Off to market
Tracy and Gail discussing the finer points of figs.
Daniel and Tracy own Nibblers Eatery, our favorite local boite. Being the devoted foodies and locavores they are entails at least one trip a week to the San Francisco Farmers Market, and we go with them occasionally. Like today.
Held at the the Ferry Building, the Farmers Market is open Tuesdays and Saturdays. Since today was so warm and beautiful, it felt like the entire population of the City was there to find some fresh veggies for dinner. If you are in the restaurant business, you can get a parking pass which gets you a place right up front, making life easy.
The Farmers market is home to vendors from around the state, as far away as Riverside. They are selling fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and poultry, cheese and other dairy products, oils, spices, herbs and baked goods. A couple of local restaurants have essentially permanent operations, setting up complete restaurant kitchens and tearing it down every week.
Farmers markets and the modern foodie movement bring us opportunities and choices enough to addle your pate. Go to the grocery store and buy a peach, you have two choices: yellow or white. They taste about the same. Go to the Farmers Market, there are 30 kinds of peach. Freestone or Cling, a variety of colors, modern or heirloom, pure strain or hybrid. Every one of them is will taste “peachier” than what you will get at Safeway.
A Gillogly Avocado
The only avocado I ever knew existed was the Haas. Today I saw both the Gillogly, which looks like a gourd, and the Reid, which is twice the size of the Haas and reportedly fleshier but with less oil. We bought one of each, which will ripen in a few days. I’ll let you know how they taste.
Creative re-use of egg cartons to shelter delicate figs
Figs come in many persuasions, and they have become one of the in foods in trendy restaurants vying for their Michelin star. The really hip are bringing empty egg cartons to cradle the delicate little darlings on the dangerous trip home.
The Bay Area has many farmers markets, almost every day of the week. The one at the Ferry building is perhaps the largest and most developed, with a breadth and depth of products on off that can’t be duplicated anywhere else. Since everyone is offering samples, you can pretty much stuff yourself on fabulous fruits and tasty treats–it’s better than Costco. Pick a Saturday morning and give it a try. If you’re still hungry, you can go the Slanted Door for lunch, or stop in the caviar shop for some blinis and beluga.
Totally Unauthorized 