Red Zebra Tomatoes

I checked the weather report this morning and apparently most of the US is experiencing 100+° weather. You may be suffering, but I’m jealous of all of you. It was 57° here in SF this morning, and I wore a wool sweater and windbreaker to the farmers market, but once I got there I really wished I’d had my scarf and hat. Burrrrrrr!

The grass is always greener, right?

Thumbalina Carrots

I love sun and heat, but the one advantage I had this morning was that pictures turn out much better on overcast days. Since no one told the sunny farms around the Bay Area that it isn’t actually summer here, we had all the bright, beautiful produce a warm summer would promise. We just have to eat it in the cold.

Golden Beets

It has actually been weeks since I’d last been to the market, due to the extensive travel schedule I’ve had this summer. And despite my shivers it was sooooooo nice to be back.

Gypsy Peppers

Gosh vegetables are beautiful this time of year. Have you ever tried purple beans?

Purple and Green Beans

Needless to say I bought everything I could carry in two Mercado bags, doing my best to take advantage of the produce peaking this time of year. Stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and plutos (plums) are working their magic right now.

Pluots

Summer squash is something I look forward to all year. I was particularly excited today to find bitter melon, a vegetable I ate a lot of in Okinawa earlier this year.

Squash and Bittermelon

Honestly I may have purchased more than we can eat, but we’ll do our best.

Today’s purchases (~$40):

• Cherry tomatoes (Everything Under the Sun)
• Sungold tomatoes (Everything Under the Sun)
• Israeli melon (Everything Under the Sun)
• Summer squash (Marin Roots Farm)
• Italian peppers (Happy Quail Farms)
• Cucumbers (Happy Quail Farms)
• Bittermelon (Chue’s Farm)
• Purple basil (Chue’s Farm)
• Garlic (Chue’s Farm)
• Green shallots (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Curly kale (Green Gulch Farm)
• Salad greens (County Line Harvest)
• Assorted carrots (County Line Harvest)
• Tokyo turnips (County Line Harvest)
• White nectarines (Bella Viva Orchards)
• Dill (Star Route Farms)

What did you find at the market this week?

Rainbow Chard

It is absolutely glorious in San Francisco this weekend, one of those rare 80 degree days that we see maybe 4-5 times a year (and yes, I write about it every single time).

Spring Carrots

I was so happy to be back at the farmers market, having missed the past 3 weekends. As I had hoped all the spring goodies are appearing, like asparagus, peas, green onions and strawberries. Yes, I bought strawberries! And tomatoes!

Heirloom Tomatoes

Around this time of year I start craving daily salads. I think it is because the produce is so sweet and crisp, cooking anything too much almost feels like a crime against nature.

Large Lettuces

All greens are thriving now, including lettuces, spinach, kale, chard and assorted herbs. Top these with carrots, sweet peas, beets, artichokes, fennel, green onion and fresh spring eggs or chicken and you can’t go wrong.

Shelling Peas

It’s also a great time for broccoli and cauliflower, which were beyond gigantic today from Eatwell Farm.

Monster Cauliflower

Seriously we’ll be making a ton of roasted curry cauliflower with this bad boy.

9lbs Cauliflower

Oh, and did I mention I finally got my hands on Mercado?! They just started shipping, so if you pre-ordered one you should get it very soon. Place new orders here.

Mercado Test Drive

I got home all of my food no problem, even the heirloom tomato and delicate strawberries. Successful test!

Tangerine, Tangerine

There are still a few last remnants of winter, like these amazing tangerines we found. They are much sweeter and less sour than they were even just a few weeks ago. Get them while you can, because they’ll be gone before you know it.

Today’s purchases:

• Monster cauliflower (Eatwell Farm)
• Rainbow chard (Eatwell Farm)
• Strawberries (Catalan Family Farms)
• Green shallots (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Parsley (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Beef filet (Marin Sun Farms)

Warren Pears

Welcome back to Standard Time, add that extra hour to your clock and enjoy the long Sunday.

Farmers markets are closing up shop throughout most of the US, but they go on strong here in SF all year. It’s actually a wonderful time for local produce.

Colorful Grapes

My favorite foods like kale and chard really shine this time of year, as do the other green veggies like broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts.

Rainbow Chard and Kale

Though it is certainly a cruciferous vegetable, it is a little strange to consider purple cauliflower a green veggie. But it’s definitely healthy, and reminds me a lot of my mom.

Purple Cauliflower

Even better? All this stuff is really cheap.

Romanesco

Unlike the expensive berries, peaches and tomatoes of the summer, fall produce is uber affordable. Two dollars for kale, three for delicata squash, one for an apple, autumn produce is a bargain however you slice it.

Rome Apples

Of course there are always a few thing that cost a little more (grapes and pears come to mind), but on average my spending goes down substantially from now until late March.

