GLORIOUS PRODUCE HEAD TO FARMERS MARKETS FOR THE SEASON'S BEST.Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor Heaps of melons, peaches, pluots, nectarines, heirloom tomatoes and potatoes, wax and green beans green beans Noun, pl long narrow green beans that are cooked and eaten as a vegetable , red and golden raspberries, plums, greens, lettuces and herbs, flowers, cheeses, nuts - all are among the colorful and fragrant agricultural offerings you'll find at farmers markets around Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . Stroll the open-air marketplaces, take a look around, and you'll find what's hip and in season at the very moment. There are plenty of markets - 88 in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and Ventura counties, 400 statewide - to choose from. Some offer live entertainment like mariachis while others feature cooking contests, food festivals or other activities. The 23-year-old Wednesday Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. farmers market, operated by the city of Santa Monica, with its 90 farmers/growers, is the largest ``farmers only'' market in the state, notes Laura Avery, market manager. While there are other markets with more vendors, not all are farmers. ``So many of the markets today have turned into flea markets - you name it, they are selling it,'' adds Avery. ``People come to the market (some 8,000 to 10,000 every Wednesday) for one reason - to buy produce (or agricultural products).'' The 10-year-old One Generation Encino farmers market, which averages about 6,500 to 7,000 shoppers a week and features farmers/growers along with vendors offering prepared foods (no crafts), has tripled in size in the last eight years, with 63 vendors today, says Jane Allen, market manager. ``We have farmers from as wide a variety of places (in the state) as possible because it extends the season (for fresh fruits and vegetables). ``You'll even find wine at the market at certain times of the year.'' There's more emphasis on organic produce these days with people willing to pay 30 percent to 40 percent more for it. At the 13-year-old Hollywood farmers market, operated by Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles, you'll find 90 farmers, 30 food vendors and 30 artisans - and more than 6,000 weekly visitors, points out Pompea Smith, the market manager. ``Many farmers are growing new varieties so they have produce to sell year round.'' All farmers markets in California must be operated by a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. , a municipality or a farmer, for the mutual benefit of the farmers, the shoppers (community) and the sponsor, points out Avery. While farmers at the markets are certified in the county where the produce is grown, they are allowed to sell in any county. However, California law California Law consists of 29 codes, covering various subject areas, the State Constitution and Statutes. See also
Be aware that farmers, while exempt from size, packaging and label requirements mandatory in stores, must comply with California quality and maturity standards. They can only sell what they grow, but can market produce of various shapes, sizes and quality levels. At times, quality and maturity have been difficult to police - and some growers have even been known to buy and sell fruit they haven't grown. It takes a vigilant market manager to keep on top of this. Farmers market produce is not inexpensive. Some fruits command as much as $6 a pound. But those $6-a-pound peaches from Honeycrisp Farms in Reedley are dripping with fantastic flavor and are worth it, says Sherry Yard, executive pastry chef A pastry chef or pâtissier is a station chef in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries, desserts, and other baked goods. They are employed in large hotels, bistros, restaurants, and bakeries. , Spago Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. , who's been buying and shopping at the Santa Monica Wednesday farmers market for 11 years. She finds it so inspiring that she schedules out-of-town trips around the market. She visits and buys from at least 10 farmers - and takes a driver with her to haul back her purchases. ``They call me the stealth shopper because no one ever sees me,'' she says laughing, adding that she travels behind the scenes, looking in the back of the trucks. ``We've very fortunate to have fruits year round. They dictate my dessert menus and creations.'' Natalie Haughton, (818) 713-3692 natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com Shopping tips --Arrive early for best selection (and easiest parking). Peruse pe·ruse tr.v. pe·rused, pe·rus·ing, pe·rus·es To read or examine, typically with great care. [Middle English perusen, to use up : Latin per-, per- the entire market to check selections and prices before making your choices. --Talk to farmers about unusual or unfamiliar produce or varieties - and ask for preparation and storage tips. Also, don't hesitate to request a sample. --Buy lightest items first to avoid lugging around heavy purchases. Select flowers and most perishable items last. --Let the produce inspire you (to make a fabulous market dinner, supper salad, side dish side dish n. A dish served as an accompaniment to the main course. Noun 1. side dish - a dish that is served with, but is subordinate to, a main course entremets, side order , etc.). Buy whatever catches your eye. When it comes to preparation at home, keep it simple. Let the produce shine. Or simply buy fruits to eat out of hand. --Plan to