Black Emeralds in Thousand Oaks

Almost every customer passing Richard Sager’s stand at the Thousand Oaks farmers market lurches to a stop before his outlandish magenta cauliflower.

“Irradiation,” Sager says with a grin as passersby gawk. “Just kidding--it’s a new hybrid.”

There have been purple cauliflowers before, but Graffiti is the first of its size that keeps its color when cooked. It’s delicious stir-fried with garlic and ginger.

It’s produce such as this that makes the Thousand Oaks market so popular; it’s first in sales among Ventura County markets, and it draws growers from both the area and the San Joaquin Valley. Its abundance of high-quality vegetables this season is stunning.

Even before the market’s strictly enforced 3 p.m. starting time, shoppers cluster around Linda Apkarian’s stand, impatiently clutching bags of her grapes. Along with conventional Flames and Black Emeralds, the Reedley grower has two extraordinary new varieties: Diamond Muscat, mostly used for making raisins, is small but very sweet with intense musky flavor (unlike traditional muscats, it is seedless); and “A29-67,” an experimental Concord type bred for Central Valley conditions, has the sweetness and taste of a Concord without the seeds or tough skin.

Jessica Peacock of Dinuba has Rosa Bianca eggplant, a beautiful lavender-skinned Italian heirloom with tender, mild-flavored flesh.

Shane Watkins of Carpinteria displays fresh organic romaine and redleaf lettuces, salad mix and dandelion greens. Meanwhile, Laroyce Hicks, 72, of Santa Paula, calls her stand Grandma’s Garden. She sells flavorful Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes and tender young yellow corn, along with sweet and juicy Valencia oranges.

For the best stone fruit at Thursday’s market, try the Fantasia yellow nectarines offered by Perry Fife of Visalia. When introduced in 1969, Fantasia was considered just a good commercial variety, but in this age of bland low-acid fruit, it stands out as a champion of old-fashioned flavor.

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Thousand Oaks farmers market, Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thursdays, summer, 3 to 7 p.m.; winter, 3 to 6:30 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving to New Year’s.