(top left to right) Kaffir limes, Meyer lemon, blood oranges, Persian lemon and satsuma tangerines surrounding a Chandler pummelo

In the midst of a rare streak of freezing weather that has reached into Southern California, destroying $1 billion worth of citrus fruit, there is no evidence of a citrus shortage in the farmers market -- at least not yet. Farmers saw it coming, so they stripped their trees of as much fruit as they could harvest. That means there's plenty of citrus fruit right now, but it won't last. Guess that means I'd better buy pomelos now and stock up on candied pomelo peel. Kaffir limes are essential, if you want to make an authentic-tasting Thai dish. They have a few drops of acrid juice, which is useless. It's the thick zest that you'll want. Kasma Loha-Unchit explains how to make kaffir lime paste, and offers recipes for putting it to use, on her Web site Adventures in Thai Cooking & Travel.  The peel is packed with highly concentrated aromatic oils, she writes. "Because it's strong flavor can overpower the more subtle ones in a dish, the rind should be used sparingly, grated or chopped finely and reduced in a mortar with other paste ingredients until indistinguishable."

(from top) Kaffir lime, Meyer lemon, Persian lemon (sweet lime) Kaffir limes with  Thai lime leaves

The paste is "indispensable in many curry pastes and is one reason why Thai curries taste refreshingly unique. The zest also imparts a wonderful piquant flavor to such delectable favorites as fried fish cakes."

Price: $1/lb. for pomelo
$.50/each Kaffir limes
$2/lb. blood oranges and Persian lemon
$3/lb. satsumas and Meyer lemon
$1.50/bag for lime leaves

Brussel Sprouts, Purple Cabbage

Price: $3/lb. for brussel sprouts
$.80/lb. for cabbage

Jerusalem artichokes, Chorogi

I last bought Jerusalem artichokes, aka sunchokes, in a farmers market in Flagstaff, Ariz., and haven't bought them again since. I had to pick up some today, however, so I could compare them to this other oddball tuber called chorogi, also known as Chinese artichoke. The taste somewhat like Jerusalem artichokes, but crunchier. They are tubers of an Asian member of the mint family, while the Jerusalem artichokes are a root of a member of the sunflower family. 

Price: $3.50/lb. for Jerusalem artichokes
$4/quarter lb. chorogi

 Heirloom tomatoes flanking a Beefsteak tomato

Price: $4/lb. for heirlooms
$3/lb. for beefsteak

Apples and Asian Pear (top)
Sapote and Cherimoya

Price: $2/lb. apple
$1.75/lb. Asian pear
$3.50/lb. cherimoya
$2.50/lb. sapote