pay for purchases with cash (and take small bills) - most farmers don't take credit cards (some flower vendors do). --If you're stopping at a market on the way to other errands, take a cooler filled with ice packs in your car - and fill it with your purchases so they don't end up limp and lifeless. Using the EBT EBT See: Earnings Before Taxes card at farmers markets While paper food stamps have been accepted at farmers markets in the past, a new Electronic Benefits Transfer card (also called the Golden State Advantage Card) is currently phasing them out. The card is like an ATM or debit card debit card, card that allows the cost of goods or services that are purchased to be deducted directly from the purchaser's checking account. They can also be used at automated teller machines for withdrawing cash from the user's checking account. , says Pompea Smith, Hollywood farmers market manager. Cardholders must locate the market manager or stop by the information booth at the market, where they can redeem a desired amount of money on the card for market scrip, which can be used to pay for selections. Farmers can then apply market scrip to pay for part of their stall fees. So far, the card is accepted at 22 certified farmers markets in Los Angeles County. In season now Many farmers are growing and offering unusual fruits and vegetable varieties. Here are some you'll currently find at local farmers markets, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Spago pastry chef Sherry Yard, Alex Weiser of Weiser Family Farms and Art Lange of Honeycrisp Farms. --Mulberries: Referred to as black or purple, these look like fuzzy blackberries and taste like no other berry you've ever had. --Sour cherries: Very purply red, tart, sour, great in cherry pie Cherry pie is a pie made with a cherry filling. Morello cherries (sour cherries) are often used in cherry pies. Cherries are expensive — and sweet varieties are best used eaten fresh and raw. Sour cherries are best for cooking and may be used fresh or preserved. . --Fraise des bois: Wild strawberries, either red or white, taste more earthy than regular strawberries. --White peaches: Sweet leathery leath·er·y adj. Having the texture or appearance of leather: a leathery face. leath  er·i·ness n. exterior with great-tasting sweet flesh dripping with juice, firm but not watery. --White nectarines: Firmer texture, less perfumy than white peaches, higher level of acidity than white peaches but less acid than regular nectarines. --Demon plums: Purple skin and flesh, with flavor of wine and berries. --Pluots or plucots: A hybrid between an apricot and a plum, many look like plums and come in a variety of colors (purple, pink, golden), juicier and sweeter than a plum or an apricot and tending to be firmer than an apricot. --French Cavallon melons: A small French breakfast melon, with skin slightly netted with green lines, orange flesh, sweet and perfumy. --French Charentais melons: A French breakfast melon popular in Europe, skin is green and smooth with green lines, orange flesh, range from 1 to 2 pounds, sweet and perfumy. --Heirloom tomatoes: Lot of varieties available, including Cherokee Purple Cherokee purple is the name of a cultivar of tomato, unusual for the deep purple/red hue of its fruit. It was one of the first of the "black" color group of tomatoes. It is also unusual in being extremely popular for the sake of its flavor, instead of only its unusual color. , Green Zebra This article is about the tomato cultivar. For the San Francisco-based green publication, see Green Zebra (publication). Green Zebra is a tomato cultivar with characteristic green and yellow stripes. , Brandywine, Pineapple and more. --Fingerling potatoes (look like fingers, usually each about 1 1/2 to 3 inches long): Among the many varieties are Russian Banana, Amandine a·man·dine adj. Prepared or garnished with almonds: swordfish amandine. [French, from amande, almond, from Old French almande; see almond.] , Purple Peruvian, Rose Finn Apple and Red Thumb. --Other interesting produce items: Lemon cucumbers, Indian eggplants, golden raspberries, creme de la creme crème de la crème n. 1. Something superlative. 2. People of the highest social level. [French : crème, cream + de, of + la, the + and heirloom melons, small seedless Seed´less a. 1. Without seed or seeds. Adj. 1. seedless - lacking seeds; "seedless grapefruit" seedy - full of seeds; "as seedy as a fig" seedless adj → watermelons, purple tomatillos, lipstick peppers, fresh shell cannellini beans and pink-eye peas. Where to shop Here's a sampling of farmers markets throughout the area. Clip and save. Alhambra: Monterey and East Bay State streets. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Beverly Hills: 9300 block of Civic Center Drive between Rexford and Beverly drives. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Brentwood: 741 Gretna Green Gretna Green, village, Dumfries and Galloway, S Scotland, on the border with England. It was famous as a place of runaway marriages from 1754, when English marriage law was tightened, until 1856, when a law was passed requiring that one of the parties to marriage in Way. 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays. Burbank: Olive Avenue between Third Street and Glenoaks Boulevard, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays. Camarillo: 2220 Ventura Blvd., 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Calabasas: 23504 Calabasas Road (and El Canon Avenue). 