recipe

Forget about the same old salad and try something new instead from the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market. Stop by JR Organics for a bunch of fresh sorrel, a tangy, citrus-y, spicy leaf that might be an herb and might be a green, but is definitely delicious when tossed with roasted beets from Maciel Farm and a little goat cheese from Nicolau Farm. Dress it simply with a drizzle of delicate oil from The California Olive Oil Company and a squeeze of fresh lemon from John Gilruth. Try a beet and goat cheese salad recipe variation here. 

Purslane is a crisp, slightly tart succulent grown by Gilbert Quintos; try it tossed with radishes, cucumber and a drizzle of Bistro Citrus Balsamic from Bistro Blends. Suzie’s Farm arugula has a bright, peppery taste; make an a-list salad by adding apples from Smit Orchards, Asian pears from Gilbert Quintos, and almonds from Hopkins Ag. Toss together something fresh tonight!

Shop for dinner, stay for dessert at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market! Visit Sunnyside Kitchen for freshly baked cookies just like Mom used to make (but even better!) like Chocolate Delight, Peanut Butter and Mama’s Oatmeal. Don’t miss their banana oatmeal muffins and brownie bites too! Under the Crust has apple crumb, blueberry, lemon and pecan pies among their amazing offerings- check out their mini-pies in tiny tins, perfect for single servings! Grab a few as a hostess gift. Keep strolling down Herman Street to Bluespark Baking for sweet and savory pastry pockets, and grab a signature Bluespark iced coffee while you’re there.  Use Meljess Bee's honey instead of sugar in your baking recipes, like this honey cake with stewed strawberries recipe. You can get the eggs and berries from the North Park Market too! Moncai Vegan bakes carrot cake and fudge brownies, both gluten-free, as well as awesome cinnamon rolls and giant salted caramel cupcakes (a market staff favorite!). Stop by Belen Bakery for a classic tollhouse cookie, scones and blueberry bread to satisfy your sweet tooth. Check out the unusual dessert tamales from Gourmet Tamales, including strawberry apple, orange mango and pumpkin spice. Our farmers' friut always makes a healthy sweet ending to your market meal. Life is short, eat dessert first!

Get fresh figs from Polito Farm and Pudwill Berry Farms at the Little Italy Mercato this Saturday! Use black mission figs from Pudwill and fresh chevre from Nicolau Farms in this fig and goat cheese bruschetta, or make a classic Sicilian caponata by mixing figs with eggplant from Vang’s Farm or Suzie’s Farm. Adriatic figs from Polito Farm have a pale green skin and a bright pink, almost strawberry colored flesh; they’re especially sweet and perfect in desserts. Combine them with anna apples from Terra Bella Ranch and almonds from Hopkins Ag in this fig and apple tart. Ripe figs have a short shelf life, so plan to use them within two or three days; but we fig-ure they won’t last that long once you taste them!

TOMATO BASIL PANZANELLA

Nothing brings a smile to my face and a glimmer to my eye quite like summertime heirloom tomatoes. Last Saturday I spied the first of the crop on the tables of JR Organics and Suzie's Farm and already I have a list the length of my arm for what I'm going to do with them. But for starters, let's keep things simple and make a panzanella, aka bread, salad.

Grab a fist sized heirloom tomato from JR Organics and a pint of yellow grape tomatoes too, for color. While you're there, grab a bunch of basil as well. From Suzie's you'll want a red onion, a head of garlic and a handful of the gherkin cucumbers (they look like mini watermelons!). Now grab a loaf of rustic bread from Belen, Charlie's Best or Bread & Cie and you're all set to start.

