chocolate

JAZZ BEET

Honestly, I've always loved beets, long before the North Park Farmers' Market made it easy to bring a bunch home any fall or winter Thursday. Rows and rows of jars of pickled beets glinted like rubies in my grandmother's pantry, and she was always happy to slide a few onto a plate beside a sandwich or stain a salad with a few slices. 

My husband? His only memories of beets involved chalky cubes in paper cups in the school cafeteria. For decades, he wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole bean. One night I mixed some into a pan of roasted veggies figuring he could pick around them, but he came back for more of that candy caramelized version before he knew what they were. Then came thick sliced beets grilled to sweet and smoky goodness. Now he's hooked.

FILL YOUR EASTER BASKET
You’ll find everything you need for a magnificent Easter brunch or dinner at the Little Italy Mercato this Saturday. Begin with an appetizer of grilled asparagus from Suncoast Farms topped with a perfectly poached quail egg from Spur Valley Ranch, and a salad of Sage Mountain Farm’s organic greens, just picked strawberries from Kawano Farms and Nicolau Farm’s fresh chevre. Fill the bread basket with fresh-baked hot cross buns from Bread and Cie or Belen Bakery, brioche from Patisserie Soleil and croissants from Loic Patisserie.

Pick up potted basil, mint and parsley from Rivera’s Treasure Garden to make a super fresh salsa verde to spoon over grass fed lamb chops from Son Rise Ranch. Bring home honey from Mikolich to thicken a Lone Oak Ranch pomegranate juice glaze for a locally raised ham from DaLe Ranch. Polito Farms has tiny potatoes to roast alongside.

Paradise Valley Ranch has beautiful hand woven Easter baskets and they've already hard-boiled your eggs; the various breeds of hens there and at Schaner Farms means pretty colored eggs so there's no need for dye!  Or pick up a Wheat Grass basket from Suzie's Farm.

Buy a box of Caxao Chocolates' exquisite truffles, and add treasures like lavender sachets from Keys Creek or colorful toys from Casa Artelexia to make baskets for all ages.  Don’t forget flowers to give your table a special touch - JR Organics and Maldonado Growers have beautiful Calla Lilies and Hidalgo Flowers and Dram and Echter have gorgeous  bouquets ready to grab. Hoppy Easter to all!

It's San Diego Beer Week and there's no better way to celebrate than strolling through the Little Italy Mercato farmers' market and taking home all the ingredients you need to cook up some delicious bites to pair with our city's impressive brew lineup.

Hefeweizens are a dry, German style of wheat beer, usually made with a specific yeast that gives off flavors like banana and cloves. If you're entertaining, try pairing this beer with a light, citrusy Kale salad from Peace Pies or a fresh goat cheese from Nicolau Farms and slices of sweet Asian pear from Lone Oak Ranch.

Stouts are darker beers varying in flavor range- but invariably have some roasted characters that comes from the use of roasted barley. Try pairing them with rich, smoked foods or bitter chocolate desserts. Pick up a bottle of Gianni's Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar and drizzle it over grilled asparagus from Suncoast Farm or lamb from Da Le Ranch. Or pair with Olive Oil Cafe's indulgent salted chocolate Dark Bear bar, or Caxao Chocolate's dark chocolate truffles: perfect with roasty, sweet stout flavors.

Ale varieties offer a wide range of characteristics, but if you like beer that has big herbal hops and balancing malty sweetness, this brew's for you. Strong Ale goes great with the deep dish pizzas from Berkeley Pizza because the carbonation and strength of the beer cuts through the acidity of tomato sauce and the gooey, delicious mozzarella. Or, grill up some local burgers to enjoy with a cold sip of ale-take home a pound of ground beef from Son Rise Ranch, a bag of spinach or arugula from Suzie's, and a sharp goat cheddar cheese from Spring Hill. Some fresh basil and onions from Schaner's Farm wouldn't be too bad either….

Cheers!

From jewelry, crafts, and housewares, to coffee, tea, and chocolate, the Little Italy Mercato carrries quite an array of fair trade goods. But what is fair trade, and how can you support the people who grow, create, and sells these products?

