cheese

Stop at Spring Hill Cheese Company at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market for organic cheddar and so much more from their Sonoma County Farm.

Don’t miss the Dry Jack - it’s an aged cheese that’s been been rubbed with black pepper, cocoa powder and olive oil to create a flavorful, edible rind. Use it like parmesan - we love it grated over roasted broccoli from Kawano Farms.

Smoked Yellow Cheddar is perfect for snacking - slice some up and serve with Smit Orchards’ apples, Hopkins AG roasted almonds and a San Diego brewed beer. Try making this mac n' cheese with Springhill's colby jack cheese and their rich and creamy butter. Speaking of their butter, grab some honeycomb from Meljess Bees and whip up some honeycomb butter to go with this apple-zucchini bread you can make using Smit Orchards apples and zucchini from Valdivia Farms. 

North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market shoppers know that their favorite fruits and vegetables have seasons, but did you know that Springhill Cheese Company butter changes with the seasons?

Their herd of Jersey cows enjoy Sonoma County grasses and wildflowers and when the fields are abloom the butter made from their milk reflects their diet by developing a bright, sunshine color and a subtly floral flavor. Usually this happens in spring, but recent heavy rains have set the fields aflower and given the butter the golden glow.

Try it smeared on Belen Bakery’s country French bread or sautee a handful of Mountain Meadow mushrooms from Kawano Farms’ stand and taste the difference. Slather it on your piece of salmon from Salmon Slingers before you pop it in the oven and bring out the flavor of your fish. Don Tommy's fresh tortillas taste even better (if that's possible) with a swipe of Springhill butter. It’s bloomin’ delicious!

Visit the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market for fresh local produce plus an international twist. Find Indian curry at Masala Cottage, German style bratwurst and sauerkraut at the Meatmen, and Japanese inspired seafood dishes at Miss Sushi.

Pick up fromage from France at Taste Cheese, olives from Greece at Lisko Imports, and balsamic vinegar from Italy at the California Olive Oil Company. Try a tamale at Gourmet Tamales, a quesadilla from Don Tommy’s Mexican Food, Belgian waffles from Wow Wow Waffles, and hummus and tabouleh from Baba Foods.

Taste the world without leaving North Park!

Cheese lovers have lots to smile about at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market!

Springhill Cheese Company brings estate cheeses and butter from their grass fed herd of Jersey cows in Sonoma County. Slice up their organic cheddar for a fruit and cheese plate with apples and grapes from Smit Orchards and almonds from Hopkins AG, or make a gooey grilled cheese with fresh garlic curds and French country bread from Belen Bakery.

Taste Cheese offers a great selection of hard to find imported and domestic cheeses; try Bucheron, a creamy, tangy goat cheese from France, with wedges of melon from Proios Family Farm or JR Organics. Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano is great for grating over a plate of fresh linguine from Lisko Imports with San Marzano tomatoes from Suzie’s Farm.

Great cheese? Yes, please!

Get ready to go back to school with the first fresh Gala apples from Smit Orchards at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market. Enjoy crisp apple wedges dipped in all natural almond butter from Hopkins Ag, or make a sweet treat by dipping them in orange blossom honey from Meljess Bees.

Make a grilled cheese that’s sure to please with French country bread from Belen Bakery, fresh butter and cheddar cheese from Springhill Cheese Company, and thinly sliced apples - we like to add a handful of arugula from Suzie’s Farm just before we put the sandwich together. Make an awesome apple salad with fresh greens from your favorite farmer, apples, strawberries from Rodney Kawano Farm, honey roasted almonds from Smit Orchards and fresh chevre from Taste Cheese, all tossed with white balsamic from California Olive.

You may need more than an apple a day!

Aubergine, or eggplant, is in season at Prois Farm, JR Organics and Suzie’s Farm at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market, and it’s one of our favorite summer vegetables. We can’t resist a classic eggplant parmigiana with fresh basil and, of course, real Parmigiano-Reggiano from Taste Cheese. If you have the patience and the need to impress, Japanese eggplant from Suzie’s Farm and summer squashes from Kawano Farms are perfect for this gorgeous ratatouille recipe; yes it’s the one from that movie! Pick up fresh parsley, lemons from Paradise Valley Ranch, and extra virgin olive oil from The California Olive for this baba ghanoush; don’t forget a crusty baguette from Belen Bakery for dipping. What will you make with eggplant? Give us some egg-cellent ideas! 
 

