Farmers Markets - Santa Monica

There are many kinds of Farmers Markets - those that basically only sell produce that the farmers  bring to the market to ones that have additional stalls selling food made from farm produce, stalls that are preparing food to eat,  handcrafted items for sale and then the "farmers markets"  that have little food and seem more like craft fairs.  I go to Farmers Markets to buy food.  I have been labeled a "peasant woman" with her cart going from stall to stall examining the produce to find the best products to buy.  I find the label a compliment and reference to my Italian roots.  Although I go to the Farmer's Market year round, my favorite time is in the summer.   I overbuy and the end result is that even though it is hot, I spend more time in the kitchen than most people want even in the dead of winter, never mind the heat of summer.

The market I frequent the most is the Wednesday  Farmers Market in Santa Monica, CA.  It is the biggest market in Los Angeles and possibly the biggest in the U.S.  It is four city blocks long.  I have been going for over 25 years.  What I find amazing is that in spite of being so large the first time I went I couldn't find it because the roads were blocked off.   Many of the chefs from the best restaurants in town come to this market.  I have been known to surreptitiously follow them  to see which farmers they frequent.  I was extremely pleased to find out that their favorite stands happened to be my favorites, too.  This is also the market that is featured on Good Food, a favorite radio program.

When my daughter was little I would try to get her to come with me.  I think it's a great way to introduce children to fresh produce and the great tastes. You let them pick out what they want and ideally get them involved in turning their choices into meals. The colors of the food are great and the farmers will always let you taste what they have.  Unfortunately, my daughter did not consider it a quality way of spending time.  Yet now as an adult she makes a point of going to Farmers Markets in the cities where she lives.  So clearly it is something worthwhile doing.

At these markets I have been introduced to foods that I have never seen and ideas on how to cook them. I remember years ago buying green almonds before they formed shells. Another shopper asked me what I was going to do with them.  I told her I had no idea.  She asked me why, then, did I buy them?  I said for one dollar it was worth experimenting. (http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20110415,0,4732448.story)   I have found foods that I have loved that I would never have tried (persimmons, japanese cucumbers, a large variety of eggplants)and I have reaffirmed that their are certain foods that are still not my favorites but I do eat them (brussel sprouts, cabbage, fava beans).

One of the other things that I love about this market are the friendliness of the farmers.  Over the years I have gotten to know a number of them by name and what is even more amazing, they remember my name!  They have given me recipes and taught me many things about farming that I never knew.  Their produce has also convinced me that anything I can grow, they can grow better, and my best cooking is always better when I cook what I bought from them that day.

                                     BBQ FRUIT

Take stone fruit (peaches, plums apricots, nectarines, pluots, etc) and cut them in half.   Remove pits.

Brush with butter and put on grill for approx one minute (or put on hot frying pan) until surface of fruit is caramelized.

Take about 1/2 cup of honey.  Heat with 2-3 sprigs of lavender.  Pour over fruit.  Can serve plain, or with whipped cream or ice cream.