Fair trade means more than giving a decent wage to the farmers and workers who produce products throughout the world. It's more about creating partnerships that reciprocate benefits and respect between producers and consumers. It represents an ethical system of exchange, empowering producers to create sustainable and positive change for their families, their communities, and their economy. 

So, while you're shopping at the market this weekend, take a moment to visit vendors like Seven Hopes United, who sell fair trade gifts and housewares. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea rom Cafe Virtuoso or Joe's On the Nose, knowing that the flavor you taste and the purchase you make goes far beyond the community of San Diego. 

Or maybe you're in the mood for some chocolate? Head on down towards Kettner to visit Eclispe Chocolate and take home some of their fine, artisan fair trade chocolate. Make dessert, or serve it to your friends at your next gathering, knowing that you're supporting a sustainable product. 

And keep shopping with all of our vendors, from locally grown vegetables and fruit  to naturally raised meats, homemade sauces and pastries. Your support sustains not only the growth and success of our market, but directly impacts the lives of our farmers and vendors. Thank you!

This Sunday is Mother's Day so come and take a stroll (bring your Mom!) from Kettner up to Union to find that perfect little something or pick up the trimmings for a special brunch. There are bunches of fragrant lilacs from JR Organics and pretty bouquets of oriental lilies from Dramm & Echter and truffles from Eclipse Chocolat, but that's really just the beginning. From trinkets to treasures, there's something for every Mom just to say, "thank you for being you"! Ceramics from The Wheel and fun jewelry from LilyGirl are just a few ideas. Make a giftbox of spices from Just Spice or a basket of baking supplies and jams from Sustainable Pantry and Really Good Jam. Desire Tablecloths has beautiful kitchen textiles that anyone would love.

If it’s brunch ingredients you’re scouting for Paradise Valley has fresh – we’re talking squeezed right before your eyes - orange juice. Pick up a dozen eggs from Descanso, ciabatta from Belen Bakery, Springhill’s organic sage cheddar and sausage from Son Rise Ranch and make Mom a savory strata. All you need is a bag of coffee beans from Café Virtuoso to complete the picture.

Mom spent years taking care of us - when we were sick, when we were hungry, when we just needed a hug - and though we know you should celebrate mom everyday, let the Little Italy Mercato make this day extra special.

A PRETTY WOVEN BASKET

Baskets full of candy delivered by a bunny. Colorful eggs stashed away into secret hiding places. Hello, Easter.

No need to rush from store to store to get ready; you can do it all on Date Street this weekend. Choose naturally tinted eggs from Schaner Farms or Descanso Valley Ranch, or make your own using beets, cabbage, and onion skins to dye your own like this. Paradise Valley sells gorgeous woven baskets to fill any time of the year - though the tiny ones are especially adorable when filled with eggs. For the rest of your basket there's beautiful Easter creations from Caxao Chocolates and cute specialty gifts from Casa Artelexia. Hop on over to Belen Bakery for hot cross buns or Bread & Cie for Russian Kulich, load up on gorgeous strawberries from Kawano Farms or JR Organics and some lemon quark from Springhill Farms for dipping, juice from Polito Family Farms to make mimosas and brunch is in the bag.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Whether you celebrate Saint Valentine or Cupid, there's no denying that February 14th is all about love. Our farmers and vendors can inspire your romantic palate with aphrodisiacs like oysters on the half shell from Poppa's Fresh Fish, slender tender stalks of asparagus from Suncoast Farms, delicate chocolate bars with rose petals and pistachios from Caxao Chocolates or gluten-free pastries with pretty heart motifs (pictured) from Olive Oil Cafe. Of course, if you like to keep things more traditional there's always a bouquet of flowers from Maldonado or Hidalgo Flower Growers and a box of chocolate truffles from Eclipse Chocolat. Berkeley Pizza even has heart-shaped pizzas.

If it's jewelry you're looking to bestow on this romantic holiday you're sure to find something at Isis Adornments or Lily Girl.  Whatever you choose and however you spend Valentine's Day know that we here at San Diego Weekly Markets <3 you.