Cook Here and Now

Marco's Farmers Market Watch: August 25th

Buongiorno,
Thanks to all the participants in our Seafood Watch dinner. Double thanks to Lina for her Gazpacho recipe (I'll post in on Monday) and Claudine for creating this photo album for you to check out.
Ciao,
Marco Flavio

What I found this week:
Organic tomatoes are everywhere -- you can sample the full range of colors, flavors and textures (see my earlier post on my favorite fruit).
Here are three heirlooms I picked from Tomatero Organics Farms in Aptos.
The Aunt Ruby's German Green (see below) is my current favorite, juicy, grassy and piquant -- and you know my people are picky about tomatoes. With that saturated green hue, it beautifully offsets other tomatoes in a salad. When it's ripe it displays an orange-cast underbelly. Also great fried.

The Green Zebra heirloom. Another not-too-sweet, zesty green variety, excellent for frying.

Least but not last, the Purple Cherokee. I was a bit disappointed by this one. A little too flat in taste, though very meaty and with great texture. Can't really recommend it yet, but I'll try it again and report back. Anyone had an excellent one?

My favorite tomato producer, Two Dog Farms, is back. The best dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes, as good as tomatoes back home in Italy ... yep, you heard me right, and you know I don't say such things lightly. I wrote about them last year here and Nibby replied to me here. Also great zucchini, and everything is organic. Get yourself a piece of that action.

Do try the different grapes that are now available. Always buy grapes organic: they still make Foodnews.org list of  ingredients that score highest on pesticide residue (anyone out there remember Cesar Chavez?)

There is life after Red Flame, which I devoured plain and used in my Roasted grape focaccia.
This week I picked up the delightfully sweet Muscat (remember, this one has seeds) and an interesting one (though a little too mild-mannered for my tastes) called Autumn Royal from Benzer Organics.
Also available: Melissa, Concord and a few others.

Muscat grapes

Autumn Royal

Melissa

Concord

Scorchingly hot habañeros are here. The orange habañero ranks up there at 210,000 Scoville heat units, and red habañeros hit 150,000. Just as a point of comparison, the ubiquitous jalapeño comes in at 5000 to 25,000 and the Serrano rates 4000 Scoville heat units. Now you get the picture.

Handle these with gloves or a plastic bag. Seriously -- if you touch the inside and then your eyes or other sensitive bits, you're looking at a world of pain. If your skin starts burning, wash with alcohol or milk immediately.

Recipes from Allrecipes and Epicurious.

While they last... summer squash. So versatile and flavorful, and longing to be reunited with their beloved onions in a sauté. They're also the key ingredient in one of my favorite risottos. Recipes from Allrecipes or Epicurious.

Alas, summer's ending: the heralds of Autumn are here. Still, I can't complain: check out this ripe and ready kabocha squash and precocious pomegranates... a sign of good things to come.

Marco's Farmers Market Watch: August 18th

Buongiorno,
I'm back from Italy just in time to do my Market Watch from the Alemany farmers' market for August 18th. If you're coming to our dinner today, I have some treats from Italy; if you're not, go to the market and load up on local treats. This time of year it's magnificent -- you're pretty much guaranteed bursting-with-flavor produce.
Ciao,
Marco Flavio

What I found upon my return:
Organic tomatoes are everywhere, and they're excellent (see my earlier post on my favorite fruit). I only eat them fresh this time of year (or canned the other 3 seasons). Doesn't matter how much I miss them, off-season they're just pathetically bland (and oftentimes mealy). Enjoy them now!

Asian Pears are here. I used to eat these a lot when I was living in Tokyo, the same way most people  eat watermelon: straight out of the fridge after a run or as a cool, refreshing summer treat. If you ask me, at room-temperature they're a bit unimpressive. Recipes from Epicurious.

Bartlett pears are also starting to show up. Try these before you buy them; though it is the right season, some are still not quite ready. Recipes from Allrecipes and Epicurious.

My favorite pluot is here: King Flavor. Aptly named, it has a very short season, so go get yourselves some, then tell me I'm right.

Ginger Gold apples. One of the first apples of the year, lasting only until September 1st. Fairly sweet and only mildly tart.

It's time for fresh dates. I like them just as they are, after a meal; they're not unlike a persimmon.

Several kinds of grapes are here. Always buy grapes organic: they regularly make Foodnews.org list of  ingredients that score highest on pesticide residue (hello, remember Cesar Chavez?) Go check out the list -- it's a great starting point (They even have a foldable one for your wallet). Check out my favorite: Red Flame, ideal for roasting and using in my Roasted grape focaccia.

The new crop of onions is remarkably sweet and more flavorful than I would have expected from such a staple vegetable. They are small (like a pool ball) but pack some punch. I buy them from Signor Vittorio, at the end of the market.

Black sapote is now available. Ever heard of this one? Didn't think so...

Fresh taro leaves are available. You have to marvel at the diversity of produce we have access to.
Recipes from Hawaii.edu and the Food Network.



Last, but not least, citrus of all denominations from Bernard Ranches. At Alemany market's request, Vince Bernard drives all the way up from Southern California to bring us oranges to make up for the loss our crops suffered this winter because of the frost. Only seaweed as fertilizer and no sprays... sweet, dude.