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The Market:
Westchester Farmers Market
W. 87th Street and Sepulveda Eastway
Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Market Notes: Today, the Los Angeles Times food
section has a feature about figs and about how the best place to buy
them is at farmers markets. (They're so fragile, they don't
hold up well in supermarkets.) It occurs to me that I haven't had
figs in a year, having unaccountably missed the spring crop, so I
head off for a quick trip to the market. Departing from my
usual routine of driving eight miles to the fabulous market in Santa
Monica, I go instead to the Westchester market just three miles from
my home. What a revelation! I haven't been here in years,
since shortly after it first opened. It has grown into a very
nice medium-sized market with nearly 20 farm tables and a few craft
and prepared food vendors to help draw a good crowd.
Market-Goer:
Mark Thompson, publisher of this Web site |
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What I Bought:
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Adriatic and Mission Figs
According the David Karp, writing in today's Los Angeles Times,
Adriatic figs (the green ones) are the best variety for eating
fresh. He's right. They're excellent. Interestingly, it was a
revelation to the farmer who sold these to me that they are called
Adriatic figs. He called them "homeys." Explaining
the origin of that name, he said it is a variety that a while back someone
smuggled into the Fresno area from Armenia. It's illegal to do that
without sending the import through a long quarantine process. So
when the agriculture inspector asked what variety they were, the farmer,
thinking quick, said "homeys." I don't particularly like
figs fresh, but these are good enough for that, though I still prefer
preparing them in various ways. What do I do with them? I follow
Robert Wemischner's advice for what to do with figs.
My favorite of his suggestions: scooping out the pulp, mixing it with
yogurt, and filling the frozen fig shells with the mixture (or filling the
shells and freezing the whole thing for a frozen fig-yogurt snack).
Price: $2.50/basket
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Gala Apples
California's apple season has just begun. These are "new
crop" Royal Galas.
Price: $1.50
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Thai Peppers and Basil
I buy a bunch or two of basil every time I go to the market all summer
long. I make pesto and freeze whatever we don't eat right
away. I bet this much basil in any supermarket would set you back
ten bucks. I'll never use all of these fiery hot Thai chilis.
But if I get around to making peach chutney, I'll need a few. I'll
dry any that I can't use in the next few weeks.
Price: each $1/bunch
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Red Flame
(left) and Thompson-Raisin Grapes
California's grape season is underway and will last until nearly
Christmas.
Price: $1.25/lb.
Anaheim
(top) and Red Bell Peppers
Price: $1/small bag
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