avocados

The Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market is full of Hass, Fuerte, Zutano and Bacon avocados from Paradise Valley Ranch, R&L Farms and Gilbert Quintos Farm, and they’re good for more than just guacamole!

Try this beautiful avocado salad with blood oranges, beets from Maciel Farm, radishes from JR Organics and pistachios from Hopkins AG, or create your own avocado recipe - we love combing avocado with fennel from Suzie’s Farm and a little citrus balsamic from Bistro Blends, adding it to a sandwich of toasted organic cheddar from Springhill Cheese Company, and mixing diced avocado into tabouleh from Baba Foods for a California-Mediterranean treat.

Making a fresh salad with all your market goodies? Whip up a tasty dressing using avocados and orange juice like this one. What’s your favorite way to eat San Diego County avocados?

We can’t guarantee that ripe avocados from Gilbert Quintos Farm at the San Diego Public Wednesday Farmer’s Market are actually an aphrodisiac, but they can definitely be part of a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Scoop out a couple avocados, blend with a little vegetable stock, lemon and your favorite fresh herbs and serve chilled for a silky smooth soup.

Toss thick slices of avocado with chopped radicchio and lettuce from Maciel Farm and Bistro Blends’ Citrus Balsamic for a luxurious salad, or drizzle avocado puree over a grilled wild Alaskan filet from the Salmon Slinger for a satisfying entree.

Want a new way to serve this classic SoCal fruit? Check out this grilled avocado variation. Try Chef Trey Foshee’s avocado cheesecake for dessert - we used chevre from Nicolau Farms and it turned out fantastic!

Late summer brings Reed avocados to the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market in addition to the year-round Hass avocados. What’s the difference? Reeds are the largest commercially grown variety, have a round shape, and their skin remains bright green when ripe, while Hass avocados are smaller, pear shaped, and typically turn dark, almost black, when ripe.

Reeds aren’t often seen in grocery stores because they are thin skinned and difficult to transport, but many avocado lovers find their rich, buttery flavor to be well worth the extra effort to seek them out at the farmers’ market; visit Paradise Valley Ranch, John Gilruth, Gilbert Quintos and R&L Farms to find avocados this Tuesday.

How do you eat your avocados? We chop 'em and toss 'em on scrambled Descanso Valley Ranch eggs and blend them in our morning smoothie with Pacific Beach Peanut Butter, spinach from J.R. Organics and strawberries from Rodney Kawano Farm (believe us, it's good!). Find more fun ideas for the abundance of avocados at the market here. 

We avo everything you Reed!

LIFE’S A  PEACH
The season’s first white and yellow peaches from Smit Orchards and Lone Oak Ranch sweeten up the Pacific Beach Farmers’ Market this Tuesday. Fresh, juicy peaches are perfect on their own, or sliced and tossed with strawberries from Kawano Farms, blueberries from Smit Orchards and tangelos from John Gilruth.

Peaches are a grill’s best friend; if you’re firing up the barbecue tonight, start your dinner with this grilled peach and avocado salad with hass avocados from Mexico Lindo. We couldn't believe what grilling adds to peaches and avocados. Grab some early season tomatoes from JR Organics, thyme from Suzie’s, fresh goat cheese from Nicolau Farms and citrus balsamic vinaigrette from Bistro Blends for this peach and heirloom tomato salad.  For a unique and refreshing summer sipper, pick up lavander from Gilbert Quintos and honey from Mikolich for peach-lavander agua frescas.  

Have a little more experience in the kitchen? Finish dinner with a flourish by bringing home pastured eggs from Paradise Valley for this sabayon with balsamic peaches.  We’ll see you at the Pacific Peach Tuesday Farmers’ Market!

SUPERBOWL SNACKS FOR THE WIN!

Score a big win with your football buddies by shopping the North Park Farmers’ Market before the Super Bowl. Those “lucky” enough to attend the game this year will be bundled up in big coats, hats and mittens in Indianapolis with a high temperature predicted to be 38 degrees. Really lucky fans here in sunny San Diego can enjoy the big game in tees and sandals!

Start with appetizers - grab a few baguettes from Belen Bread, a bottle of California Olive Oil for dipping, some manly Beemster and Mimolette cheeses from Taste Cheese and scarlet grapes from Smit Orchard. Forget the fried potato chips and heavy onion dip! Grab crunchy carrots, celery and squash from Valdivia Farms and Suzie’s Farm to serve with chipotle or pesto Bitchin’ Sauce and Lisko Artisan Deli’s hummus. While you’re at the Bitchin’ booth - grab some extra tubs to spread on your pre-game sandwiches, grilled chicken or fish!

Speaking of the grill, get in on the biggest grilling day of the year with farm fresh chicken or a flank steak from Da-Le Ranch. Make it a great ‘Half-Thyme’ meal with thyme, dill and cilantro from J.R. Organics to season your grilled meat or veggies. Get your guac on with big avocados from Paradise Valley Ranch, limes from Gilbert Quintos’ Farm and jalapenos from Proios Family Farm. Don’t forget to tell the farmer when you’ll be mashing those avocados to get the best advice on ripeness.

Not hosting the game this year? Scoop up a tin of honey cinnamon roasted almonds from Hopkins AG and a bunch of pretty blooms from Hidalgo Flowers for the host and you’ll be sure to be named Most Valuable Guest!

Buying citrus at the Little Italy Mercato means oranges at Lone Oak Ranch and Meyer lemons from Polito Farms, but are limes also in your picture? This versatile fruit is more than a garnish for gin and tonics or fish tacos. Add it to your food and drink arsenal for a nice one-two punch of savory flavor and bright citrus tones. Gilbert Quintos has them, and Paradise Valley Ranch offers limes along with their stunning avocado selection for a head start on guacamole.

