Farmer’s Market Bounty: July 27, 2008
Help, I’ve been abducted by little green men and I can’t make it to the Farmer’s Market! Imagine that, you’re about to be body-probed and the thing you’re most concerned about is getting your weekly fruit and vegetable fix. But that’s exactly what happened this weekend while the wife and I were en route to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. The frantic call came from one of my KWBs who couldn’t fathom the horror of having to head to the grocery store to pick up the week’s produce because he was… preoccupied. No worries, I tried to assuage him, hoping he’d survive the aliens, we’ll pick up a selection of goodies for you. I should probably tell you my friend lives in Laurel Canyon, so who knows what herbs were speaking for him (thyme or oregano, no doubt) but I understood the root of his fears. After becoming a Farmer’s Market regular, it’s tough to go back to grocery store — even organic agribusinesses like Whole Foods. So word to the wise, avoid flying saucers, and if you have the opportunity to support your local farmers, head to the Market this week, and you too may not ever be able to go back to the grocery store.
This weekend, we picked up a fruit-heavy bounty of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, figs, plums, pluots, grapes, heirloom tomatoes, last-of-season strawberry tomatoes, watermelon, a mystery melon, fennel, heirloom squash, corn, arugula, wild greens, romaine lettuce, oodles of basil, and creamy Soledad Goat Cheese whose farm the wife and I will visit and report back to you once summer breaks in the Mojave Desert.
As usual, we welcome ideas about what to make this week, so please send in your ideas. Who knows, you might get a dish named after you.
The “Farmer’s Market Bounty” series is a weekly, typological photo essay of my Market shopping, which charts the possibilities of seasonal eating.
Your so lucky to have access to fresh figs! I’ve been looking everywhere here in NY with no luck so far. A dish with figs would be lovely!
I say use the raspberries and blackberries to make a berry pie! Yum.
I know what you mean about going to regular grocery stores after becoming a Farmer’s Market regular. Ralph’s terrifies me these days. I go to the Beverly Hills Farmer’s market. it is way smaller than Hollywood, but it’s within walking distance and I am starting to get to know the farmers!
Yum! Grilled figs stuffed with blue cheese, walnuts and drizzled with honey.
Nectarine chutney made with cider vinegar, spices and little bit of chilli (stephanie alexander has a great recipe) perfect with spicy chicken
Do you have Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook? There is a wonderful recipe for Oven-baked Figs with Raspberries. Figs, sweet wine, honey, sugar and raspberries. Let me know if you need the recipe. I would love to hear how it turns out!
Yes to the figs!
Stuff ‘em with cheese, top ‘em with chopped cooked bacon and/or nuts and pop ‘em in the toaster oven at 350° for 8 minutes. Drizzle ‘em with honey and let your mouth go to heaven.
Mmmmm…
Now, where the hell am I going to get some fresh figs?
Thanks for all of your great ideas. I’ll let you know what we whip up. And Grace, I don’t have that particular cookbook. Do you want to share the recipe with the other fig lovers?
Esi, happy to know you’re getting to know the farmers. It truly does make a difference when you are connected to the food chain and they are full of ideas for how to prepare things.
Here is Alice Water’s recipe:
10 med-sized figs
1/4 cup sweet wine (she suggests Beaumes-de-Venise, vin santo or Sauternes)
1/3 cup honey, warmed
1 1/2 tables. sugar
1/2 pint raspberries
Preheat oven to 425 F. Remove the stem ends of figs and cut in half. In a baking dish, place the halves skin side down, lining them up so they all fit evenly, Pour 1/4 cup water & wine into the bottom. Dizzle with warm honey. Sprinkle with sugar, making sure all figs gets some.
Bake figs in upper part of oven for 15 minutes. Baste with water/wine and bake another 5 minutes. When figs are starting to caramelize at the edges, add the raspberries, tucking them into the spaces between the figs. Save any extra berries for garnish. Bake for another 5 minutes to warm berries. Serve the figs warm with vanilla or honey ice cream.
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It sounds delicious. I just need some fresh figs now…yummy.