Edible Paradise :: Seasonal Cooking

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!

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At the Borba Family Farms booth at the Aptos and Monterey Farmers Markets, broccolini often disappears quickly. Long, graceful stems topped with delicate florets spill across the table — vibrant green and impossibly fresh. It looks familiar, but it’s something entirely its own. First things first: broccolini is not baby broccoli. Broccolini is actually a...
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There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a beet from the earth. Still dusted with soil, greens waving like banners, they feel ancient and grounding — a vegetable that connects us directly to the soil beneath our feet. At the farmers markets in April, beets arrive in jewel tones: ruby red, sunset gold, candy-striped pink....
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Each spring, the first bundles of asparagus arrive at the Aptos and Monterey Farmers Markets like a quiet announcement that the season has changed. At the Borbaa Family Farms and Klein Family Farms booths, those bright green spears practically glow on the table — freshly cut, tender, and ready for the kitchen. For Chef Andrew,...
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Artichokes are everywhere along the Central California coast, thriving in the region’s mild, foggy climate. Driving down Highway One toward Monterey, you’ll pass fields of artichokes in every stage of growth. Castroville proudly claims the title of “Artichoke Capital of the World” and hosts the annual Castroville Artichoke Food and Wine Festival. Although artichokes are...
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Colorful carrot bunches at farmers market booth
From vibrant purples and sunny yellows to sweet reds and classic orange, carrots offer far more than meets the eye. Discover the flavors, health benefits, and simple ways to enjoy this farmers market favorite — roots, tops, and all. Carrots may be one of the most familiar vegetables in our kitchens, but they’re also wonderfully...
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If your farmers market basket is filled first with vegetables—armfuls of greens, a few onions, maybe winter squash or ripe tomatoes—before you think about what else might go with them, you’re already practicing a way of eating that’s gaining quiet momentum. More and more people are stepping away from rigid food labels and embracing a...
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Today is extra sweet — Triple Delight Berries is back at the Aptos Farmers Market with their extraordinary blueberries! Plump, juicy, and bursting with flavor, they’re the kind you can’t stop popping straight from the basket.

Spoon them over your morning yogurt and granola… or save a few for a batch of warm blueberry muffins this weekend (if they make it home!). Need inspiration? Check out our blueberry recipes at our companion website, Edible Paradise. Link is in bio. ⬆️

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Warning: Biscuit happiness is highly contagious 😄

It’s Biscuit Day this morning at the Aptos Farmers Market, and the smiles say it all! Stop by Bay Living Culinary for fresh, hot biscuits just out of the oven — warm, fluffy, and impossible to resist. You’ll have a difficult choice to make: jam or hot gravy? 

We’re open rain or shine until noon… come grab a biscuit and see if you can leave without a grin.

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STARTS TOMORROW!  We’re delighted to introduce the new Edible Paradise booth — a welcoming gathering place at the market dedicated to seasonal cooking, culinary inspiration, and connecting more deeply with the food grown by our local farmers.

Beginning April 4 and continuing the first Saturday of each month, visitors are invited to stop by to discover what’s in season, learn where to find featured ingredients throughout the market, and pick up recipe cards highlighting the month’s Market Highlights.

Hosted by Chef Andrew Cohen, Chef in Residence for the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets, and Annaliese Keller, pastry chef, writer, and editor of Edible Paradise, the booth brings the farmers market companion website to life through conversation, demonstrations, and shared culinary curiosity.

What to expect:

🍆  Seasonal recipe cards featuring market produce and products

 🥦 Guidance on what’s in season and where to find it at the market

🥕  Mini culinary demos and practical kitchen tips

🧑🏼‍🍳 Ask-a-chef conversations about preparing unfamiliar fruits and vegetables

 🥑  Ideas for better-than-store-bought condiments, dressings, and everyday cooking basics

🌶️ Newsletter sign-ups and Edible Paradise updates

🥬A friendly place to stop, learn, and say hello

Come by and say hi! 💚

#edibleparadise #farmersmarketfinds #aptosfarmersmarket

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Planning your summer garden? Stop by Cavanaugh Color Nursery to pick up potted plants ready to go—they offer a beautiful assortment of colorful flowering plants that will instantly brighten your deck, patio, or backyard. Whether you’re refreshing containers or starting something new, it’s an easy way to bring vibrant summer color home. 

The Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center is open until noon. Lots of free parking and easy access! 

#cavanaughcolornursery #gardening #delmonteshoppingcenter #montereyfarmersmarket

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Just in time for Easter brunch this weekend, Borba Family Farms has juicy, sweet blackberries available today at the Monterey Farmers Market! Plump, sun-ripened, and bursting with flavor, they’re perfect for tarts, salads, or simply enjoying by the handful. Berry season is coming in fast—and we can’t wait!

The farmers market is open until noon today. 

#borbafamilyfarms #berryseason #easterbrunch #farmersmarketfinds

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Who can resist these freshly baked chocolate croissants at Sweet Elena’s Bakery booth? Buttery, flaky layers wrapped around rich, melty chocolate—simply re-warm slightly in the oven to enjoy later! 

#sweetelenasbakeryandcafe #delmonteshoppingcenter #montereyfarmersmarket #farmersmarket

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Set your brunch table with a beautiful Easter bouquet from Pacific Rare Plant Nursery at the Monterey Farmers Market. Fresh, seasonal blooms bring a touch of spring to your gathering—simple, vibrant, and straight from local growers. 

The farmers market is open until noon—hope to see you soon!

#delmonteshoppingcenter @pacific_rare_plant #pacificrareplantnursery #montereyfarmersmarket #flowers

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✨A special guest has joined the celebration today! ✨

Big thanks to Whole Foods Market for being part of our farmers market and supporting the Kids Eat Right event.

It takes a community to nurture healthy kids—and we’re so glad you’re part of ours 💚

#wholefoodsmarket #montagehealth #kidseatright #delmonteshoppingcenter #healthy

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Don’t miss these beautiful English peas today at Borba Family Farms!

A true spring favorite—tender, sweet, and so vibrant. Yes, shelling peas takes a little time… but it’s part of the ritual, a quiet moment in the kitchen that makes the reward even better.

Because nothing compares to a warm bowl of freshly shelled peas, simply tossed with butter and a pinch of salt—pure spring on a plate.

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