The Cream of the Crop in Temecula

It’s no coincidence that the Temecula farmers market, one of the few actually operated by farmers, is also one of the best. Gale and George Cunningham, small-scale organic growers in the nearby De Luz district, have shaped the market’s roster of quality local producers; the event also has a bustling crafts and prepared foods section.

Saturday, the Cunninghams brought sweet-tart Minneola tangelos, macadamia nuts, top-quality Fuerte avocados and super-sweet, dark orange, dried Fuyu persimmons. The Atkins Nursery of Fallbrook sold white sapotes, which taste like banana flan when ripe; acid-less Palestine sweet limes; and round, sweet Meiwa kumquats, which are much better for eating fresh than the common oval Nagami variety.

Julie Gama of Valley Center Orchards had fine Washington navel oranges, Moro blood oranges and Oroblancos, from a grapefruit-pummelo hybrid. She and her husband both come from farmers market families, which run Lilac Valley Farms and Gama Farms, respectively; they met nine years ago at the Monrovia farmers market, married and started their own farm. Neal and Carol Bratton, who met at the Temecula market, had impeccably fresh lettuces, including Merveille des Quatres Saisons, Ruby and Butter Crunch, and fabulously aromatic pepper powders: yellow Peruvian Aji, fiendish Caribbean Red and flavorful Hungarian paprika.

Kris Olsen of Cahuilla Mountain Farm in Aguanga displayed gorgeous organic vegetables, including Red Torpedo young onions, sweet Chioggia (“Candy cane”) beets, long, thin Nelson carrots and pristine oyster mushrooms. The Rodriguez stand of Escondido sold tender baby mustard, collard and dandelion greens, as well as leeks and radishes.

Jeff Imoto of Vista had sweet, juicy Chandler strawberries, sugar snap peas and artichokes. Andrea Peterson of Fallbrook had superb organic baby lettuces, watercress, Red Russian kale and tat soi, immaculate except for the occasional nibbles taken out of the leaves by tiny critters.

Albert and Annie Duhart sold brown eggs, navel oranges and butternut squash. Born in the French Basque country, Albert drove trucks before immigrating to the U.S. to work in construction; for the last four years he has farmed in Temecula, where his main summer crops are tomatoes, watermelons and the famous Basque Espelette hot peppers.

Temecula (Old Town) farmers market, 6th and Front streets, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.