I Heart Farmers Markets

I like Tuesdays. It's the day I ditch my boring packed lunch and head out to get some food, fresh air and sun at the Torrance Farmers Market.

I seek out Farmers Markets. On vacation, locally, just about anywhere, I'll stop to peruse the stands and check out the local produce. It seems each market has its own personality. Some are small and intimate with just a handful of vendors selling fruits and vegetables. Others, like the Torrance market, have stands selling various cookedfoods, from tamales and pupusas to omelettes and my favorite, Kettle Corn (!!!), making it a popular spot for a lunch hour bite. Then there's the destination markets like the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers Markets and Santa Monica's on Third Street Promenade that draw chefs, home cooks and tourists all together to enjoy the farmers' labors.

I sometimes go to a Farmers Market just to walk it. I just like to stroll from stand to stand to see what's being offered. Right now, cherries are in season, though only for a few weeks because of a bad season. Strawberries are starting to taper off a bit, but that means summer stone fruits are coming (cue drool). Peaches have started, but they're still rather small.

This is probably my favorite time of the year for Farmers Markets. There's so much possibilities. The multitude of berries to make a berry shortcake or the summer squash to mark on the grill. Also excellent on the grill are peaches and plums, to die for with a brush of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Asparagus and peas are in season, perfect for a simple stir-fry.

And that's exactly what I love most about Farmers Markets - the potential that it holds. The fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, herbs, breads, EVERYTHING! hold potential to be turned into something great. It's a cook's palette of colors. It's a place that I like to let my imagination go...

LA Times did an article last week about the beginnings of the Farmers Market concept. Find a market near you (if you live in Socal)!!!