Edible Paradise celebrates the year-round abundance of the highest quality, freshest food grown on the Central Coast by our family farmers at the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets. If you enjoy preparing and eating locally grown food, this blog is for you!
If you’ve seen the beautiful dressings, miso, and amazake products at the Aptos Farmers Market, you’ve met Hakouya — handcrafted fermented foods made by Masumi Diaz.
Masumi grew up in Japan learning traditional fermentation from her grandmothers, and today she and her son make small-batch miso, soy sauce koji, amazake, and miso dressing right here in Watsonville.
Her products are unpasteurized, probiotic-rich, deeply flavorful — and so easy to use in everyday cooking.
Customer favorites:
• Miso Dressing
• Quick Miso Soup
• White, Red, Barley & Chickpea Miso
• Umami Soy Sauce
• Salt Koji
• Amazake (Ginger, Matcha, Banana + more)
Find Hakouya every Saturday at the Aptos Farmers Market. Stop by, visit with Masumi about the health benefits, and bring home something delicious.
#Hakouya #AptosFarmersMarket #EatLocal #Umami #FermentedFoods #SupportLocalMakers #probiotics
Persimmons have arrived at Spade & Plow Organics!
If you’ve ever wondered which persimmon to grab (or what to actually do with them), here’s the quick farmers-market cheat sheet:
✨Fuyu Persimmons (the squat, tomato-shaped ones)
These are the crunchy, eat-them-like-an-apple persimmons. Slice them into salads, cheese boards, lunchboxes — they’re sweet, mild, and lovely while still firm.
✨Hachiya Persimmons (the tall, acorn-shaped ones)
These need to be very soft — like a water balloon — before you eat them. Once they’re fully ripe, the inside becomes silky and sweet, perfect for baking, puddings, breads, cookies, or spooning straight from the skin.
Swing by Spade & Plow this week and stock up while the season lasts. By the way, be sure to check out our persimmon recipes @edible_paradise_mbcfm.
#spadeandplow #spadeandploworganics #persimmons #aptosfarmersmarket #montereyfarmersmarket
✨ New from MIF Seafood! ✨
Just in time for the holidays — a delicious wild-caught smoked salmon spread! Perfect for effortless appetizers, festive brunch boards, or a quick snack with good bread or crackers.
While you’re there, don’t miss their premium frozen wild-caught Alaskan salmon fillets and rich, smoky salmon — customer favorites all year long.
Find MIF Seafood at the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center!
#mifseafood #montereyfarmersmarket #delmonteshoppingcenter #wildcaughtsalmon #smokedsalmon #alaskansockeye
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center! It’s a bit damp and overcast today, but it’s not raining. Come out and get some fresh air and see what the farmers have brought to the market.
First market find of the day: heirloom conehead cabbage at the Borba Family Farms booth. This old-time variety is naturally tender, with a sweeter flavor than the familiar round cabbage. Perfect for fall salads, quick sautés, or gently braised until silky.
The market is open until noon—see you there!
#montereyfarmersmarket #delmonteshoppingcenter #borbafarms #borbafamilyfarms #coneheadcabbage #seasonal
🍁 Thanksgiving Market Hours 🍁
For your holiday shopping convenience, the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center will be open Wednesday, November 26, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. — the perfect time to pick up the freshest local produce, flowers, baked goods, and specialty foods for your Thanksgiving table.
Please note: the market will be closed on Friday, November 28 to allow our hardworking farmers and food artisans to enjoy the holiday with their families.
The Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College will be open as usual on Saturday, November 29, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Stock up early and make your holiday meal shine with the bounty of our markets!
#shopdelmonte #delmonteshoppingcenter #montereyfarmersmarket #aptosfarmersmarket #shoplocal #thanksgivingschedule2025 #monterey
Meet Sylvia and Joey from Manzanita Manor Organics!
Their renowned dry-farmed walnuts are a true taste of the Central Coast—rich, flavorful, and sustainably grown.
Stop by their booth for a delicious selection of raw walnuts, sprouted walnuts, chocolate-covered walnuts, walnut meal, walnut butter, and cold-pressed walnut oil — all made with care right here in California.
