Round succulent cherries, plump apricots, mouth-watering peaches. Vibrant yellows and oranges, deep reds and warm greens. These are just a few of the sights you will see at a your local farmers market. If you haven’t been to one, then you are missing out.
Every Tuesday and Saturday Pasadena Farmers Market sell fresh fruit and vegetables directly from the farmer himself. If the farmer hasn’t grown it himself, he won’t sell it.
Not only do you know the food you buy is fresh with nothing added, the person who grew it will be the person selling it to you, giving you complete reassurance that the product you buy is straight from the ground, with nothing added.
“It’s summer barbecue season. People should learn to grill fruit. Peaches, nectarines… just any kind of fruit you put on a grill,” says Gretchen Sterling of the Pasadena Certified Farmer’s Markets.
Yup! Believe it or not, you can grill up a great dessert, too!
“We either [top the grilled fruit] with honey, balsamic vinegar or use some of our fabulous flavored goat cheeses,” explains Sterling.
The markets also carry lots of great vegetables, like an array of squashes, great for salads and the BBQ.
To really spark your creativity, here are two simple recipes using fruit or veg that can be bought from the farmers market. None of these recipes take longer than thirty minutes, and they are easy to prepare for a summers evening.
Grilled Watermelon Fillets with Watercress and Mint
Serves 4
30 minutes or fewer
If you’ve never tasted grilled watermelon, this scrumptious recipe will show you how a little heat concentrates the fruit’s texture and flavor.
Vegetable oil, for brushing grill
4 1-inch-thick slices watermelon, rind removed (1½ lb.)
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. agave nectar
6 cups watercress, coarsely chopped
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (¾ cup)
3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1. Brush grill grates with oil, and preheat grill to medium.
2. Brush watermelon slices with olive oil. Grill watermelon slices 5 minutes, or until just scorched around edges.
3. Whisk together balsamic vinegar and agave nectar in bowl. Toss half of vinegar mixture with watercress in large bowl.
4. Divide watercress salad among 4 plates. Top with grilled watermelon; garnish with feta cheese, mint, and remaining vinegar mixture.
Grilled Plum Sundaes
Serves 4
30 minutes or fewer
A touch of ginger and a stint on the grill bring out the sweetness in fresh plums for a fruity summer sundae.
Vegetable oil, for brushing grill
¼ tsp. ground ginger
4 ripe plums, halved and pitted
1 ⅓ cups vanilla ice cream
8 gingersnaps, crushed
1. Brush grill grates with oil, and preheat grill to medium. Sprinkle ginger over plum halves, and place on grill. Cook 10 minutes, turning once, or until soft and grill-marked.
2. Place 2 plum halves in each bowl. Top with 1/3 cup vanilla ice cream and crushed gingersnaps.
Pasadena Farmers’ Market Villa Parke Center is located at 363 East Villa Street.
Pasadena Farmers’ Market Victory Park is located at 2900 block of North Sierra Madre Blvd.
For more information, call (626) 449¬0179 or visit www.pasadenafarmersmarket.org.