SCORE AT YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKETS

HOME RUN MENUS
Having a party to watch the Padres' playoff run? Catching a Chargers football game and need a tailgate menu? Shop the Adams Avenue, North Park or Little Italy farmers' markets! Throw some fresh Kasekriner sausage from Knight Salumi, burgers from Da Le Ranch or Mexican shrimp from Poppa's Fresh Fish on the grill. You'll need salsa and guacamole from Heritage Farms, Gourmet Tamales or H&B Guac Shack. Don't forget crunchy ruby carrots, and celery, cool Armenian cucumber slices, and broccoli and cauliflower dipped in hummus from Lisko Imports or Baba Foods. Add a tray of cookies from Cardamom Bakery or Montana's and some gluten free lemon bars from Olive Oil Café.

STUFFED SHROOMS
Want to be named Most Valuable Partygiver? Make up a batch of these Stuffed Shrooms to score. Take a couple of boxes of Crimini mushrooms from the Kawano Farm stand and pluck out the stems.  Crumble a half pound of breakfast sausage from Da Le Ranch into a skillet over low heat.  When sausage is well browned, drain fat from skillet. Dice mushroom stems, a bunch of green onions and a couple of sweet red peppers from Suzie's Farm; add to skillet and cook over low heat for two minutes.  Let the mixture cool for five minutes and then mix in a half cup bread crumbs from Bread & Cie. Stuff the mixture into the mushroom caps and bake for 10 minutes at 350, then top with Shredded Blend from Taste Cheese and bake a few more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm and go Padres!

EAT, PLAY, LEARN
Before Jamie Oliver let TV viewers know about the sad state of nutrition awareness in most American schools, Renegade Lunch Lady Chef Ann Cooper was already fighting the good fight, backed by Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Foundation. Chef Ann will be here in San Diego the end of this month to continue spreading the word about what we can do at a grass roots level to improve our children's health. The October 2 dinner is sold out, but there's still time to buy tickets to the Garden Picnic at Olivewood Gardens with Chef Ann, including edible garden tours, hands-on activities and fresh food from local chefs.

SD Weekly Markets shoppers can take advantage of a special two-for-one deal this Wednesday and Thursday September 22 and 23 only. Buy online here or call 619.336.2253

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FARMERS MARKET VENDING 101

10 SEATS LEFT! Learn how to apply for permits, how to apply for space, and how to successfully market your crop or product at San Diego farmers' markets. Tues, Sept 28, 6 pm to 8:30 pm Limited class size. Register now!

WILL PLAY FOR FOOD?

Want to make beautiful music at one of our weekly farmers' markets? Jazz, Funk, Latin, Fusion, or your specialty, we'd like our shoppers to hear from you. Contact us here with a link to your music site and let San Diego hear your tunes!

MELON HEADS AT ADAMS AVENUE
Summer's not over yet (at least not here in San Diego), and the market is chock full of ripe red watermelon, cantaloupe, and melon varieties you've probably never heard of, from our local farms. Kawano Farms, Carlsbad, Strawberry Company, Suzie's Farm and Tomorrow's Organic Farm are still harvesting this week, but not for much longer. Use them with goat cheese, almonds, a grilled chicken breast and a drizzle of pesto on a bed of leafy greens for a summer supper, or fill them with late season raspberries and blueberries and top with a scoop of Springhill Farms vanilla quark for a pretty lunch or dessert. Music this week will be the acoustic strummings of Russell Thompson.  Look for Adams Avenue Farmers' Market info at the Adams Avenue Street Fair and Talmadge Block Party this weekend!

PRESERVATIONS REQUIRED IN NORTH PARK
Impeccable Taste is back at the North Park Farmers' Market this week! We've all missed Louise and we're glad Wendy will be bringing her pickled beets, dilly beans, brandies cherries, cranberry relishes, bread and butter pickles, no-sugar jams and local honey to market. Maybe they'll inspire you to can some of the lovely produce our farmers will offer this week. Join us next week as North Park's monthly 30th on 30th restaurant crawl spills over into the farmers' market, and then as we celebrate our expansion into Herman Street on October 7.

FINDERS KEEPERS AT THE MERCATO
The Mercato got a makeover this week so the Department of Agriculture - and you! - can find all of our certified farmers located side by side throughout all 4 blocks of the market. If you can't find a favorite vendor, stop by the info booth at the corner of Date and India or look for the purple shirts of the Mercato staff - we're happy to help you find your way. You might even find something you've never noticed before as you check out the new layout, whether it's figs and walnuts, local honey, edible flower-studded chocolate bars, or a new variety of heirloom tomato. Enjoy the music of Dennis Howard this weekend while you wander.