It’s a beautiful morning at the Aptos Farmers Market. Come meet your friends and enjoy this glorious fall morning! The market is open until noon. 🍁
#aptosfarmersmarket #montereybayfarmersmarkets #manzanitamanororganics #californiawalnuts #dryfarmed #shoplocal #eatlocal #farmersmarketfinds #supportlocalfarmers
#baking #holidaybaking
Did we mention the nut harvest is in? 🙃
Stackhouse Orchards is here at the Aptos Farmers Market with their new crop California almonds—fresh, flavorful, and oh-so-versatile! Choose from flavored roasted almonds (perfect for snacking or gifting) and freshly ground almond meal, just in time for your holiday baking projects.
It’s a gorgeous morning here at the market—open until noon! Come by, shop local, and stock up on the taste of the season.
#aptosfarmersmarket #montereybayfarmersmarkets #stackhouseorchards #californiaalmonds #shoplocal #holidaybaking #farmersmarketfinds #eatlocal
#californiagrown #almonds #nutharvest2025
✨ NEW CROP ALERT! ✨
Guess you can tell the fresh nut harvests have arrived at the farmers markets! Pick up new crop walnuts by the bag or in bulk from Minazzoli Farms today at the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center.
Walnuts are so versatile—enjoy them as a healthy snack, toast and toss into salads, stir into granola, or bake them into your favorite holiday treats.
Find delicious walnut recipes at www.edibleparadise.com (link in bio). Be sure to check out our new Gifts From the Kitchen category featuring creative treats.
#montereyfarmersmarket #delmonteshoppingcenter #minazzolifarms #newcropwalnuts #californianuts #eatlocal #supportlocalfarmers #edibleparadise #farmersmarketfinds #shoplocal #californiagrown #calfreshmontereycounty
✨ NEW MARKET FIND! ✨
Basque Chili Powder from Borba Family Farms 🌶️
Stop by the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center today and pick up a jar of this beautifully aromatic spice made from peppers grown especially for drying.
Basque Chili Powder lands somewhere between paprika and cayenne in heat—mild but lively, with a touch of sweetness and a whisper of smoke. It adds depth and warmth without overpowering a dish, making it a perfect everyday seasoning.
Try This!
• Swirl a pinch into scrambled eggs or drizzle over avocado toast.
• Whisk into vinaigrettes for gentle warmth and color.
• Blend into softened butter for grilled fish or corn on the cob.
• Sprinkle over roasted vegetables just before serving.
Tip: A little goes a long way—its mild heat and smoky sweetness add instant depth to any dish.
And…be sure to check out the new Basque recipes using this delightful spice at www.edibleparadise.com (link in bio).
#delmonteshoppingcenter #montereyfarmersmarket #borbafamilyfarms #borbafarms #Basquechilipowder #chefs #marketfind #edibleparadiserecipes #californiagrown
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center!
First stop — CE Farms is back with a fresh harvest of their legendary, California-grown pistachios! Just in time for baking holiday goodies or enjoying as a healthy snack. Did you know California produces about 99% of the U.S. pistachio crop?
Pistachios aren’t just delicious — they’re packed with protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats that help keep you energized and satisfied. Plus, their gorgeous green hue makes everything you bake a little more festive!
#montereyfarmersmarket #delmonteshoppingcenter #californiagrown #pistachios #shoplocal #farmersmarketfinds #holidaybaking #healthysnack #californiagrown #calfreshmontereycounty
From Amen Bee Products comes a truly remarkable selection of local honey and wild-sourced honeycomb, each jar capturing the unique flavors of our region’s blossoms.
Did you know it takes about 12 honeybees to produce just one teaspoon of honey? Every drop is a little miracle of nature — and Lynne brings it straight from her hives to the market.
Find Amen Bee Products at the Aptos Farmers Market and take home a taste of the most unique and flavorful honey from the Central Coast.
The Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College is open until noon. It’s a beautiful morning—come join us!
#aptosfarmersmarket #mbcfm #amenbeeproducts #localhoney #honeycomb #supportlocalfarmers #beelove #shoplocal #beekeeping #centralcoastgrown #california
Meet Marguerite from Belle Farms!
Belle Farms’ award-winning extra virgin olive oil has become a local legend — loved for its rich, vibrant flavor and handcrafted quality. Keep an eye out for their highly anticipated Olio Nuovo, the first press of the season, arriving in December fresh from the press!
#aptosfarmersmarket #mbcfm #bellefarms #oliveoil #olionuovo #shoplocal #supportlocalfarmers #centralcoastgrown #farmersmarketfinds #holidaygifting californiagrown #calfreshmonterey