What are these pears doing?

I use this opportunity to try more fruits than I normally would, since fruit are usually the most expensive items at the market. This time of year you cannot miss the pears, apples, persimmons, pomegranates and kiwi fruit.

Kiwi Fruit

It’s a great season, and honestly I’m even looking forward to the progress into winter. The citrus are just starting to reappear, and I found these adorable sudachi lemons at Hamada Farms.

Sudachi Lemons

Any servings suggestions?

Today’s purchases (~$20):

• Baby broccoli (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Leeks (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Brussels sprouts (Iacopi Farm)
• Kiwi (Four Sisters Farm)
• Assorted heirloom apples (The Apple Farm)
• Meyer lemons (Hamada Farms)
• Sudachi lemon (Hamada Farms)
• Warren pear (Frog Hollow Farm)

Winter Squash

Alright Mother Nature, you win. It’s autumn now and I’ll accept it, even if San Francisco only had about five days over 80 degrees this year. I don’t need summer when I have produce like this.

Thompson Grapes

Bring on your autumn grapes. Grapes have never been my favorite fruit, but they are so sweet and crispy this year I can’t resist them. I like wine too, and harvest is soon. Grapes are ok with me.

Flame Grapes

I’ll take your apples too. These heirloom varietals don’t taste anything like the overly sweet fujis I grew up with. These apples remind me of what I’ve always wished apples tasted like whenever I have apple cider.

Autumn Apples

And these little wickson apples, the size of golf balls, are as complex as a glass of wine.

Wickson Apples

Of course I don’t mind the sweet white pomegranates, with their pink seeds and delicate flavor. They aren’t as sour as the red ones are this early in the season, and the seeds aren’t nearly as tough and woody.

White Pomegranates

I finally gave in and got some brussels sprouts too. Sure I used to hate them, but once I learned the secret to cooking these little guys they became a welcome guest on my dinner plate. I’m especially fond of the smaller sprouts like the ones I found today, because they are almost never bitter.

Early Brussels Sprouts

With Halloween approaching not even the winter squash offend me, but these days I eat them instead of carve them.

Sugar Pie Pumpkins

Yes I’ll miss summer—or at least the idea of it. I’ll miss the peaches and plums.

Peaches

I’ll revel in the last of the figs and melons.

Brown Turkey Figs

Maybe if I’m lucky you’ll give me a few more weeks of eggplant.

White Eggplant

Perhaps the sweet peppers will last until my birthday next month.

Sweet Peppers

Or maybe the spicy ones will?

Hot Peppers

What always breaks my heart most is the tomatoes. I can live a few months without strawberries, but the tomatoes really get me. Everything is better with a dry-farmed early girl tomato on it. It will be hard to see them go.

Organic Cherry Tomatoes

But I love my cauliflower. (Pretty much everyone loves my cauliflower). And it will keep me company as fall rolls in and winter approaches.

Cauliflower

I’ll embrace your root vegetables as they sweeten in the cold.

Beets and Carrots

I’ll give you some time on the persimmons though, I don’t think they’re quite ready yet.

Hachiya Persimmons

Today’s purchases (~$40):

• Heirloom kabocha squash
• Savoy cabbage
• Carrots
• Leeks
• Red Russian kale
• Brussels sprouts
• Wickson apples
• Daikon
• Ginger root
• Garlic
• Dahlias

Is your farmers market still running?

Sweetest Strawberries Ever

I don’t usually buy a lot of fruit. It’s not that I don’t like it, I think it’s wonderful. But it tends to be much more expensive than vegetables. And it’s also hard to get soft fruit home without smashing it.

But today, I couldn’t help myself.

Similar to last week, the cherries were just way too good to pass up.

Ranier Cherries

But I also realized that I hadn’t even tried any of the newer fruit in the market, like these amazing blueberries. I sampled a few, and knew some would be coming home with me.

Delicious Blueberries

Then there were the plums. I love plums, but like tomatoes they are one of those fruits that are so rarely good that you forget what real ones taste like. Until you try one.

Fruits

I thought it was a bit early in the season for plums to be good, but I was wrong. These were as sweet and luscious as I’d ever tasted, and of course I had to get some.

Virctoria Heirloom Rhubarb

Amazingly, I still had to restrict myself from buying strawberries, even more cherries, and also some peaches I found that were unseasonably delicious. But I did have to save some of my money to get vegetables.

Radishes

I’m mostly enjoying salads these days. I like them with French radishes, carrots, sugar peas, spring onions and usually some quinoa or lentils.

Beautiful Treviso

I’m not ready to buy them yet, but summer vegetables are becoming more common as well.

Early Summer Squash

The strangest thing I found at the market this week was fresh Japanese ume plums, which I’ve only ever seen pickled. I might pick some up next week so if any of you have a recipe I’d love to hear it.

