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The Market:
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Arizona Ave. between 1st and 4th St.
Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m
(310) 458-8712
Market-Goer:
Mark Thompson
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There are a few citrus
varieties that you'll find year round in Southern
California farmers markets. But this is the time of year
when numerous, more transitory citrus fruits roll in --
such as tangelos, sastumas and Meyer lemons. I didn't
spot any pomelos today, but I expect they'll arrive in
the next few weeks. And blood oranges are just around
the corner. Some of these fruits change over the course
of this region's prime citrus
season. |
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Tangelos, for instance, are on the tart
side now but will get sweeter over the next couple of
months. In my opinion, tangelos are at their best in
about a month, when they're still tart but with a sugary
tinge.
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Though the weather has finally turned a
bit chilly in Southern California, and winter storms
have started to roll in a bit farther to the north,
there are still lots of fresh peppers in the market
today. They won't last much longer. If you can't bear
the thought of going without farmers market peppers
until next summer, you can also take home a ristra --
a colorful string of dried peppers. |
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You won't find untrimmed heads of celery
like these in a supermarket. At some point over the next
couple of months, I'll pick up a couple of these giant
stalks and use the tops to make and freeze a big batch
of celery stock. Not today, though, since I've already
purchased a large bundle of greens. |
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carrots |
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What I Bought:
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Tokyo Turnips, Three
Varieties of Carrots, Beets
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Cooler weather
means it's time to roast vegetables, since it
won't hurt to have the oven on for an hour or
two. All of these vegetables will go in one
roasting pan, tossed with olive oil and
rosemary, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and
placed in a 350-degree oven for about an hour. I
will cut the beets and turnips in half and start
them face down. The vegetables will need to be
turned occasionally so they (particularly the
carrots and turnips) won't burn.
Price: $1/bunch for turnips
$1/bunch for carrots
$1.50/bunch for beets
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German Butterballs
Encircling
Two Other Types of Potatoes
Price: $1.50/lb. for German
Butterball potatoes
$2.50/red and purple potatoes
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Sierra
(left) and Vulcan Lettuce
Sierra is a crunchy, Romaine-type lettuce while
the Vulcan is a loose-leaf variety. They should go
well together in a salad..
Price: $1/each
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(left
to right) Lacinato Kale, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard Coastal
Organics had lots of lettuce and salad greens,
such as arugula, and these greens for cooking.
Lacinato, also known as dinosaur, kale is one of
the most nutritious vegetables on earth, and it is
also among the most versatile. I'm planning on
experimenting with some of these seven
kale recipes. Perhaps I'll
use the collards, the toughest of these
three greens, to get back in touch with my southern
roots by chopping them up and cooking them
together with some bacon or a ham hock. Since that won't
go over too well with my vegetarian daughters,
maybe I can appease them by using the chard to make
a pot of ribollita,
an Italian bean soup, following the recipe
contributed by Seasonal Chef's San Francisco Bay
Area correspondent, Victoria Slind-Flor, after
her recent visit
to the farmers market in Richmond.
Price: $4 for three
bunches (or $1.50 each)
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Two-Pound
Bag of Satsumas The satsumas have
been around in Southern California's farmers
markets for about a month. I'm always very
happy to see them, since they're perfect for
popping into my daughters' school
lunches.
Price: $4 for 2-lb.
bag
Autumn
Royal Grapes (left to right), Ruby Raisins,
Flame Grapes
The Autumn Royal variety is a seedless
black grape. The flame variety turned out to
be the sweeter and tastier of the two.
Price: $1.75/lb. for
grapes
$3/bag for raisins
Easter Egg and Giant Red Radishes
I
avoid radishes in the summer, when they're too
hot for my taste, and sometimes pithy and
bitter. But with the arrival of cool fall
weather in Southern California, the radishes
have turned tender, crisp and just spicy
enough.
Price: $1/bunch for
Easter Egg radishes
$.50/bunch for giant red radishes
Celebrity
Tomatoes
There are still lots of nice looking,
field-ripened tomatoes in the market today.
Munak Ranch, from Central California, still
has lots of beautiful heirloom varieties,
though they're now selling at a premium price
of $4 per pound. This commercial variety of
hybrid tomato is better deal.
Price: $2.50/lb.
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