Katie Kaboom

Persimmon-itis. I’ve got it. I’ve got it real, real, bad. I’ve even already posted about it a few weeks ago, but having eaten close to 6 (okay, 7… errr…8) in the last 36 hours, I feel the need come clean. It wasn’t my fault, really, it’s just that every time I passed by a farmer at the market yesterday I picked up a few and tossed them into my basket, thinking to myself, it’s for research.

And research, it sure tastes good. Best persimmons in the market are at Penryn, perhaps tied with Laura Ramirez.

So, I digress…

Anyway, let’s talk about the fact that tangerines are gonna be there next week! Satsumas are rumored to be trickling into the market just in time for Thanksgiving, yay! Satsumas will lead the pack, followed by clementines, gold nuggets and the usual suspect.

A note about the Wednesday Market before Thanksgiving* - Thanksgiving at the Santa Monica Market is nothing short of totally magical. Farmers say they are already gearing up and prepping for the crunch (which, is actually fun, granted you get there early, know where to go, and enjoy the energy of the hustle and bustel).

Your must-have-hit list for the market should look something like:

Brussel Sprouts
Jerry Rutiz of Rutiz farms has beautiful miniature ones, perfect for a delicate sauté, caramelizing, or steaming.

Apples
Arkansas Blacks are here as well as some wonderful heirloom varieties. Beautiful colors, juicy, and carmel-y. Visit Sea Canyon, Fair Hills Farms, and Pudwill. Enjoy taste testing along the way!
Perfect for adding to your stuffing, baking in the oven, roasting atop fish or poultry, making into compote… and of course, apple pie! For pie I’d say mix it up with a few fuji’s and the last of the gala crop (if you can find em’) for some nice balancing.

Green beans, colored carrots
Plain and simple staples for T-day. Weiser Family Farms has beautiful red and black carrots, wonderful for roasting, and Jaime Farms has delicious French green beans (which Edgar assures me will be in full supply on Turkey Day).

Potatoes, Yams, and Onions
Find great yams at Friends Ranch and some of the most unique onions and fingerling potatoes at Weiser Family Farms.

Make your list, spend the next few weeks checkin’ it twice, and do a local Thanksgiving Dinner the delicious way.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 13th, 2008 and is filed under Santa Monica Market Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.