holiday food

You'll find bows of holly and tons of sweets to make you jolly at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market, but besides seasonal holiday odds and ends take note that shopping local is truly seasonal. San Diego has unique growing seasons that overlap and bless us with late fall tomatoes and leafy greens year round. But here's the scoop on new crops you might find this week at the market. 

JR Organics has Kolhrabi, a sort of green cabbage-turnipy thing that's delicious raw or cooked. Try shaving it into a salad with ribbons of sweet pink lady apples from Smit Orchards and whisk together a creamy, lemon salad dressing to doll it up. 

Suzie's Farm sells soaked (so living) black eyed peas. You know that when the ball drops on New Year's eve you're gonna want to be eating a warm bowl of spicy beans and collard greens. Add chives, celery, and rice to make it extra wintry. 

Eat, drink, and be merry by shopping at the Little Italy Mercato. Holiday parties and lots of family members hungry stomachs mean it might be the perfect time to make a big batch of lasagna or your other favorite pasta. Buy green spinach linguini or gnocchi from Lisko Imports and smother it with any of the gorgeous green pestos from Basiltops for a warm, festive meal. Offer plates of roasted Italian sausage from Sonrise Ranch, small rounds of your favorite creamy, cheese from Mary at Taste Cheese, and plenty of fresh baked bread from Belen or Bread & Cie to sop up the sauce. 

Pick up a pint of dark red pomegranate juice from Lone Oak Ranch or Schaner's Farm or fresh apple cider from Smit Orchards. You can even spruce up your drinks with little sprigs of green mint or rosemary from Rivera Treasure Garden! It's the most wonderful time of the year...