olive oil

ANOTHER DELICIOUS THURSDAY

Whew! Where did that month go? May was a crazy mixed up month of grey mornings and sunshine. It was the beginning of the summer stone fruits and the month of food trucks. We still may not know what the weather has in store from day to day (banish the though of June Gloom), but you can bet every Thursday at the North Park Farmer's Market will be full of delicious bounty.

A salad of JR Organics spicy green mix and cucumbers, avocados from Paradise Valley and thinly sliced flank steak from Da Le Ranch with a creamy dressing using Majestic Garlic's garlic paste is perfect on warm or cool evenings. A side of Cornbread Daddy's jalapeno cheddar cornbread? Oh, yes.

Little fuzzy apricots from R&L Farms perfume the air with their sweetness. Cut them in half, brush them with a little olive oil from Thyme of Essence, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a very small pinch of Salt Farm's espresso infused sea salt and roasted under the broiler for a few minutes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and finish dessert off right.

Hungry yet?

LET'S PLAY SQUASH

Zucchini, yellow crookneck, pattypan and 8-ball, oh my! The summer squashes are making their appearance on the scene and at the North Park Farmers' Market. Tender and small, these guys are ripe for the picking, and eating too!

The pattypan and yellow crookneck squash from Kawano Farms are as sweet as can be. Steam them, sautee them or throw them on the grill. Any way you eat it is sure to be delicious. The 8-ball squash from JR Organics is perfect for stuffing with a little pork sausage from Da La Ranch and some wild rice. Or go raw and dip slices of Valdivia Farms' tiny squashes in Lisko Imports' spicy Cascabel Pepper hummus for an afternoon snack.

Farmer's like Valdivia and Suzie's Farm are putting to good use more than just the fruit of the plant, they sell the squash blossom as well. Try them in a quesadilla or omelette, or use this method and impress your family or guests:

Saute a few shrimp from Poppa's Fresh Fish with garlic, then blend with some ricotta or quark from Taste Cheese or Springhill Farm, adding fresh herbs to taste. Stuff 3 or 4 squash blossoms per person with the shrimp mixture. Most recipes call for battering the blossoms and deep frying, but we go a little healthier and easier by dipping them in a little beaten egg and then cornmeal and sauteeing quickly in some good olive oil from Thyme of Essence. Serve on a bed of pea shoots from Suzie's Farm, with a little drizzle of pesto from Lisko Artisan Deli.

Get your squash on!

IN SUPPORT OF THE BEE

Sweet, sticky, gooey; it's all about honey. The bees are a buzzin', busy pollinating plants and taking the sweet nectar of flowers back to the hive to make this all natural treat. It's flora and fauna working in perfect synergy. Get your honey fix at Heritage Family Farms, who offer both local honey and granules of bee pollen, and every other Saturday at Impeccable Taste.

A drizzle over your favorite blue from Taste Cheese takes your cheese plate to a whole new level. Roast your root vegetables from Vang Farms and Sage Mountain by tossing them with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Thyme of Essence and a spoonful of honey. It's also tasty swirled into your morning bowl of yogurt and granola from Scratch. There's even an old wives tale that says a little dose of local honey a day can help fight seasonal allergies, so long as it's raw and unfiltered (raw, unfiltered honey contains small amounts local pollen, the culprit behind hay fever).

From the hard working bees that make it possible to the phenomenal pairings you can create with foods, we're just crazy about this nature made treat. Buy local honey and support local honey bees.

A LESSON IN LEMONS

Not all lemons are created equal with face puckering tartness. The ubiquitous lemons most of us think of are actually the variety known as Eureka lemons. These can be grown year round and have a thicker rind and a tart acidic flavor. But come winter shoppers can find the Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange with a thinner skin and a sweeter taste. R&L Farms brings fabulous citrus each Thursday to North Park Farmer’s Market so stop by for a side-by-side comparison and take some home to start experimenting.

If you’re looking to get your lemon fix another way, grab a bottle of Meyer lemon infused olive oil from Bistro Blends to drizzle over sautéed veggies or try Rockstar Preserves' Vodka Lemonade Curd spread on a scone from Belen Bakery.

A LESSON IN LEMONS

Not all lemons are created equal with face puckering tartness. The ubiquitous lemons most of us think of are actually the variety known as Eureka lemons. These can be grown year round and have a thicker rind and a tart acidic flavor. Paradise Valley Ranch and Schaner Farms bring fabulous ones each week to the Little Italy Mercato. But come winter shoppers can find the Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange with a thinner skin and a sweeter taste. Check out Polito or Heritage Family Farms for a side-by-side comparison and take some home to start experimenting. We even spied some sweet Persian lemons at Polito Family Farms last Saturday, which as the name implies, are sweet and very low acid.

If you’re looking to get your lemon fix another way, try the organic lavender lemonade popsicle from Viva Pops or grab a bottle of Meyer lemon infused olive oil from Bistro Blends to drizzle over sautéed veggies. Olive Oil Café has gluten-free lemon bars and Bread & Cie makes a delightful Lemon Pugliese loaf.

A LESSON IN LEMONS

Not all lemons are created equal with face puckering tartness. The ubiquitous lemons most of us think of are actually the variety known as Eureka lemons. These can be grown year round and have a thicker rind and a tart acidic flavor.  But come winter shoppers can find the Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange with a thinner skin and a sweeter taste. Paradise Valley Ranch brings fabulous citrus each Wednesday to Adams Avenue Farmer’s Market so stop by for a side-by-side comparison and take some home to start experimenting.

If you’re looking to get your lemon fix another way, try the organic lavender lemonade popsicle from Viva Pops or grab a bottle of Meyer lemon infused olive oil from Bistro Blends to drizzle over sautéed veggies.

THE GRAMMYS GO GREEN

Awards season is in full swing, and this Sunday is the 53rd annual Grammy Awards. With so many people holding viewing parties try out some of these 2011 nominee themed dishes:

Cee Lo Green Bruschetta – Sautee a few bunches of chopped kale or chard from JR Organics or Vang Farms with a pinch of red pepper flakes until it softens and wilts. Put it on toasted baguette slices from Bread & Cie and top it all off with torn pieces of fresh buratta from Taste Cheese and a drizzle of olive oil from Bistro Blends or Italianissimo.

Arcade Fire Roasted Chicken – Start with your farm-fresh chicken from Descanso Valley or Da-Le Ranch, pat it dry, give it a good sprinkling of salt on the outside and stuff it with fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme from Schaner Farms (slip some under the skin too), a quartered lemon from Polito Family Farms and a few cloves of peeled garlic from Sage Mountain. Roast it uncovered in a pan in an oven set to 375F for one and a half hours for a 4-pound chicken so the skin turns crispy and brown. Squeeze the roasted lemon over the top just before serving.