bread

This past weekend was divine- with intermittent rain and blustery, grey days. It was time to hunker down, stay inside, and enjoy warm food and good company. Comfort food has a different tone though, when you live and work at the farmers' market. Comfort food means fresh pasta and braised greens, or upscaled, locavore-friendly grilled cheese sandwiches, or fresh spiced apple butter and biscuits...

Here are a few ideas for you for the next time you get caught in the rain, or the sunshine, and want a healthy(er) twist on cozy good cookin'.

Spaghetti with Braised Kale
Braise either curly or lacinato (Tuscan black kale), with chopped onions from Suzie's Farm and fresh garlic from Valdivia. Add the greens to a bowl of steamy, hot angel hair pasta from Likso Imports and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice with a bit of grated Parmesan Romano cheese from Mary at Taste Cheese.

Escarole and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

You know this. You know how you like it. Be creative with what you can find at the market and make a sandwich that you'll be remembered by. Start with a decent portion of sourdough or your favorite loaf from Belen Bakery. Take home a hefty slab of Spring Hill Goat Cheddar or maybe their dry Pepper Jack cheese, and shred it carefully. Pick out a beautiful specimen of frisee or escarole from Suzie's Farm or JR Organics. Sautee slices of white onion with a bit salt until the onion begins to carmelize. Meanwhile, brush the bread with some olive oil and layer on the onions, escarole, and cheese. Then grill it until its crispy and melty in the pan, add pepper or salt if needed, and serve immediately...

Spiced Apple Butter

Spiced apple butter on warm toast is a treat from heaven. Luckily, Smit Orchards and R& L Farms have you covered for tart Fuji's and sweet Pink Ladies. Or try combining apples and asian pears for more complexity. Cook the apples down with spices like ginger, star anise, cinammon and cardamon. Add lemon and a bit of sugar, mash it all together once its cooked, and you have yourself an excellent addition to any brunch.  

With the recent Autumnal Equinox, summer has officially said her goodbyes and autumn has arrived with darker mornings and cooler nights. More winter crops are sneaking their way into our farmers' booths. But now it is officially time to break out the scarves, rain boots, and even more sunscreen (this is San Diego, remember?). But more importantly start cooking delicious fall recipes. It's time for apples, persimmons, citrus, and yummy winter squash. Kids are back to school and the fruit is ripe for picking. That means apple pie and persimmon puddings, fresh orange anything and all the pumpkin spice you can handle.

Look out this week for sweet and crispy Fuji apples from Smit Orchards and take a bunch home to turn into chunky cinnamon and nutmeg infused apple butter. Or slip on your baking hat and use them a warm, gooey apple pie. Celebrate Rosh Hashana by dipping apple and challah bread slices in honey to hope for a sweet new year. Try Mikolich's new winecountry wildflower honey with a fresh baked loaf of challah from Belen Bakery. You can still enjoy  fresh salads too- mixing together sweet Asian pears from Lone Oak Ranch with mixed greens from Suzie's farm, raw almonds from Hopkins AG, and a fresh stalk of celery from JR Organics. Select a finely pressed olive oil from Marians and drizzle generously. 

Acorn squash, baby butternuts, and even red kabocha squash are peeking into the market too, from JR Organics, Terra Bella Ranch, and Maciel Farms, so don't feel guilty about jumping early on baking yourself some fresh roasted squash soup topped with fresh herbs and sprouted pumpkin seeds from Suzie's to enjoy as the fog rolls in over the city...

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! 

THAT'S JUST GRAPE

Aesop might have been mistaken when he boasted about sour grapes, because we have tasted and we have seen their sweetness at the Little Italy Mercato. Stop by Lone Oak Ranch, Smit Orchards or Terra Bella Ranch to grab some of the finest grapes of the first harvest.

