Strawberries
Strawberries are the harbinger of spring — they usually the first fruit to ripen in spring. Strawberries are grown in every state in the U.S., but California grows over 75% of the commercial strawberries in the U.S. Strawberries are packed with nutrients and make a healthy snack, a delightful addition to salads, or healthy desserts.
First Fruit of Spring
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Cabbage
While cabbage is available year round in our area, it’s especially appreciated in early spring for making homemade sauerkraut! It’s a great beginner’s project. Rich in probiotics, sauerkraut promotes gut health by introducing beneficial bacteria to the digestive system, aiding in digestion and enhancing nutrient absorption.
TIME TO MAKE SAUERKRAUT
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Beets
Both red and gold beets are abundant in essential nutrients that offer a myriad of health benefits. They are delicious roasted, steamed, or raw. Beets can be used in savory or sweet dishes lending their rich, earthy flavor to salads, soups, pickles, and vegetable medleys. Click on the link below for our favorite recipes!
A VERSATILE VEGGIE PACKED WITH ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS
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Asparagus
Without a doubt, asparagus is one of the harbingers of spring at the farmers’ markets. And these nutritious spears can be cooked in numerous ways — grilled, roasted, steamed, or sauteed. Add them to quiches, pasta or salads, or enjoy them as an appetizer. Harbinger of Spring
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Rhubarb
What is it about rhubarb — it seems people either love it or hate it! Although technically a vegetable, most use rhubarb like a fruit in pies, cakes, sauces, relishes, and jams. Since rhubarb arrives about the same time as strawberries in spring, it's often paired with strawberries in desserts.
Love it or hate it?
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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!
If you are thinking about holiday gift ideas for friends and family, you may not have to go any further than your pantry! Ingredients like dried fruits and nuts are plentiful now at our farmers’ markets — just in time for making delectable food gifts. Late fall fruits like apples and persimmons make excellent fruit...{ Continue Reading }
Whether you’re preparing a traditional Thanksgiving feast for your family or hosting a small Friendsgiving dinner with a few special friends, we have a collection of holiday recipes that are sure to please your guests. You’ll find holiday favorites such as apple and pecan pies (including a recipe for gluten-free pie crust), a helpful reference...{ Continue Reading }
Most families have favorite stuffing or dressing recipes that have been passed down for several generations. If you weren’t privy to the early Thanksgiving morning kitchen activities as a kid, there’s a chance you may have missed watching Mom or Grandma making their signature stuffing. There are many stuffing recipes and variations from region to...{ Continue Reading }
Instead of reaching for a can of commercially canned pumpkin, consider making your own delectable fresh pie filling with locally grown squash from the farmers’ market. But wait — which pumpkins are used for pies? Pumpkins are squash — but not all squash are pumpkins — nor are all pumpkins created equally! To understand this...{ Continue Reading }
Just like Mama used to make — well, almost. Our version is easier and just as tasty! Nothing beats fresh pasta with a texture and flavor that’s far superior to store-bought varieties. This simple semolina and egg pasta dough is simple. Rather than mixing by hand, we use a food processor to do the mixing....{ Continue Reading }
The name “pomegranate” derives from the Latin pomum (‘apple’) and granatus (‘seeded’). Jewish scholars believe that the pomegranate was the original “forbidden fruit” of the Garden of Eden. The pomegranate has been a prominent symbol in many religions and cultures since Biblical times, when Moses promised his followers that they would find the fruit in...{ Continue Reading }
Mark your calendars! The seasonal Sunday farmers market at the Del Monte Shopping Center opens in a couple of weeks! We love this quiet morning market—it’s a perfect Sunday morning stroll.
The farmers market opens on Sunday, May 5, 8 a.m. until 12 p.m., and is located in the same area as our Friday market. For more information, please visit our website at www.montereybayfarmers.org for more details.
Mark your calendars! The seasonal Sunday farmers market at the Del Monte Shopping Center opens in a couple of weeks! We love this quiet morning market—it’s a perfect Sunday morning stroll.
The farmers market opens on Sunday, May 5, 8 a.m. until 12 p.m., and is located in the same area as our Friday market. For more information, please visit our website at www.montereybayfarmers.org for more details.
Ahmed from Zena Foods offers an awesome selection of spreads and condiments, perfect for weekend entertaining, appetizers, or simply to jazz up an ordinary meal. And don’t forget the pita bread—it’s soooooo good. Just heat briefly on a griddle or skillet, and brush with a little butter when serving.
If you miss him today, he’ll be at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College tomorrow.
Ahmed from Zena Foods offers an awesome selection of spreads and condiments, perfect for weekend entertaining, appetizers, or simply to jazz up an ordinary meal. And don’t forget the pita bread—it’s soooooo good. Just heat briefly on a griddle or skillet, and brush with a little butter when serving.
If you miss him today, he’ll be at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College tomorrow.
Meet Daniel with Santa Rosa Flowers! Fresh spring flowers await you today at the Monterey Farmers Market. There’s nothing quite like flowers to brighten up your decor.
Meet Daniel with Santa Rosa Flowers! Fresh spring flowers await you today at the Monterey Farmers Market. There’s nothing quite like flowers to brighten up your decor.
