Farmers Market Update: Where’s Winter?

by Darya Rose | Feb 7, 2009

I’m not sure what happened to winter, but it looks like we won’t be having it this year. Although we had some rain yesterday, it was sunny and lovely today at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

Also today was the Citrus Celebration. Somehow this didn’t make it onto my radar, so I didn’t know about it until I got there. Sounded fun though:

10 am – 1 pm: Citrus tasting challenge
Try a dozen citrus varieties and play a matching game
10 am – 1 pm: Kitchen techniques gallery
Learn about zesting, candying and other kitchen citrus tricks
10 am – 1 pm: Orange smile digital photo booth
Smile wide with a wedge of citrus in your mouth, and we’ll email you the snapshot!
11 am – 11:45 am: Cooking demonstration
Alessandro Cartumini of Quattro Restaurant and Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley will prepare salad and pasta featuring citrus
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Meet the citrus farmer station

I spoke to the chef from Quattro while he was preparing his cooking demo, his menu for this morning sounded divine. I wish I could have stayed.

Another sign that spring is rapidly approaching here in San Francisco: I was stunned this morning to see Bruins Farms tomatoes for the first time this season. Deep down I knew that there was no way these tomatoes could be good yet (it’s February!), but I couldn’t help myself. I love tomatoes! So I bought one just in case. Besides, it is my job to tell you guys with confidence what produce is good and what is just okay, right?

As expected, these beautiful beefsteak tomatoes were flavorless. I’ll be the first one to let you know when they are awesome, I promise.

I didn’t buy very much today because I still have a lot of veggies left over from my photo shoot last week, but I did try to buy things I haven’t had in awhile. Variety is the spice of life (and health)!

Today’s purchases: