Adriatic Figs

Although I finally got my first sun tan of the summer this weekend at the Outside Lands music festival, the produce at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is hinting that summer is winding down.

Okra

First Winter Squash

You can still find all the wonderful summer tomatoes, pluots, peaches and melons, but delicate fruits like berries are becoming tart and more difficult to find.

Likewise, zucchini and crooked neck squash are still around, but I was shocked to find the first thick-skinned winter squash this weekend too.

Assorted Grapes

Niitaka Asian Pears

Other hallmarks of fall are apples, pears and grapes, which are all spectacular right now. This is also a great time to get figs, dates, jujubes (Chinese dates), French plums (prunes), corn, okra, eggplant, melons and chili peppers.

Chantenay Carrots

Jujubes

I found some gnarly, giant chantenay carrots that I plan to turn into soup using my new hand blender. I also purchased the ingredients to make some delicious Thai food this week, since my lifetime cuisine poll from Wednesday reminded me how much I love it.

My final advice this week as summer winds down is to go to Frog Hollow and get some flavor king pluots while you still can.

Did you find hints of fall at the farmers market this weekend?

Today’s Purchases:

• Chinese eggplant (Chue’s Farm)
• Lemongrass (Chue’s Farm)
• Okra (Chue’s Farm)
• Thai peppers (Chue’s Farm)
• Thai basil (Chue’s Farm)
• Garlic (Chue’s Farm)
• Chinese long beans (Chue’s Farm)
• Green onion (Chue’s Farm)
• Early Girl tomatoes (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Cippolini onions (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Chanentay carrots (Tierra Vegetables)
• Red flame grapes (Capay Canyon Ranch)
• Flavor king pluots (Frog Hollow Farm)
• Red flame nectarine (Frog Hollow Farm)
• Pimento pepper (Happy Quail Farm)
• Miyogi ginger flower (Happy Quail Farm)
• Mediterranean Cucumbers (Happy Quail Farm)
• Arugula (Marin Roots Farm)
• Purslane (Marin Roots Farm)
• Lettuces (Marin Roots Farm)