April 10, 2005
Farmers' Market Report
Due to the late rains we have been having, our local farmers' markets are in a bit of a limbo between winter and spring. Certain spring crops are doing nicely, for instance asparagus and strawberries, but others are late.
Lettuce, for instance, is still looking like late winter crops. Mesclun tends towards flavorful, yet fairly tough, larger greens with herbs to spice things up. Mache looks weather beaten.
Root vegetables are going strong, with some beautiful beetroots, yellow carrots, and turnips.
My inside sources tell me that favas are two weeks away, that the plants have matured nicely, and the beans are starting to grow into something.
Green garlic and leeks have been fantastic (which reminds me - I need to post a recipe, will do it after I finish the report) and should remain so for another few weeks.
Tomatoes are still coming out of the hothouse and can be safely ignored. They will be bland until the real deal hits in July (some farmers in the right valleys will have tolerable tomatoes as early as May, but they are the exceptions).
Lots and lots of lovely artichokes are popping up, including the little purple ones, which can be trimmed and eaten raw, dipped in bagna cauda or even a dish of extra virgin olive oil.
Peas are there, but not where I like them to be. They looked weatherbeaten today. Sugar snaps are atrocious. Wait a couple of weeks for good ones.
Fennel is fantastic. Tender with a powerful bang.
We got a fantastic deal on lacinato (dinosaur) kale. Lots of small, tender leaves with a haunting sweet flavor and a slight touch of bitterness. I did a short braise with them with olive oil, garlic, pancetta, fennel seed, and extra dry vermouth. Yipee! Mouth fireworks!
My sources tell me that this will be a good year for squash, which should show up in a few weeks.
Stone fruits seem to be taking a beating. My primary growers are predicting small, blemished fruit, due to late season rains hitting the blossoms and hail striking the young fruit.
As mentioned before, strawberries are at their peak, particularly ones from San Diego County. Watsonville is good, but will be getting better in the next few weeks.
No purple garlic yet, bulbs won't be ready until May. Ditto purple onions (great on the grill with balsamico).
Saw some beautiful rainbow chard. Passed this week, due to the bags of lacinato, but will probably get some next week.
Speaking of lovely greens: pea shoots are here! Wash them, but do not dry them. Toss them in a hot wok with olive oil and a little garlic. If you want to gild the lily, finish them with a splash of amontillado. Serve with meat or in a pasta with speck.
Talked to a fairly new business: Juliet Mae Fine Spices and Herbs, found here. Tasted and bought their Dukkah spice and nut blend, and plan on using it on seared tuna. I will probably serve it with a good viognier or a good pinot grigio from Alto Adige.
I got the good news that one of my favorite famers is experimenting with salsify! Currently all of our supply is imported from Belgium (and it is almost all scorzanero, the black salsify that is not considered as good as the white), so I really welcome a local source. It should be fresher and cheaper. So far his experiments have not been so great, but he promises to keep trying.
This same farmer is promising outstanding radishes as early as next week, but more probably in two weeks. He has a green radish that he thinks is even better than the watermelon radish. I will sample and report as soon as I get them.
Posted by erik at April 10, 2005 12:04 AM | TrackBackAlicia,
Remind me as the date gets closer, and we will make a point of being in Sacramento. My folks are out of town, but I will check to make sure, but I am sure you can stay at their house.
As for Sunday mass, St. Stephen's has the Traditional Latin Mass, but St. Robert's has a decent Novus Ordo (not in Latin, but I liked the preaching the two times I went there). Sacred Heart parish is also quite good (although I haven't been there in awhile). We tend to go to St. Joseph's in Clarksburg, where we got married, but Fr. Dan is uneven. A very good man, but a little too smitten with Fr. Girzone, and a little hard to take when he rambles on about it. Also, the music there is horrid (I can say that only because my mother, who sings in the choir, is out of town and won't be reading this, but truly, it is one of the worst choirs I have ever heard. It is an act of penance to sit through, to tell you the truth). Other than that, I like the parish.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at April 11, 2005 3:16 PMWe just melted snow over this part of the state, my garlic chives have poked their leaves out but otherwise the only fresh produce available is shipped in or hothouse grown. My fruit trees are just starting to bud - forget the concept of blossoms! maybe next month.
I'me getting homesick again.
I've been gone from CA more than 8 years now.
We'll be in Scramento the weekend of June 4th - a friend is getting married at the train museum. Will you be in Sac'to that weekend? And where would you suggest for Sunday mass?