This vibrant Triple Berry Jam is the go-to recipe of Catherine Barr, Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets. Each summer, when the stalls overflow with ripe berries, Catherine turns the season’s bounty into jars of jewel-toned jam. The blend of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries creates the perfect harmony of sweetness and tang,...Read More
Once considered a Roman delicacy, asparagus is a perennial vegetable that is a member of the lily family. The “spears” are the shoots from an underground crown. It takes about three years for crowns to mature to the point of producing, but once they do, the crowns produce asparagus for about 20 years. Spears are...Read More
Have you ever wondered about what the difference is between sweet potatoes and yams? Sweet potatoes are also called ‘yams’ — however, these tuberous root vegetables are actually from two very different plants. Sweet potatoes are related to morning glories and true yams are related to palms and grasses. When you buy a ‘yam’ at...Read More
Few fruits capture the essence of summer quite like blueberries. Sweet, juicy, and vibrant, these little gems are as nutritious as they are delicious. Whether you enjoy them fresh by the handful, baked into pies, or blended into smoothies, blueberries bring both flavor and health benefits to the table. Farmers markets are one of the...Read More
It’s officially lemon season, and the farmers markets are overflowing with both Eureka and Meyer lemons. Whether you’re making salad dressings, marmalades, or brightening up winter soups, there’s nothing like the zing of freshly picked lemons. Did you know lemons are technically a berry? Cultivated for centuries in the Mediterranean, they’ve made their way into...Read More
It’s not too late to get in the last of your canning and pickling. Dill is still available at the markets. Here are some interesting facts about dill: Dill grows about 3 feet tall and grows just about anywhere, as long as there is sunlight. A member of the parsley family, it’s often mistaken for...Read More
After you carve the jack o’lantern, don’t toss out the seeds! Instead, toast them to golden perfection and sprinkle with a little salt for a tasty, healthy snack. INGREDIENTS: One medium sized pumpkin Salt Olive oil METHOD: Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin. With a strong metal spoon, scoop out the insides. Separate...Read More
