Farmers Market Update: Late Spring

Summer Squash

I do not want to call it summer just yet, but we’re certainly getting close. I was finally able to return to my beloved Ferry Plaza Farmers Market this weekend in San Francisco. What a delight!

Last time I visited cherries were just starting to get good and a few apricots and tomatoes were peeking out. Now stone fruits have completely taken over the market, tomatoes are abundant and summer squash have exploded in a way I don’t remember from years past. Truly breathtaking.

Larian & Rainier Cherries

Organic Plums

Strawberries are particularly sweet right now, while blueberries are the perfect combination of sweet, tart and crunchy. I saw raspberries for the first time today, but did not get a chance to taste them.

Another remarkable sight was the fresh herbs. Scents of basil, thyme, mint, oregano and lavender infuse the air with the unmistakable fragrance of the coming summer. I couldn’t help but buy all I could carry.

Oregano

Spearmint

Some notable early spring items have also disappeared. There are no longer aspargus or *sniff* ramps. Citrus is also on it’s last legs.

Finally, today was the first time I have been to the market since plastic bags were banned. I bought a roll of the biodegradable kind from the CUESA information booth. Some vendors gave them out for free, but most did not. All around the experience is a little bit annoying (I accidentally spilled a bag of cherries on the ground because of the chaos in my shopping bag), but mostly manageable. I do wish there were a better solution, but I’m sure I will get used to the inconvenience eventually.

Salad Mix

Garlic and Squash Blossoms

Today’s Purchases:

• Bing cherries (Bella Viva Orchards)
• Summer squash (Lucero Organic Farms)
• Strawberries (Dirty Girl Produce)
• English shelling peas (Iacopi Farms)
• Garlic scapes (Marin Roots Farms)
• Tokyo salad turnips (Marin Roots Farms)
• French thyme (Marin Roots Farms)
• Lettuces (Star Route Farms)
• Mediterranean cucumbers (Happy Quail Farms)
• Padrones (Happy Quail Farms)
• Fresh eggs (Happy Quail Farms)
• Basil (Chue’s Farm)
• Italian parsley (Chue’s Farm)
• Morel mushrooms (Far West Fungi)
• Heirloom tomatoes (Bruins Farms)

What did you find at the market today?

If you enjoyed this post, you might want to subscribe to Summer Tomato and follow me on Twitter!

Want more? Check out Summer Tomato Live!

 Print This