Sunday, November 9, 2008

At the Market


Honey Dates - $4
Okra - $3/lb
Fresh Peanuts - $3/lb
Persimmons - 4 for $1
Valencia Oranges - $.25 each
Pink Grapefruit - $.50 each
Beets - $2.50 bunch
Raw unpasteurized goat yogurt - $7
Black Arkansas Apples - $5/bag (8 or 9)
Asian Pear - $2.50/lb
"Yummy" plum - free! (given to me to try)
Onion - $.70
Brussel sprouts - $5 for 2 lb bag
Gerber Daisies - $2.50/bunch
Pomegranate - $1

I never liked Okra... but I have a recipe (Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook) that uses Okra and Fresh Peanuts. I've never tried fresh peanuts before - the skins are soft! So I thought I'd try that recipe since now's the season.

There's this one stand where I always get my asian pears from - and sometimes persimmons (or whatever else they have in season) - they always add a little extra after weighing... today she added 3 plums called "yummy" - I thought they were just describing them - but that's the name of the variety.

I got some flowers just because i thought they were happy and cheerful. I saw my favorite Ranunculus later at a different vendor... too late. I didn't expect to see them - i thought they were spring flowers!

The bumpy textured spinach is called "Bloomsdale". I'd read about it, but never tried it. When I asked the vendor, he told me he likes to cook it - saute it with olive oil & garlic. He added extra into my bag after weighing. Thanks!

Today's apples are called "Black Arkansas" - they're only available 5 weeks of the year - so they'll probably be at the market thru Thanksgiving or so. I sampled one last week and it was sooo good. Nice flavor - sweet yet tart - fragrant like a "Winesap" without that starchy texture i'd been getting from them - and supposedly good for cooking. I have yet to cook any of the apples I've sampled this year. I just eat them raw every time.

There's this great looking recipe for Glazed roasted Beets - normally using blood oranges (not available til winter) but could be substituted with oranges & pomegranates - hence the oranges. I normally don't like oranges much.

I also got a chicken & the goat yogurt from "Healthy Family Farms" - they're the ones I ordered my Thanksgiving Turkey from. I feel bad for cheating on Tomas from Lily's Eggs - but I want to try another chicken to see if there's a difference. I almost got a cornish rock hen - but I wanted to stick with the chicken for now. I'll roast it with my upright roaster.

No herbs this time. I realized, my chives are growing nicely, and so is the rosemary - and I just planted some thyme & basil. The only thing I'm seriously lacking in is cilantro. I always seem to kill it - and it always wilts or gets black spots before I get to use the bunch. sigh.

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