If you're bored with plain jane grape salads and cheap grape popsicles, try your luck at making this surprisingly delightful grape and nectarine butter. It will surely turn any sour faces into smiles! Spread a dollop on a baguette from Bread & Cie, paired with a soft cheese like Minuet or even ripe Camembert from Taste Cheese. Or perhaps you'd like to enjoy it fresh with some rich, creamy peanut butter from Pacific Beach Peanut Butter on a slice of Sunflower Flaxseed bread from Belen Bakery. Mmmm.

Here's how you make it: Put 7-8 ripe nectarines, diced coarsely (no need to remove skins) and 4 cups of concord grapes in a large pan. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until the fruit gets soft. Strain seeds through a food mill (or mash and press through a fine strainers). Return remaining pulp to the pan. Boil gently, stirring constantly until reduced by half. Turn off the heat, add 1/4 cup of raw honey from Heritage Family Farms or Mikolich Farm and mix well. Pour fruit butter into sterilized jars, leaving some headspace. Check out Simply Canning for proper sealing/canning methods and tips..

OH GRAPES...

Aesop might have been mistaken when he boasted about sour grapes, because we have tasted and we have seen their sweetness at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market. Lone Oak Ranch and Smit Orchards are now offering some of the finest grapes of the first harvest.

If you're bored with plain jane grape salads and cheap grade grape popsicles, try your luck at making this surprisingly delightful concord grape and nectarine butter. It will surely turn any sour faces into smiles! Spread on a whole grain slice from Bread & Cie and enjoy.

Here's how you make it: Put 7-8 ripe nectarines, diced coarsely (no need to remove skins) and 4 cups of concord grapes in a large pan. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until the fruit gets soft. Strain seeds through a food mill (or mash and press through a fine strainers). Return remaining pulp to the pan. Boil gently, stirring constantly until reduced by half. Turn off the heat, add 1/4 cup of raw honey from Mikolich and mix well. Pour fruit butter into sterilized jars, leaving some headspace. Make sure to follow instructions for proper sealing/canning methods.

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!

Ripe avocados will be plentiful at the Pacific Beach Farmers' Market this coming Tuesday, with Paradise Valley Ranch providing the fragile varieties with shorter seasons rarely seen in grocery stores. Peel and slice, then stack with tomatoes from Kawano Farms, crisp lettuce from Suzie’s Farm and bacon from SonRise Ranch for the best version yet of a BL(A)T. Toast a slice of sunflower whole wheat bread from Charlie’s Best and spread with mashed avocado, then add a coarse grind of Smoked Applewood Sea Salt from Salt Farm for a simple breakfast.

Our newest way to love avocados? Grilled! Drizzle a halved avocado with a little good olive oil, place cut side down on the grill for just about a minute, and taste the transformation. Grilled avocados take guacamole to a whole new level, mixed gently with chopped tomatoes, scallions, basil, and squirt of lime juice. Slather it on burgers, tacos or simply with tortilla chips. It would also be a perfect match atop the vegetable tamales from Gourmet Tamales.

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.

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.

KEEP IT SUPER SIMPLE

Fresh is flavorful. When you buy the freshest ingredients there's really no need to dress them up and get too fancy. You want to let them each shine in their wholesome goodness. An avocado from Rancho Mexico Lindo smeared on toasted bread from Belen Bakery is a great example of our KISS (keep it super simple) mantra. Kawano Farms early season corn needs little more than a quick bath in boiling water and a swipe of butter or sprinkle of salt, or slice it raw off the cob and add it to your salads. Suzie's Farms and kawano Farms have strawberries so sweet they make a perfect dessert without any additions. Celebrate the bounty of the season with less time cooking and more time eating together.

Here's a dinner idea that's quick, simple and farm fresh: Cut beets from Maciel & Family in chunks, toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 30 minutes. While they're cooking, chop the beet greens and bring water to a boil. When beets test tender, saute greens for a few minutes in garlic infused olive oil from Bistro Blends and boil fresh ravioli from Lisko Imports for just 2 minutes. Top ravioli with greens and beets and a dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano from Taste Cheese. Dinner!