Goat cheese

What’s the best way to enjoy artisan cheese from Nicolau Goat Farm at the Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market? Maybe it’s classic chevre layered with beets from Sage Mountain Farms in a beautiful terrine. Could it be the goat feta combined with citrus-y sorrel from J.R. Organics and extra-virgin oil from the California Olive in sorrel pesto?

We love to spread red pepper chevre on country French bread from Bread & Cie and top it with caramelized fennel from Maciel Farm. Slice up aged Stanislaus Supreme and serve on a cheese plate with Fuji apple wedges from Lone Oak Ranch, roasted almonds from Hopkins AG and a drizzle of Heratige Farm honey, or try the Stagionato Misto, a semi-firm cheese of sheep and goat milk, garnished with peach-blackberry preserve from Terra Verde Foods.

Try these variations of Goat Cheese Salads, using Kawano Farms' strawberries and Smit Orchard cherries. You can't go wrong with a Strawberry, Basil and Goat Cheese Panini; grab whole wheat levain from Belen Bakery and basil from Suzie's Farm.

What’s your goat-to recipe?

How many ways do we love ripe, red strawberries from Suzie’s Farm and Kawano Farms at the San Diego Public Wednesday Farmers’ Market? We like to sip them in a smoothie with fresh squeezed citrus juice from Doucette Farms, or in this fancy fizzy strawberry lemonade.

We’re thrilled to toss them in this salad with Paradise Valley Ranch avocados and Maciel Farm’s kale, and we adore them mixed with fresh chevre from Nicolau Goat Farms and aged balsamic vinegar from Bistro Blends in this strawberry goat cheese bruschetta.

We’re crazy for halibut with strawberry salsa using wild Alaskan filets from the Salmon Slinger and fresh basil from Gilbert Quintos Farm. And we can’t resist asking L’Ardiquel to fill a hot crepe with strawberries for a sweet breakfast.

We’re so berry glad that strawberries are in season!

Fresh and aged goat cheeses from Nicolau Goat Farm at the San Diego Public Wednesday Farmers’ Market are the basis for all kinds of fantastic meals; stop by Suzie’s Farm and La Dona Tortillas to make red chard, onion and goat cheese tacos, or pick up smoked Alaskan fish from the Salmon Slinger and citrus from Gilbert Quintos for smoked salmon and goat cheese dip.

Try their amazing chevre filled ravioli and visit Maciel Farm and Bistro Blends to make this kale pesto to top them. Be sure to try the semi-soft, gouda-like Stanislaus Capream and the aged Stagionato Misto cheese as well. You can also find their great goat cheese topping fresh local seafood at Supernatural Sandwiches - try the Harpy.

It’s a baa-ad idea to miss out on Nicolau Farm goat cheese!

Get your goat cheese from Nicolau Farm at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market; they’ve recently added some amazing aged cheeses to their offerings! Stanislaus Capream is a semi-soft cheese aged for four weeks and has a texture similar to gouda and a bit of a nutty flavor - pair it with sliced Gala apples and grapes from Smit Orchards.

Stagionato Misto is made from a blend of sheep and goat milk and aged 45 days; try it with roasted almonds from Hopkins AG or melt it over a sandwich of grilled summer squashes from Maciel Farm. Try Nicolau’s raw milk feta in a salad of fresh greens from Gilbert Quintos, grape tomatoes from Kawano Farms and black olives from Lisko Imports. Add squash and try this recipe. 

Pick up swiss chard from J.R. Organics and garlic, red onion and spicy peppers from Proios Family Farm to make this braised green tacos recipe using crumbled goat cheese instead of  the queso fresco. 

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!

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!

BAAAACK AT PACIFIC BEACH

Nicolau Farms is back at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market with their farmstead fresh chevre.  If you’ve been missing their soft and creamy, tangy, tasty goat cheese lately, you’re not alone.  Their small herd of goats doesn’t make much milk in the winter, so the cheese has been scarce, but with the warmer weather it’s back!  

For a winning breakfast, spread a generous spoonful of classic chevre  over a thick slice of French toast made with Belen Bakery bread and pastured eggs from Paradise Valley Ranch.  Top with early-season sliced strawberries from JR Organics or Kawano farms and a drizzle of local honey from  Mikolich.  Need an easy appetizer that’s also delicious? Toss a handful of pitted black olives from Lisko Imports and a hunk of spicy red pepper chevre into a food processor, pulse a couple times and serve up a creamy take on tapenade.  If it’s a great salad you’re craving, mix goat cheese with roasted beets and arrugula from Suzie’s Farm, and make a blood orange vinaigrette with with citrus from Gilbert Qintos or Rancho Mexico Lindo and extra virgin oil from the California Olive Oil Company.