Ume Plums

Today’s purchases (~$50):

• Cherries (Bella Viva Farms)
• Blueberries (Triple Delight)
• Flavorosa plums (Twin Girls Farm)
• Spring salad mix (Star Route Farms)
• French radishes (Heirloom Organic Gardens)
• Asparagus – last week! (Zuckerman’s Farm)
• New potatoes (Zuckerman’s Farm)
• Red Russian kale (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Green shallots (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Mediterranean cucumbers (Happy Quail Farms)
• Whole chicken (Marin Sun Farms)

Artichokes

Huge thanks to my wonderful boyfriend today for stepping up and covering this week’s farmers market while I was home sick. But boy am I sad I missed it.

First Cherries

This week two of my favorite spring treats made their appearance: cherries and fava beans.

Fava Beans

And though I’ve always known spring is the best time for lamb, I never dreamed of discovering lamb bacon. LAMB BACON! Holy crap is this stuff good.

Lamb Bacon

Since I wasn’t there I don’t have much more to report. Check out the rest of Kevin’s photos below.

Leeks

Asian Pears

Blood Oranges

Daikon

Strawberries

Green Garlic

Sugar Cane

Ruby Chard

Today’s purchases:

• Lamb bacon (Marin Sun Farms)
• Brisket (Marin Sun Farms)
• Rainbow chard (Star Route Farms)
• Red Russian kale (Star Route Farms)
• Carrots (Star Route Farms)
• Cherries (Twin Girls Farms)
• Strawberries (Catalan Family Farm)
• Artichokes (Iacopi Farm)
• Kohlrabi (Chue’s Farm)
• Daikon (Chue’s Farm)
• Mandarins (Paredez Farms)

Is your spring market open yet?

Purple Spring Onions

I’m not sure I’ve done enough yet this year to illustrate what a truly special season spring can be. In the springtime, everything is new.

Breathtaking Tulips

We get the first greens and fresh colors since the final harvest in autumn, but in the spring everything is sweeter and more delicate.

Bloomsdale Spinach

We don’t just have garlic, we have the sweeter and more subtle green garlic. Carrots, while large and husky in the winter are small and tender in the spring. These baby carrots taste nothing like the fake, flavorless “baby carrots” that come in big bags at the supermarket. These carrots are special.

Real Baby Carrots

Swiss and rainbow chard are better right now then they are at any other time of year. They’re so beautiful it’s hard to not bring extra home to put into a vase.

Rainbow Chard

Artichokes and asparagus are also peaking right now. I was so overwhelmed by the sweet, earthy smell of artichokes when I walked up to the farm stand that I forgot to actually take a photo of the beautiful vegetables (there are plenty from previous weeks if you want a peek).

Though most people don’t think about eggs as a seasonal product, they are. Chickens don’t lay as many eggs when it’s cold. Plus, pastured grass is lush and filled with plump, tasty bugs once spring arrives. We got some pullet eggs this morning from Eatwell Farm. We had asked for the extra-large eggs, but apparently they sold out before the market even opened this morning. They’re that good.

Pasture Raised Eggs

For farmers market noobies, one of the most impressive things you can introduce them to is Meyer lemons. Lemons are sour and their peels are bitter, right? Not Meyers. While they aren’t exactly sweet, their acid is not harsh. And their peels are so thin and tender you can eat them raw. Meyer lemons are divine.

Perfect Meyer Lemons

But one of the best aspects of spring is the hints of summer that sneak in from week to week. Now we have strawberries, and they’re actually getting good.

Endless Strawberries

We also have some early tomatoes and ripe, creamy avocados, two of my absolute favorite summer ingredients.

Haas Avocados

As a last throwback to winter I plan to make a soup with one of these celery roots later this week.

Celery Root

Today’s purchases:

• Rainbow chard (Iacopi Farm)
• Red Russian kale (Eatwell Farm)
• Oregano (Eatwell Farm)
• Pullet eggs (Eatwell Farm)
• Leeks (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Shallots (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Spring onions (Everything Under The Sun)
• Meyer Lemons (Hamada Farms)
• Cara cara oranges (Hamada Farms)
• Tomatoes (Bruin Farms)
• Cioggia beets (Star Route Farms)

Beautiful Carrots

If you ever wondered why Forrest Gump thought peas and carrots went so well together, it must have been because he loves springtime.

Sugar Snap Peas

The reason we think most foods go together, in fact, is because they tend to be in season around the same time and traditional recipes put them together.

Cute Asparagus

But it turns out lot of things go well with carrots. Their sweetness and crunch is a wonderful contrast to many of my favorite spring treats, like spinach, asparagus and collards.

Collards, Potatoes & Asparagus

As I mentioned last week, chard is fantastic right now as well. These red and white Swiss chard bunches were so bright I actually had to turn down the saturation in Photoshop, which most photogs know is almost never done on food photos. The pink was just blinding.