Take six slices of rustic bread and cut into 1-inch cubes. Drizzle lightly with a bit of olive oil and toast in an oven set to 350F for about 10 minutes or until just turning golden brown. In a bowl mix equal parts olive oil and red wine vinegar, about a 1/4 cup each, and season with a bit of mustard, salt and pepper and a minced clove of garlic or two. Thinly slice half the red onion and let it marinate in the dressing to mellow and slightly pickle the onion. Cut your grape tomatoes and gherkin cucumbers in half and your larger tomato into bite sized chunks. Once the bread has toasted and cooled, toss it with the tomatoes and cucumbers, onions and dressing. Tear off a handful of basil leaves and toss them in the salad too. Want a little cheese with that? Crumble some goat milk feta from Nicolau Farms on top or add some tiny balls of mozzarella from Taste Cheese. Now do a little dance for summer!

BASTILLE DAY

It was less than 2 weeks ago we celebrated our national holiday; replete with farm fresh produce, grass fed meat, grilling and firework shows. Now, July 14th marks France's national holiday, Bastille Day, which also falls on the same day as the North Park Farmers' Market. What a delicious coincidence! Pay homage to our friends across the Atlantic and prepare a meal in their honor.

Visit Mary at Taste Cheese - because when we think France, cheese is the first thing that we picture - and see what French fromage offerings she has this week. A baguette from Belen Bakery, dried cherries from Smit Orchards and almonds from Hopkins AG and you've got the cheese course covered. Remember Chris' Nicoise salad? You can go traditional with good canned tuna or jump over here to see Chris' version, a San Diego inspired take using the ingredients you will find at our local markets. For dessert there's the beloved french macaroons from Lisko Imports. Crisp, delicate almond pastry shells filled with a creamy center. Enjoy a little French flair for the middle of your week.

CELEBRATING GRADS AND DADS

It's a couple of busy weekends coming up here with graduations happening and Father's Day just around the corner.

Gather up some picnic supplies and take it outdoors to celebrate graduation. Start with a basket from the Basket Co-Op and fill it with goodies like cheese from Taste, pickles from Happy Pantry - the Hab-a- Hotties and sauerkraut shouldn't be missed! - some fresh Carlsbad Aquafarms oysters for shucking and of course a baguette from Bread & Cie. Bring a blanket and a set of reusable and recycled glasses from Bottlehood and find yourself the perfect picnic spot. Three cheers for the recent grad!

Give Dad a night off, and whip him up a dinner from your Saturday Mercato finds. How about a (not so) classic BLT using bacon from Da Le Ranch, first of the season tomatoes from Kawano Farms, rich and creamy Haas avocados from Paradise Valley Ranch and a handful of sprouts from Suzie's Farm? For gifts there are salt samplers from Salt Farm that come in a pack of 5 that you get to mix and match to his tastes or pick up a Himilayan Pink Salt Plate that he can use for grilling. Really Good Jam just made a fresh batch of marmalade that not only uses local citrus fruits but are punched up with either a hint of whiskey or gin. Artistic Woodcrafts brings stacks of handmade cutting boards in a variety of woods, shapes and sizes; paired with one of their Messermeister knives or myriad kitchen utensils you've got a perfect gift for the Dad who fancies himself a chef.

Greens come in all shapes and sizes. Some are sweet and tender, others are grassy, assertive and toothsome. Some varieties grow wild and other can be found in most any garden or on farms. Personally, I'm a huge fan of all these greens; haven't met one I didn't like yet. Which is why, strolling through the Mercato last weekend I was surprised by a wild and tangled pile of mystery greens. Surprised not just because it was stuck in the middle of all the citrus at Polito Family Farms, but also I'd never heard of it. Agretti, the sign read, "little sour one".

And here's what I found out from the man who grows it himself: It's an Italian green, typically grown in the salt marshes around the Adriatic, but it will thrive in any salty environment. Highly prized by chefs , agretti's crisp and tender little leaves look like an underwater marine plant and when eaten raw the taste is reminiscent of sour grass - a little acidic, grassy and naturally salty. With a similar nutritional content to that of spinach, you can use it almost the same way. And like spinach when it's sauteed or blanched, the flavors mellow a bit and a squeeze of lemon really perks things up. Actually, as it was explained to me, the squeeze of lemon is imperative.

