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The Market:
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Santa Monica, Calif.
Arizona & 3rd Street
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Market-Goer:
Mark Thompson, publisher of this Web site
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What I Bought:
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Sweet Italian Peppers
Encircle Hungarian and Jalapeno Peppers
Peppers are always at their peak in California farmers markets from
late summer running well into October and even November, as long as the
hot weather holds. The flood of interesting varieties is just
beginning. Stay tuned for more..
Price: $2.50/lb. for Italians;
$1/basket for Hungarians and jalapenos (total cost of those
pictured above: $2.70)
Pineapple,
Persimmon and Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
I'm overwhelmed with red tomatoes from my own garden. But I've
usually had very poor luck with heirlooms. So I buy these to mix
with my own in my favorite tomato salad:
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a colorful stack of slices of multiple varieties sprinkled with
chopped basil and flat-leaf parsley, salt pepper, olive oil and
balsamic vinegar.
Price: $1.50/each (small)
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Charlyn melon and Sweet
Ambrosia canteloupe
I'm not sure which one of these was the culprit, but while they sat on
the kitchen counter for a couple of days to ripe, the room was filled with
a powerful, wonderful, musky aroma.
Price: $1.50/each (small)
Ambrosia and Charlyn
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Flavor Queen (back) and
Dapple Dandy Pluots
This fruit is a technically challenging cross between
a plum and an apricot. Pluots "have the look and taste of a plum with a firmer, mostly apricot
texture," as one expert puts it. The Flavor Queens are from Honeycrisp Farm,
which has usually superior fruit for a premium price.
Price: $2.25/lb. for Dapple Dandies;
$4/lb. for Flavor Queens
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Heirloom
potatoes
I bought these from the table of Weiser Farm, the heirloom
potato specialist that sells in many southern California
farmers markets. These are, clockwise from upper left, a
purple Peruvian, a variety called LaRatte (which the Weiser
man said is rare and tastes like hazelnut), another LaRatte, a
Rose Finn Apple and a Russian fingerling.
Price: $2.50/lb.
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