Nicolau Farms also has  wonderful sun-dried tomato and goat cheese ravioli, which would be perfect with a spinach pesto made with Maciel Farm’s  spinach.  If you saved room for dessert, try a slice of Nicolau’s famous goat cheese cake topped with a smear of date jam from Morocco Gold, or one of the delicious goat cheese based Viva Pops that you’ll find at the market.  Missing out on any of these goat cheese treats would be a baaad idea!

However you and your clan choose to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, we at the Little Italy Mercato want to make sure you to have the most fresh, beautiful, and nourishing food available to make your day perfect. Whether you're planning to enjoy a very traditional meal, an eclectic potluck smorgasbord to meet all the needs of your community of friends, or whether you don't have a big meal planned at all but choose to revel in the day off from work and enjoy the outdoors with simple snacks and time for reflection- we've got you covered.

Delicious meals are made from delicious parts- so part one of your dinner could be a variety of chutneys, salads, or stuffings. Try this recipe for a savory apple pumpkin chutney, from San Diego food blogger Caron Golden. She uses pumpkin butter from Jackie's Jams, fresh sage leaves and red onions that you can find at Schaner Farms, and sweet pink lady apples from Smit Orchards or Fujis from Lone Oak Ranch. For a seriously satisfying salad- try using cooked wheat berries from Suzie's Farm and combining them with all sorts of fall veggies to complement your dinner. Roasted butternut squash and toasted red walnuts from Terra Bella Ranch with heaps of braised Swiss chard from Maciel Family Farms come together to create a little zip for a savory salad served warm or chilled. Add fresh grated ginger from Vang Farms for a twist or a handful of crumbled goat cheese from Nicolau Farms to blend it all together. And as you devise, shop, and put together your stunning meals, remember to utter thanks and gratitude for all that you will enjoy, have been given, and have to offer…

Though its still definitely appropriate to don your homes, hearths, and patios with colorful squash and scattered fall decorations, Halloween has come and gone and it might be time to pitch your pumpkins and use up all the guts for some home baked goodies. If you're running behind and still need to pick up an orange beauty, come out to the Mercato next saturday morning and gather your goods from some of our lovely vendors.

Autumn calls us to flavors like allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. You can make some pretty fantastic pumpkin oatmeal cookies using all farmers market ingredients. Use organic, cooked pumpkin from Schaner's Farm or Suzie's Farm, raisins or dried apricots from Smit Orchards, walnuts from Terra Bella Ranch and a bit of sweet granola from Granola Girl to give them some texture. 

Or perhaps you want to go a little more gourmet and serve something savory AND sweet? How about a pumpkin-inspired bruschetta? Trust us, it's worth it. Combine fresh arugula from Sage Mountain Farm and crumbled goat cheese from Nicolau Farms with fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of Phil's honey from the folks at Marion's Olive Oil. Toss together with cooked pumpkin pulp, chopped red onions, a bit of your favorite vinaigrette and spread generously over sliced and toasted french bread from Bread & Cie. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and a hint of curry and cinnamon. 

Too much summer sun can sizzle beets in the ground, keeping us from enjoying their sweet nourishment all year long. But lately there's been a beautiful resurgence of colorful pink, orange, and deep red shades of beets on our farmers' tables. It's definitely appropriate weather for soups, so why not make the best with the best and try out this delicious Orange Scented Beet Soup.

PIck up a bundle of bright red or golden beets from Maciel Family Farms, choose the most crip and shiny Pink Lady apple from Smit Orchards, and take home a couple of shallots from the Produce Stand. Roast and slice the beets, and blend them all together in a food processor. Add a bit of fresh squeezed orange juice from Paradise Valley Ranch, a dash of lemon juice, salt, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar from Bari Olive Oil . Serve warm, with small dollops of Nicolau Farms goat cheese and sprinkle with a few fresh chives from Suzie's. 

If you simply want to create a gorgeous addition to another dish you have planned, roast the beets in a bit of foil until the skin is easily penetrable with a fork. Remove, let cool, and season to taste with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Serve with a dash of chopped parsley or freshly plucked mint. it's perfect!