Homepage | Edible Paradise

Pomegranates

Many scholars believe that the forbidden fruit that Eve could not resist was a pomegranate, not an apple. The name comes from Middle French, pomme garnete, which means ‘seeded apple.’ Whether you enjoy snacking on the tangy, juicy arils (seeds) or sipping a glass of juice, pomegranates are one of the healthiest foods you can eat!

Ruby Jewels of Autumn

Winter Squash

The Fall farmers market is full of colorful displays of many varieties of winter squash in all shapes and sizes — from familiar pumpkins and butternut squash to more exotic items like turban and kabocha squash. Our market chef, Andrew Cohen, shares his tips for selecting the best winter squash.

Fall Harkens Arrival of Winter Squash

Mushrooms

What were once exotic are now commonplace — shiitakes, oysters, cremini, chanterelles, and Portobellos. The Monterey Bay area produces over 200 million pounds of mushrooms per year and is the second largest producer of mushrooms in the US and third in the world. Pennsylvania, where mushroom farming was pioneered, ranks first in the US for mushroom production.

Spore-Powered Superfood

Homemade Apple Pie

The Pajaro Valley, once known as the apple capital of the US, still produces a huge variety of flavorful, heirloom apples. One “secret” our best pie bakers shared is to use a couple of varieties in a pie, such as a combination of Jonagold and Mutsu apples. If you’re looking for a great pie recipe or need a fool-proof pie crust, here’s our best apple pie recipe collection!

Nothing Says “Home” Like Apple Pie

FIGS

California Mission figs are a unique and highly prized variety of figs that are renowned for their rich flavor and succulent texture. They can be enjoyed fresh, straight off the tree, or used in a variety of both sweet and savory dishes. The history of California Mission figs can be traced back to the late 18th century when Franciscan missionaries brought fig cuttings to California as part of their mission to establish agricultural settlements.

AN ANCIENT FRUIT WITH MODERN APPEAL

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!

{ Continue Reading } →

Quince: A Hidden Gem of Fall

Quince is believed to predate the apple and is often referenced in ancient texts, possibly as the fabled “forbidden fruit” from the Garden of Eden. Greek mythology intertwines quince with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, speculating that the golden apple presented to her by Paris was, in fact, a quince. The Greek word for quince,...

Delectable California Mission Figs

California Mission figs are a unique and highly prized variety of figs that are renowned for their rich flavor and succulent texture. These figs are grown primarily in our sunny state of California, where the climate and soil conditions provide an ideal environment for their cultivation. Here are some interesting facts: Figs are members of...

Display of raw peanuts at KT Farm's farmers market booth.

Peanuts in California: A Growing Industry

California, known for its diverse agriculture, is a surprising yet significant player and is positioned to become an emerging leader in the peanut industry. While our state is more famous for almonds and pistachios, peanuts have carved out a niche, particularly in the Central Valley. California’s peanut production benefits from its unique climate, providing the...

A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pear

Standing in front of a vast display of pears can be overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to remember which variety is best for your recipe. We hope this guide will make your selection easier! The key to picking the perfect pear lies in your personal preferences and the dish you’re planning to create. Pears come...

How to Use Crabapples

Crabapples remind me of the “Lemon Tree” folk song by Peter, Paul, and Mary. For those too young to remember, the lyrics went — “Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.” The same can be said for crabapples. Sometimes called...

Creamy tomato soup with crispy croutons on top

Dog Days of Summer — Time for Tomato Soup

As Fall approaches, farmers markets and gardens are overflowing with the bounty of summer harvests—especially sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes! On the coast, our evenings are growing cooler, making soup a welcome addition to the dinner table. There’s something about a warm bowl of tomato soup that just feels like home, especially when it’s made with fresh,...

1 2 3 4 5 … 10

We're On Instagram

Meet our newest vendors, Seth and Jack, with Fiji Wild Coffee! The beans are wild sourced and hand-picked in Fiji. Stop by to welcome them to our market and try their coffee.

The Aptos Farmers Market is open today until noon. Hope to see you soon!

#fijiwild #fijiwildcoffee #aptosfarmersmarket

20 0

Meet our newest vendors, Seth and Jack, with Fiji Wild Coffee! The beans are wild sourced and hand-picked in Fiji. Stop by to welcome them to our market and try their coffee.

The Aptos Farmers Market is open today until noon. Hope to see you soon!

#fijiwild #fijiwildcoffee #aptosfarmersmarket

20 0

Good morning from the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College! Something new from Lavender Creek Company—soothing oil based roll-ons! Be sure to stop by the booth to see all of their lavender scented products.

#lavender #lavendercreekcompany #aptosfarmersmarket

6 1

Good morning from the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College! Something new from Lavender Creek Company—soothing oil based roll-ons! Be sure to stop by the booth to see all of their lavender scented products.

#lavender #lavendercreekcompany #aptosfarmersmarket

6 1

Stop by Companion Bakeshop’s booth at the Del Monte Shopping Center and pick up a delightful sweet treat for dessert tonight!

The Monterey Farmers Market is open today until noon. Tomorrow, the Aptos Farmers market at Cabrillo College is open 8 until noon, rain or shine!

#companionbakeshop #montereyfarmersmarket #bakedgoods

19 0

Stop by Companion Bakeshop’s booth at the Del Monte Shopping Center and pick up a delightful sweet treat for dessert tonight!

The Monterey Farmers Market is open today until noon. Tomorrow, the Aptos Farmers market at Cabrillo College is open 8 until noon, rain or shine!