Using a little pressure, roll limes around in your hands or on your cutting board before you cut into them, and the juice will be released with ease.

Lime and poultry makes a winning combination. Marinate your Spur Valley Ranch chicken in lime juice, a glug of Marion’s Olive Oil, some onions and heirloom garlic from Sage Mountain Farms, and salt and pepper to taste. While it's roasting, whip up a batch of Brazil’s national drink, the Caipirinha. Cut a lime into eighths and mash it up with a tablespoon of sugar in a tall glass. Top with white rum, add ice and be whisked away to a beach in Rio. Once you get the hang of how varied this little green fruit can be, you’ll be lime-ing up to buy more.

LIGHTEN UP!
We all know that Thanksgiving is about taking time to acknowledge gratitude for family and friends, the relative comfort and safety we live in, and our many other blessings. Just looking around the Little Italy Mercato makes us thankful for harvest abundance.

So why does the holiday so often seem tied to gluttony? If you've overeaten this week, you're not alone. But it's simple to tip the scales back by lightening up for the next few days. Visiting relatives are probably tired of hanging around your house by now, not that that's bothering you. So a trip to the farmers' market on Saturday will be a great way to get some fresh air, enjoy the live music and the charms of Little Italy, and shop for the ingredients to get your eating back on track.

Pick up a jug of Green Fix and sip a fresh green smoothie for breakfast. Use those turkey leftovers to make a Cobb Salad for lunch, with hard-boiled farm fresh eggs and avocado from Paradise Valley Ranch on a bed of leafy greens and tomatoes from JR Organics and a light and creamy dressing made with Springhill farms quark. Grill a piece of Poppa's Fresh Fish for dinner, with some steamed baby potatoes from Sage Mountain Farm and new cauliflower from Suzie's Farm or broccoli from Suncoast Farms. See? All back in balance.

PACK IN THE PROTEIN

Ever wonder if the food you eat gives you enough of that prized possession, protein? You've got options folks! The Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market has all of them stacked and ready to go so you can pack your meals with a protein punch.

If you're feeling carnivorous, try out a delicious rainbow sushi roll or pick up a filet of just caught fish from Miss Sushi. Maybe meat isn't in your diet? Make a fresh summer salad with lima beans and corn and cilantro, topped with shaved broccoli stems from Maciel and Family. How about snacking on a handful of raw almonds from Hopkins AG to carry you through your day, or try adding fresh walnuts from Nicolau Farm to a pile of Suzie's fresh arugula and roasted beets. There's always your traditional on-the-go meal by smearing some cinnamon infused peanut butter from PB Peanut Butter all over a toasted slice of sunflower flaxseed multigrain baked by Belen Bread. Give your breakfast a boost and smother a good helping of Bitchin' Sauce's pesto over poached eggs and avocado slices from Paradise Valley Ranch or dip fresh carrots and cucumbers from Suzie's Farm in Majestic Garlic's rich, vegan curry hummus. However you do it, you're sure to feel good eating straight from the market! 

SPICE IT UP SAN DIEGO

Let's face it- people in California love Southwestern food. And in our small San Diego corner of the world, that means any fusion of ingredients that Spaniards, cowboys, Native Americans and Mexicans might have noshed on. The Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmer's Market is bursting with ingredients for you to satiate those taste buds and get creative with your own Southwestern cuisine.

If you haven't already tried a sample, Bitchin' Sauce offers a spicy chipotle sauce that you can smother over just about anything. Make yourself a Southwestern breakfast bowl with fresh black eyed peas from JR Organics and diced tomatoes from Kawano Farms. Add a couple of sliced jalapenos from Suzie's Farm, and creamy chunks of Reed avocados from Paradise Valley Ranch. You can add farm fresh poached eggs from The Produce Stand and top it off with chopped cilantro from Maciel & Family.

When you need a simple afternoon snack, reach for a handful of Smoked Chipotle almonds from Hopkins AG to give you that spicy kick you need to make it to dinner. Too hungry to cook when you're done shopping the market? Take a pack of locally-made Gourmet Tamales, have a Salvadorean pupusa, or stop by the Olive Oil Cafe stand to order their incredible Southwestern Sandwich, stacked tall with sliced turkey, pepper jack cheese, spinach, jalapenos and a homemade chipotle aioli. Ole!

Romance is always in the air at North Park Farmers market!  So gather up your partner and dosey doe through the aisles because they're chocked full of aphrodisiacs sure to make your date night a success! Sure, there's the familiar foods that chemically make us more amorous, like oysters and chocolate.  But did you know that your gardens are also filled with these beacons of love?.  Your first stop should be at Valdivia to pick up some tomatoes. Tomatoes, also known as "love apples", were were banned by the Catholic Church in the 19th century due to concerns about the fruit’s “morality.”  We dare you to try to control yourself after biting into the red,  juicy, fleshy forbidden fruit!

Next stop on your love journey should be Suzie's farms to pick up some Armenian cucumbers.  Researchers have found a link between the smell of cucumbers and sexual arousal. Don't let yourself get too carried away...and be sure to stop by John Gilruth's and pick up an avocado or two. Just by looking at the shape of avocado, you will see the reason why it was associated with sensual creativity.  What's that delightful aroma wafting JR Organics? Their fresh bunches of basil are sure to arouse you, and while you're moseying through the stalls, take a taste of Hopkins Ag almonds. These nuts are known throughout the ages to be a symbol of fertility. Finish up your shopping with some delicious cheese from Taste that you can spread softly over a warm baguette from Belen. And don't forget to tempt your beloved with a chocolatey Almond Joy cookie from the Chewy Cookie. Last but not least, get some flowers from Maldonado and you're almost guaranteed to get some tonight!