FONDUES AND FON-DON’TS
Fondue is the classic Swiss dish of melted cheese with wine, served in a communal pot with all kinds of delicious treats for dipping and perfect for this week's chilly nights. The North Park Farmers' Market has all the ingredients you need, and here are a few tips to make your fondue fun:

DO start with great cheeses. Stop by Taste Cheese and pick up great cave aged Gruyere from the mountains of Switzerland, and maybe a tub of their signature Shredded Blend, or try Springhill Cheese Company’s Old World Portuguese.
DO serve crunchy vegetables like bright purple carrots, crisp celery and French radishes from J.R. Organics; romanesco cauliflower from Suzie’s Farm; or zucchini from Valdivia Farm.
DO include some roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts, parsnips or mushrooms from Proios or Kawano Farm.

DON'T forget a loaf or two of fresh bread from Belen Artisan Bakers for cubing and dipping.
DON'T be afraid to add your own touch to the flavor, perhaps by using apple or cherry cider from Smit instead of (or along with) the traditional wine or Kirsch.  
DON'T skip the salad - a simple plate of farm fresh greens with a squeeze of lemon and a splash of California Olive Oil is all you need to compliment your fondue. 

Ready, Set, Dunk!

NEW YEAR, NEW FOODS

Whether you've had a 2011 to celebrate, or you're one of the many who feel they barely survived, there's something hopeful about washing away the past and welcoming a new year. Shop the Little Italy Mercato tomorrow to make your celebration delicious.

In the spirit of transition, pair old favorites and new foods tomorrow night. Stuff Morocco Gold Dates with Cinnamon PB Peanut Butter. Devil a dozen eggs from Swiss Mountain. Try a fresh sea urchin from Poppa's Fresh Fish or order a live lobster, and shuck Carlsbad AquaFarm oysters at your party. Mary at Taste Cheese will introduce you to varieties of fromaggio that you've never tried before; pick up Sweet Potato or Whole Grain crackers from Fresh Start Foods and complete your tray with honeyed almonds from Hopkins AG and dried pluots from Smit Orchards. Stop by Mello Mushroom and try this clever Chanterelle Ceviche recipe to serve with Baba Foods' pita chips. Slice and grill zucchini from Poiros Family Farm and stuff with Terra Bella Ranch's sun dried tomatoes and Springhill Farms goat cheese for these rollups.

What's left? Just grab a few bottles of Merlot or Viognier from Triple B Ranch at the Mercato, and some cold Prosecco from Mona Lisa for that midnight toast, then it's on to 2012!

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.  

It's San Diego Beer Week and there's no better way to celebrate than strolling through the Little Italy Mercato farmers' market and taking home all the ingredients you need to cook up some delicious bites to pair with our city's impressive brew lineup.

Hefeweizens are a dry, German style of wheat beer, usually made with a specific yeast that gives off flavors like banana and cloves. If you're entertaining, try pairing this beer with a light, citrusy Kale salad from Peace Pies or a fresh goat cheese from Nicolau Farms and slices of sweet Asian pear from Lone Oak Ranch.

Stouts are darker beers varying in flavor range- but invariably have some roasted characters that comes from the use of roasted barley. Try pairing them with rich, smoked foods or bitter chocolate desserts. Pick up a bottle of Gianni's Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar and drizzle it over grilled asparagus from Suncoast Farm or lamb from Da Le Ranch. Or pair with Olive Oil Cafe's indulgent salted chocolate Dark Bear bar, or Caxao Chocolate's dark chocolate truffles: perfect with roasty, sweet stout flavors.

Ale varieties offer a wide range of characteristics, but if you like beer that has big herbal hops and balancing malty sweetness, this brew's for you. Strong Ale goes great with the deep dish pizzas from Berkeley Pizza because the carbonation and strength of the beer cuts through the acidity of tomato sauce and the gooey, delicious mozzarella. Or, grill up some local burgers to enjoy with a cold sip of ale-take home a pound of ground beef from Son Rise Ranch, a bag of spinach or arugula from Suzie's, and a sharp goat cheddar cheese from Spring Hill. Some fresh basil and onions from Schaner's Farm wouldn't be too bad either….

Cheers!