive, produce-wise, it's still a fine time to sing the praises of the MOM Ökopiac (follow link for contact details and user feedback), the weekly organic market that, as its name suggests, sits next to the very un-Earth Mother-like MOM Park shopping mall in Buda's District XII.

Unfortunately, the market, which is also known as the Csörsz utcai ökopiac, is only held on Saturday morning. Worse, it's usually over by noon, when some of us are still sleeping off our Friday night drinks and dégustations. So just to help motivate you, here are 10 reasons you should make sure not to miss what remains of this year's Earth MOM season:

10. Tomatoes, in sizes and shapes you did not know existed in Hungary. Big and yellow, small and pear-shaped, medium and purple. We've always known that a hot Hungarian summer produces some pretty nice tomatoes, but when you eat the tiny tomatoes from here, you realize that you didn't know nothin'.
9. Chard (mangold) in almost as many colors as the tomatoes.
8. The stand in the back corner where, from giant sacks, the charming proprietors pull handfuls of fragrant fresh cilantro (coriander), mint, thyme and other greens, including purple basil.

7. A world of lettuces beyond fejes saláta. On two recent Saturdays, we saw frisée (curly endive/ chicory), romaine, red leaf, loose leaf, and others salad greens we couldn't even identify.
6. Everything at the market is guaranteed organic by the Magyar Biokultúra Szövetség (Hungarian Organic Association), so there's a good chance that some of it actually is.
5. The goat cheese lady who will give you a taste, and not crack a smile as you buy more cheesy goat goodies (ricotta, Provençal spread, turo, hard, soft, etc) than you can ever hope to consume in the week or so before they start to get a little… goaty.

4. Given the line at the bread stand (we didn't partake), good bread.
3. Green beans that scream for a salad Niçoise.
2. Moral highground/no disco pants.
1. Meat! (No one said the moral highground was veg-only).