July at the farmers market

FARMERS MARKET

It's fig season in California

Fresh figs: One of the nicest surprises to come out of farmers markets in the last decade has been the explosion in availability of summer's fresh figs. Once they were scarce, now they are relatively plentiful. That is certainly something to be celebrated: When a fig is good, there are few fruits that can compete with it. Figs are harvested twice in a year. The first growth, called the breba crop, comes from branches that sprouted the previous year. That's the harvest we're seeing now and it'll last for several more weeks. The second, and larger, harvest comes on this year's growth and will begin in late summer and run as late as October for some varieties. Because of the geographical distribution of fig orchards in California, the seasons at farmers markets overlap to the point that we'll have fresh figs with nary a hiccup through fall. Most of the figs we're finding now are Brown Turkeys or Black Missions. If you have a choice, the Black Missions usually have better flavor. Later in the summer we'll see Kadotas and Calimyrnas and beyond. Kadotas are primarily drying figs, but Calimyrnas can be quite exquisite. If you see Adriatics or, even scarcer still, Panachèes, grab them.

July 2, 2008

FARMERS MARKET

Peak season: Mixed berries

Mixed berries: We take blueberries and raspberries almost for granted these days. They're so common, we use them to garnish our breakfast cereal. But just taste the glorious berries at Pudwill Farm. They've got orange and golden raspberries and the red variety Tulameen, which has a rich flavor and incredible sweetness. They've also got boysenberries, marionberries and Kiowa blackberries, which have terrific flavor and big fruit. These are berries that deserve a starring role: Serve them with a little barely sweetened whipped cream.

July 2, 2008

FARMERS MARKET

Peak season: Wild strawberries

Wild strawberries: Talk about ugly! Wild strawberries are tiny -- scrawny even. Their colors can be so faded they look as if someone left them out in the sun for an afternoon. And don't even think about bouncing them around in your bag -- you'll end up with jam. In short, wild strawberries (or fraises des bois) are about as far as you can get from the modern ideal of a strawberry. And that's what makes them so wonderful. Pop one into your mouth and it practically melts, releasing a sweetness so candied it almost tastes as if it must be artificially flavored. Transport them gently and eat them immediately; they are fragile treasures.

July 2, 2008

FARMERS MARKET

Peak season: Bermuda onions

Bermuda onions: Spring is the time for fresh sweet onions. But while most of them are, in fact, kind of bland, these little Bermudas from Weiser Farms have terrific flavor. It's a varietal issue: Most of the so-called sweet onions you see -- labeled Maui, Vidalia, Imperial Valley or wherever -- have been bred to be lower in the sulfuric compounds that give onions their edge. They're not really sweet so much as they are less pungent. They're best eaten raw; cook them, and what little onion flavor they originally had evaporates. These Bermuda onions are not only sweet but they really taste like onions. Glaze these in butter with a little chicken stock and you've got a terrific side dish for roasted or grilled meat.