Last night, after stripping the tender leaves away from the thicker stems, I sauteed a couple of handfuls of agretti in a bit of olive oil and minced garlic for a few minutes, just until it wilted a bit but still retained some bite. I took it off the heat, squeezed the juice from one quarter of a lemon over the top and transferred it onto a plate. I then did a quick pan roast of a snapper fillet from Poppa's Fresh Fish - nothing but a little salt and pepper - and laid the fish over the agretti. One last quick squeeze of lemon over the top and dinner was served. Bright and lively, this was an excellent pairing of the agretti and fish. Thanks goes to Bob at Polito and Mark at Poppa's for the expert tutelage.

I hardly put a dent in the bunch, so I've still got some experimenting to do. Pesto is at the top of my list, but maybe you have some other tasty suggestions?

MULL THIS OVER

Say hello to the newest farmers at the North Park Farmers' Market. At Hillside Family Farms, the berries are ripe and sweet and the avocados are as creamy as can be. There's nothing like a bright sunshiny day to get us in the mood for berries of all shapes and sizes, but Hillside really brings their game when they bring the mulberries. Sweet like raspberries or blackberries but without the tart kick, you won't find mulberries crowding your typical produce isles. Even better? Mulberries contain resveratrol, the same potent, good-for-you antioxidant found in red grapes and red wine.

For a twist on your classic strawberry shortcake, split one of your favorite scones from Belen Bakery in half. Top each side with a mixture of Hillside Family Farms mullberries, Kawano Farms strawberries and Smit Farms blueberries chopped and macerated in a hint of sugar (and a splash of liqueur if you're so inclined). Top with a dollop of Springhill Farms' lemon quark and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint from Suzie's Farm. Breakfast or dessert? That's for you decide.

YOUR NEW FAVORITES

If you haven't been to the North Park Farmers' Market recently, you're missing out on some great new vendors. And with new vendors comes new inspiration, new ideas and that means we can fulfill more of your shopping needs.

Coffee and tea are back for your afternoon pick-me-up, brought to you by Agora Bean & Leaf. Iced and cool or steamy hot, there's nothing like a little caffeine to perk you up for your stroll around the market. BasilTops will be bringing at least 10 different kinds of pesto, ranging from mild to spicy with a few vegan offerings thrown in; the habanero pesto has a fruity heat that's completely addictive. R&L Farms has citrus aplenty for your daily dose of Vitamin C and Nicolau Farms brings unparalleled chevre - a fresh goat cheese that's tangy and creamy with just a hint of funk - every Thursday.

Tie it all together and make this salad of roasted beets from Suzie's Farm or JR Organics, Nicolau Farms' fresh chevre, segmented oranges from R&L and a sprinkle of chopped almonds from Hopkins Ag. Dress it with an herbaceous vinaigrette using California olive oil from Thyme of Essence and enjoy your new Thursday afternoon bounty.

FRILLS AND ALL

If you've ever nibbled curiously on the delicate leaves of carrots before you know they're a bit bitter so a little goes a long way, but think of them as an herb. A perfect accent to the sweetness of roasted root vegetables, sprinkled over salads or added into soups. Or, try this out:

Simply scrub clean a good bunch of carrots - Suzie's, JR Organics or Valdivia can help you out there - and trim all but 1/2 inch of the green tops off. If the carrots are on the larger side, slice in half or leave smaller ones whole. Finely chop a tablespoon or so of the delicate carrot tops and set aside. Heat a tablespoon of CA olive oil from Thyme of Essence in a heavy skillet and lay carrots down in a single layer. Let them brown and caramelize on one side before shaking the pan and repeating with the other side. Now add a few cloves of minced garlic and continue to shake until the carrots have softened but still have a bit of crunch. Add a tiny bit of butter, the chopped greens and sprinkle of shallot sea salt from Salt Farms.