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Century City: 10231 Constellation Boulevard (at Avenue of the Stars). 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays. Channel Islands Harbor: Marine Emporium Landing, 3350 S. Harbor Blvd., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Chinatown: 727 N. Hill St., between Alpine and Ord streets. 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Culver City Culver City, city (1990 pop. 38,793), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1917. It is a center of the U.S. motion-picture industry, whose roots in the city date to c.1915. Its chief manufactures are rubber products and computers. : Main Street between Venice and Culver boulevards. 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Encino: 17400 Victory Blvd. (between Balboa Boulevard and White Oak Avenue), 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. www.onegeneration.org. Glendale: 100 block of North Brand Boulevard (between Broadway and Wilson Avenue), 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays. Hollywood: Ivar and Selma avenues (between Hollywood and Sunset boulevards), 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. www.farmernet.com. Hollywood-Sears: 5601 Santa Monica Blvd., (Sears parking lot on Virginia Avenue Virginia Avenue is a street in the Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast quadrants of Washington, D.C. Like other state-named streets in Washington, it diagonally crosses the grid pattern formed by lettered (east-west) and numbered (north-south) streets. , between Western Avenue and Wilton Place). 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. La Canada Flintridge: 4500 Beulah Drive, La Canada Flintridge. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Malibu: 23555 Civic Center Way, in the parking lot in front of the Malibu Courthouse. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays (April through October). Montrose: Honolulu Avenue and Ocean View Boulevard. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Newhall: 24222 San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the . 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays. Northridge: Northridge Fashion Center Northridge Fashion Center is a large shopping mall located in Northridge, California. It opened in 1971. It was severely damaged during the Northridge Earthquake in 1994, but renovated extensively in 1995 and 1998. , Tampa Avenue and Plummer Street, 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays (April through October). Oxnard: Plaza Park (Corner of Fifth and C streets), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays. Pasadena: Pasadena High School Pasadena High School may refer to:
Pasadena: Villa Park, 363 E. Villa St. (corner of Garfield Avenue), 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Santa Clarita: College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. , Parking Lot 8, 26455 Rockwell Road, 8 a.m. to noon Sundays. Santa Monica: Arizona Avenue and Second Street. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. Santa Monica: Arizona Avenue and Third Street, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays (has a large organic section). Santa Monica: Airport Avenue and Donald Douglas Loop (Lot C at the Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Airport (IATA: SMO, ICAO: KSMO, FAA LID: SMO), also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located in the heart of the residential community of Santa Monica, California, United States. ). 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Santa Monica: Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Silver Lake: 3700 Sunset Blvd. (between Edgecliff and Maltman avenues), 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. South Pasadena: Meridian Avenue at Mission Street. 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays. www.cafarmersmarkets.org. Studio City Ventura Place (between Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards), 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Tarzana: 19130 Ventura Blvd. (at Vanalden Avenue), 8 a.m. to noon Sundays (opens Aug. 1). Thousand Oaks: Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Summer hours: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Winter hours: 3 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. Ventura: Santa Clara and Palm streets (downtown), 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays. West Hills: Fallbrook Avenue and Victory Boulevard. 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays. West Hollywood: Plummer Park, 1200 N. Vista St. at Fountain Avenue, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays. West Hollywood: West Hollywood Park parking lot, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., north of Melrose Avenue. 1 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. CAPTION(S): 12 photos, 4 boxes Photo: (1 -- 8 -- cover -- color) Growing choices Farmers markets giving buyers a fresh take on dining options (9) no caption (Raspberries) (10) Larry Johnson grills chicken at the Hollywood farmers market. (11) Vendor Virginia Cortez, right, chats with customers at the Encino farmers market. (12) Ben and Jocelyn Thompson make the rounds of the Hollywood farmers market, open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Photos by Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer Box: (1) Shopping Tips (see text) (2) Using the EBT card (see text) (3) In season now (see text) (4) Where to shop (see text) |
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