Oct 28, 2009 -
It's surprising that a hardy green such as fennel is so unknown to so many home cooks, especially considering the vegetable's adaptability: Its bulb, stalks, and fronds are all completely edible, either raw or cooked, and it possesses a pleasing, mild anise flavor. Although it's a perennial, fennel can be found at a reasonable price during Autumn months. Fennel newbies can sniff it at the market for a hint of the flavor to come.
- 5 Comments
Oct 19, 2009 -
I must admit I'd been seriously dismayed to see peaches and watermelons being replaced by Fall fruits at the farmers market, but once a myriad of different beets caught my eye, the season managed to redeem itself. From the crimson-red garden beet to the pink-and-white striped Chioggia, these root vegetables come in a range of stunning, jewel-toned hues.They add a punch of color — and a sweet, mildly buttery flavor when cooked — to just about any course. While they're available in California almost year-round, October, it seems, is the time of year when they taste most tender.
- 2 Comments
Oct 02, 2009 -
Fig season is like pre-Fall in the fashion world, a tasty little teaser that helps bridge the gap between Summer and Autumn. Perhaps it's partly because the season is so fleeting that this fruit tastes so sweet, but when figs are just right, they taste downright sinful. When people tell me they don't like figs, I say, they just haven't had a good one yet.
- 6 Comments
Aug 28, 2009 -
In the past few weeks, we've combined Mexican cheese with corn in a salty, creamy salad, praised sweet corn pudding, and pondered the virtues of yellow corn versus white. Can you tell that we're obsessed with the stuff? From chowders to fritters, there are a number of ways to use corn when it's in season — but nothing is quite like relishing the succulence of a sweet, naturally buttery bite straight off the cob.
- 2 Comments
Aug 06, 2009 -
On a recent trip to my favorite local farmers market, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, I bought way too many vegetables — including a few bunches of elegant French breakfast radishes from Petaluma-based Marin Roots Farm.
Although radishes are available in Northern California year-round, it's during warm Summer months when one can truly appreciate them for their crisp texture and spicy-juicy bite. These root vegetables are related to the turnip and horseradish families, and come in a myriad of varieties, from my dainty, fine-textured breakfast radishes, with their fuschia-hued base and white tips, to fiery red globes, trippy-looking watermelon radishes, and large, sweet daikons.
- 2 Comments
Jul 31, 2009 -
I grew up in a fruit-forward household, so I'm intrigued whenever I come across a variety I don't recognize. So when I found an article about mythical-sounding fruits called tayberries, I knew I needed to try them for myself. A cross between the Aurora blackberry and a European raspberry variety, this relatively young berry breed was developed at the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute, and named after the country's River Tay.
- 2 Comments
Jul 09, 2009 -
Few things excite a summertime farmers market crowd more than a spread of vividly-hued heirloom tomatoes. Unlike mass-produced tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes are breed with unique characteristics that have been passed down for generations. There are countless varieties that differ in color, shape, and size, as well as maturation times.
- 6 Comments
Jun 09, 2009 -
Watermelon, strawberries, peaches — there are so many fruits that get me jazzed for Summer, but the cherry is my all-time favorite. Whether it's the mild, yellow rainier or the ultrasweet bing, there's something magical about the sensation of biting through the cherry's taut, shiny skin and getting a burst of sweet, slightly tart, juicy flesh. Take advantage of cherries now, because they have a short Summer season that lasts through July.
- 11 Comments
Jun 05, 2009 -
Source
Which Fruit Gets You Most Excited For Summer?
Watermelon
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Cherries
Peaches
Plums
Other — see my comment below.
- 43 Comments
May 26, 2009 -
There are few better markers to the beginning of warm weather than the appearance of vividly-hued, plump strawberries at the farmers market. Although modern technology has allowed strawberries to become increasingly available year-round, these red-fleshed fruits are at their sweetest from April to July. Find out how they're best stored — and eaten — when you read more
- 8 Comments