#companionbakeshop #montereyfarmersmarket #bakedgoods

19 0

Whatever you do—don’t miss these beautifully packaged, exquisite chocolates at Qouign’s booth today! Handmade with love and absolutely divine, they make the perfect gift for a special friend… or a well-deserved treat for yourself.

Swing by the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center and pick up a box before they’re gone!

💕 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

#ValentinesDay #qouignpastries #chocolate #farmersmarketfinds #montereyfarmetsmarket

18 0

Whatever you do—don’t miss these beautifully packaged, exquisite chocolates at Qouign’s booth today! Handmade with love and absolutely divine, they make the perfect gift for a special friend… or a well-deserved treat for yourself.

Swing by the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center and pick up a box before they’re gone!

💕 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

#ValentinesDay #qouignpastries #chocolate #farmersmarketfinds #montereyfarmetsmarket

18 0

Why not give living flowers to your special Valentine? Cavanaugh Color has a wonderful selection available today at the Monterey Farmers Market.

Thank you for supporting our local family farmers. We truly appreciate you! ❤️

#CavanaughColor #montereyfarmersmarket #farmersmarketfinds #plants #garden

9 0

Why not give living flowers to your special Valentine? Cavanaugh Color has a wonderful selection available today at the Monterey Farmers Market.

Thank you for supporting our local family farmers. We truly appreciate you! ❤️

#CavanaughColor #montereyfarmersmarket #farmersmarketfinds #plants #garden

9 0

Who can resist these cheerful early spring flowering plants at Pacific Rare Nursery? Such a nice reminder that spring is just around the corner.

The farmers market is open today, 8 until noon. Come by!

#PacificRareNursery #plants #flowers #montereyfarmersmarket

11 0

Who can resist these cheerful early spring flowering plants at Pacific Rare Nursery? Such a nice reminder that spring is just around the corner.

The farmers market is open today, 8 until noon. Come by!

#PacificRareNursery #plants #flowers #montereyfarmersmarket

11 0

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

It’s a beautiful morning at the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center, and love is in the air! The festive energy is contagious, especially at Sweet Elena’s Bakery, where these charming Valentine’s cookies are stealing the show. Whether you’re celebrating with a special someone or sharing the love with friends, a sweet treat is always a good idea. 💌

The market is open until 12 noon today!

#ValentinesDay #SweetElenasBakery #FarmersMarketFinds #SpreadTheLove

11 0

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

It’s a beautiful morning at the Monterey Farmers Market at Del Monte Shopping Center, and love is in the air! The festive energy is contagious, especially at Sweet Elena’s Bakery, where these charming Valentine’s cookies are stealing the show. Whether you’re celebrating with a special someone or sharing the love with friends, a sweet treat is always a good idea. 💌

The market is open until 12 noon today!

#ValentinesDay #SweetElenasBakery #FarmersMarketFinds #SpreadTheLove

11 0

Guess who is back at the farmers markets—Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery! And look at this impressive selection of artisan cheeses. Stop by their booth to learn more about them and try a sample.

The Monterey Farmers Market is open today until 12. Hope to see you soon!

#goatcheese #rockyoaksgoatcreamery #montereyfarmersmarket #delmonteshoppingcenter

21 0

Guess who is back at the farmers markets—Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery! And look at this impressive selection of artisan cheeses. Stop by their booth to learn more about them and try a sample.

The Monterey Farmers Market is open today until 12. Hope to see you soon!

#goatcheese #rockyoaksgoatcreamery #montereyfarmersmarket #delmonteshoppingcenter

21 0

Flavorful, ripe, hothouse-grown tomatoes are available at Borba Farms today. We are always in awe of what these farmers grow! Who knew we could enjoy locally grown tomatoes in February? 😎

Come by the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center today. We are open until noon.

#borbafarms #organic #tomatoes #montereyfarmersmarket

14 0

Flavorful, ripe, hothouse-grown tomatoes are available at Borba Farms today. We are always in awe of what these farmers grow! Who knew we could enjoy locally grown tomatoes in February? 😎

Come by the Monterey Farmers Market at the Del Monte Shopping Center today. We are open until noon.

#borbafarms #organic #tomatoes #montereyfarmersmarket

14 0

Locally grown organic apples are still available at Prevedelli Farms. This cool, damp weather begs for an apple pie right out of the oven!

You’ll find them today at the Monterey Farmers Market and tomorrow at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College.

#prevedellifarms #apples #montereyfarmersmarket #aptosfarmersmarket

23 1

Locally grown organic apples are still available at Prevedelli Farms. This cool, damp weather begs for an apple pie right out of the oven!

You’ll find them today at the Monterey Farmers Market and tomorrow at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College.

#prevedellifarms #apples #montereyfarmersmarket #aptosfarmersmarket

23 1

Got eggs? Yep, we sure do! You’ll find them today at Spade & Plow Organics at the Monterey Farmers Market.

The farmers market is open until noon today. Come out and get some fresh air!

#delmonteshoppingcenter #spadeandploworganics #montereyfarmersmarket #eggs

16 0

16 0

Meet Chef Jonny Black, the talented chef-owner of Chez Noir in Carmel and a dedicated supporter and weekly shopper at our Monterey Farmers Market. We’re thrilled to share that he has been named a semi-finalist for Best Chef: California 2025 by the James Beard Awards! A huge congratulations to Chef Black—this recognition is well deserved, and we couldn’t be more proud!

#cheznoir #chefjonnyblack #jamesbeardawards2025 #montereyfarmersmarket #wherechefsshop #Carmel

52 0