Goat cheese on the go

If power shopping on Newbury Street or a lunch-break hike through Back Bay causes hunger pains, a fresh alternative to restaurant fare is the goat cheese picnic ($4) at the Copley Square farmers' market. The star of this brown-bag snack is a scoop of Crystal Brook Farm's pure goat's-milk cheese sprinkled with herbs de Provence and kept moist in a ramekin of olive oil. The delicate chevre spreads easily onto several slices of French peasant bread, a rye and wheat blend from Darby's Bakery that farm owner Ann Starbard includes along with a few boxes of raisins. Paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils are also provided. Next stop: a quiet spot in the Public Garden to -- ah -- savor the taste of farm life in the heart of the city. Available at Crystal Brook Farm's booth at the Copley Square farmers' market Tuesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. -- JENNIFER JUSTUS