Beautiful Chard

It’s also a great time to get beets, fennel, lettuces, artichokes, herbs and other vegetables.

Red Beets

Hearts of Romaine

Spring Artichokes

Not always associated with spring, but a seasonal treat nonetheless are fresh walnuts and mushrooms.

Walnuts In Shell

Trumpet Mushrooms

I’m still waiting for the spring fruits to appear. Though a few strawberries have popped up here and there, they haven’t looked good enough to buy yet. So while I’m waiting, we’re still eating up the delicious oranges, mandarins, pomelo and tangelos while we can.

Golden Nuggets

Finally, if you’re into lilacs (the best smelling flowers ever), this is the most lovely season I’ve seen in years.

Lilacs

Today’s purchases:

• Purple carrots (Star Route Farms)
• Artichoke (Iacopi Farm)
• Rapini (Capay Organics)
• Fennel (Chue’s Farm)
• Broccolini (Chue’s Farm)
• Cara cara oranges (Paredez Farms)
• Mandarins (Paredez Farms)
• Tomatoes (Bruins Farm)
• Eggs (Marin Sun Farms)
• Walnuts (Kashiwase Farms)

Artistic Oranges

I’m still not sure exactly what happened, but somehow the settings on my camera were really messed up this weekend and I didn’t notice until I got home and looked at the images on my computer. Yes, that makes 2 unrelated camera fails in a row.

Oops.

To get around the issue I did what any dedicated geek would do, I screwed around in Photoshop until the images looked cool.

Artistic Lobok

It’s a shame too, because the produce was beautiful today at the market, and the overcast weather would have normally made for perfect photos. But I discovered a world of crazy effects and filters, and I hope you enjoy the new perspective.

Artistic Radishes

At the market this week I’m loving the spring greens and salad fixings. Radishes, while normally not my favorite food, are divine right now and I’m using them whenever possible. Same with carrots and beets.

Artistic Beets

Salad greens like lettuce, spinach and arugula are amazing, but so is the Swiss chard, which is a fluffy and crisp as I have ever seen.

Artistic Chard

Another spring signature is the asparagus, and I’ve been eating my fair share. Especially with eggs. If asparagus isn’t your favorite but you’d like to get better acquainted, try cooking it in a bit of acid, like balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. It does wonders.

Artistic Asparagus

I’m also trying to take advantage of artichoke season, indulging in both the small baby artichokes as well as the larger varieties. I love them all (and really need to publish my recipe for making a perfect steamed artichoke).

Artistic Artichokes

Other spring treats including olives, horseradish, walnuts (and walnut oil), avocados and citrus.

Artistic Olives

Oh, and of course fresh shetland fleece.

Artistic Fleece

Today’s purchases (~$20):

• Swiss chard (Capay Organics)
• Red Russian Kale (Catalán Family Farm)
• Artichoke (Iacopi Farm)
• Green shallots (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Navel oranges (Hamada Farms)
• Meyer lemons (Hamada Farms)
• Mint (Marin Roots Farm)

Miner's Lettuce

Sometimes I’m less excited to go to the farmers market in the rain, but after spending last week in Austin consuming nothing but meat and alcohol I was ecstatic to get back to the market today, even if it meant getting a little wet.

Rainbow Umbrella

Luckily my efforts did not go unrewarded. To my astonishment I found stunningly beautiful, deep red heirloom tomatoes today. Tomatoes! I was floored and can’t wait to find out if they taste as good as they look.

First Heirloom Tomatoes

Also remarkable was the appearance of strawberries. Granted they weren’t as pretty as I know they will be next month, but it’s always wonderful to see a splash of color on an otherwise gray and gloomy day.

First Strawberries

I had a blast at the farmers market this weekend, stocking up on asparagus, kale, collards, spring onions, and adorable little carrots.

Thumbalina Carrots

Green Garlic Bunches

I also found some more rare spring delicacies, like miner’s lettuce and fiddlehead ferns.

Fiddlehead Ferns

And don’t forget to get the best of this amazing citrus season while you have the chance.

Whole Blood Oranges

Happy spring everyone!

Today’s purchases ($38):

• Lacinato kale (Capay Organics)
• Collard greens (Capay Organics)
• Fennel bulbs (Capay Organics)
• Broccolini (Allstar Organics)
• Thumbalina carrots (Allstar Organics)
• Asparagus (Zuckerman’s Farm)
• Heirloom tomatoes (Bruins Farms)
• Meyer lemon (Hamada Farms)
• Navel oranges (Hamada Farms)
• Tangelo (Hamada Farms)
• Green shallots (Dirty Girl Produce)
• Italian parsley (Chue’s Farm)
• Cilantro (Chue’s Farm)
• Scallions (Chue’s Farm)
• Avocados (Brokaw Nursery)