Who can resist this smile? Donna at Donna Dirt Farm offers an assortment of fresh culinary herbs, artichokes, and lemons—and beautiful displays! Today we spotted fresh lavender too—have you ever made lavender syrup? It’s delicious added to tea or cocktails!
Who can resist this smile? Donna at Donna Dirt Farm offers an assortment of fresh culinary herbs, artichokes, and lemons—and beautiful displays! Today we spotted fresh lavender too—have you ever made lavender syrup? It’s delicious added to tea or cocktails!
Have you tried the amazing goat cheese from Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery? You are in for a treat! Stop by and visit with Margi and she will explain the different cheeses. One of the nicest things about a farmers market is visiting with the makers!
Have you tried the amazing goat cheese from Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery? You are in for a treat! Stop by and visit with Margi and she will explain the different cheeses. One of the nicest things about a farmers market is visiting with the makers!
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center! We are glad to welcome back Coastal View Farms with their organic asparagus.
The market is open until noon—lots of free parking and easy access!
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center! We are glad to welcome back Coastal View Farms with their organic asparagus.
The market is open until noon—lots of free parking and easy access!
The Aptos Farmers Market Cookbook Exchange returns! Need to downsize your cookbook collection? Bring your extra cookbooks to the farmers market information booth. If you see another book that you like, help yourself!
The Aptos Farmers Market Cookbook Exchange returns! Need to downsize your cookbook collection? Bring your extra cookbooks to the farmers market information booth. If you see another book that you like, help yourself!
Have you tried the lemon infused olive oil from Belle Farms? We can’t think of a better drizzle for broiling fresh fish, roasting asparagus or broccoli, or using in a dressing for a spring salad! Did you know that olive oil is also great for baking cakes?
Be sure to check out Belle Farms award-winning extra virgin olive oil too. We’ve lost count of how many years in a row they have come home with a gold medal from the prestigious New York competition for the best olive oils in the world!
Have you tried the lemon infused olive oil from Belle Farms? We can’t think of a better drizzle for broiling fresh fish, roasting asparagus or broccoli, or using in a dressing for a spring salad! Did you know that olive oil is also great for baking cakes?
Be sure to check out Belle Farms award-winning extra virgin olive oil too. We’ve lost count of how many years in a row they have come home with a gold medal from the prestigious New York competition for the best olive oils in the world!
Who can resist these incredible periwinkle blue hydrangeas at McCahon Floral? Arrange the pots in a basket to enjoy indoors for a few days, then plant outdoors in your garden. Hydrangeas are easy to grow and do well in our marine climate.
The Monterey Farmers Market is open till noon at the Del Monte Shopping Center.
Who can resist these incredible periwinkle blue hydrangeas at McCahon Floral? Arrange the pots in a basket to enjoy indoors for a few days, then plant outdoors in your garden. Hydrangeas are easy to grow and do well in our marine climate.
The Monterey Farmers Market is open till noon at the Del Monte Shopping Center.
Look who is back…Blue Heron Farms! Spring is extra special to us. We love when our farmers return to the markets and we have ‘the family’ together again! It might be a slower start this year due to the extra rainfall (which is both a good thing and a disruptive thing for some) but we are grateful for the water.
The farmers market will be open until noon today. Come by and stock up for the wet weekend. Don’t forget—the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College is open tomorrow from 8 am until noon, rain or shine.
Look who is back…Blue Heron Farms! Spring is extra special to us. We love when our farmers return to the markets and we have ‘the family’ together again! It might be a slower start this year due to the extra rainfall (which is both a good thing and a disruptive thing for some) but we are grateful for the water.
The farmers market will be open until noon today. Come by and stock up for the wet weekend. Don’t forget—the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College is open tomorrow from 8 am until noon, rain or shine.
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center! We love the charming displays by Donna Dirt Farm—this week she is featuring fresh culinary herbs, perfect for adding to salads, salad dressings, or soup. Yep…it’s still soup weather! Mother Nature tried to fool us a little with a few sunny days this past week 😵💫. But this rainy weekend will be perfect for a hearty pot of soup — and using fresh spring herbs will make it all the better.
Need a new soup recipe? Visit our companion website at www.edibleparadise.com for delicious recipes. (See clickable link in bio.)
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center! We love the charming displays by Donna Dirt Farm—this week she is featuring fresh culinary herbs, perfect for adding to salads, salad dressings, or soup. Yep…it’s still soup weather! Mother Nature tried to fool us a little with a few sunny days this past week 😵💫. But this rainy weekend will be perfect for a hearty pot of soup — and using fresh spring herbs will make it all the better.
Need a new soup recipe? Visit our companion website at www.edibleparadise.com for delicious recipes. (See clickable link in bio.)
New product spotted at Lavender Creek Company—Lavender Matcha Bath Salts Soak! If you haven’t discovered these folks yet, stop by and check out their line of self-care products made with locally grown lavender.
The Aptos Farmers Market is open until noon today—it’s sunny and beautiful!
New product spotted at Lavender Creek Company—Lavender Matcha Bath Salts Soak! If you haven’t discovered these folks yet, stop by and check out their line of self-care products made with locally grown lavender.
The Aptos Farmers Market is open until noon today—it’s sunny and beautiful!