Last Sunday, I made my way to the Hollywood Farmers' Market, then immediately over to my parents' house. My sister and brother-in-law and their kids were coming over for dinner (takeout kabob, natch), and I told mom I'd provide the pre-dinner snacks.
There is an overwhelming amount of goodness to be found at the farmers' market. The debonair man with dreads and smiling eyes banging his drum and singing "This Old Man" for the kiddies, the friendly Thai lady preparing fluffy coconut sweets in a hot dimpled pan, fresh flowers on either end, and endless winter produce. Well, California winter anyway: gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, all manner of fresh herbs, huge avocados, and tons more.
I ended up leaving with wax beans, baby bok choi (leafier and darker that what I've seen before), radishes (I don't even like radishes! But these were so pretty and unusual: long finger-shaped guys, each one half white and half bright pink. They went to my parents.), teeny spindly carrots in several colors, a bunch of thyme, a hunk of sharp gouda from the 'yummy yummy cheese' lady, and loaf of whole-grain Moroccan olive bread with thyme and orange zest.
I saved the beans and bok choi for myself, but the rest made a pretty spread for the hungry family. It also led to the following revelation, compliments of my 3-year-old nephew, Ethan: "Dad, these are carrots, but they are special carrots, which are called purple and orange carrots." (Except that Ethan pronounces 'purple' more like 'fuffay'. Try it. It's pretty damn cute.) Our budding horticulturist.
ah, yes. the yummy yummy cheese lady--I know her voice well :) How was the gouda?
ReplyDeleteThe gouda was, obviously, good-a. (sorry, i know. i hate myself a little for that one. but also kind of love myself for it.)
ReplyDeleteseriously though, it was sharp and harder than i've had in the past, and it served me well -- with cheese, eggs, veg, etc. i'm saving the rind and plan to put it in a soup sometime soon. i know it's not exactly parmiggiano-reggiano, but i mean, it's cheese -- it really can't suck.
the guy who sold me the bread suggested having it with feta from a few stands down, which, i tasted, and was really fresh, but not that flavorful. so the gouda it was. he also divulged that the french lady a few stands in the other direction likes it with chocolate. gotta try that next time!