Sad to say, we have decided to close the Sunday Market in California Heights.

Thanks to all our friends, neighbors and loyal customers….there were so many of you who came every week and we wish you could clone yourself ten times over!  The farmers and vendors loved our market for the atmosphere and lovely crowd.  They came back week after week, month after month, not because they made lots of money, but because they wanted it to work.

I believe we made a valiant effort at bringing a weekend farmers market in to the community.  We had fun, ate well and look forward to what comes next.

Maybe a monthly event?  Community Supported Agriculture, right here in the LBC?

As we re-group please refer to this site for contact information about our vendors.  Shortnin Bread bakery is local, call them directly for your ice cream sandwiches!  Song’s Crepes can work your next carnival!

And don’t forget to support the Thursday Farmers Market on Atlantic Avenue…see you out there!

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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The pink ladies and honey crisps are back at the market….see the Park Fruit stand for samples and grab a bag full for the lunch bag!

These lovely yarns were there too!  Stop by the Ring of Fiber booth and sign up for a spinning class or pick up a hank.  She brings the swift and will wind it up for you….

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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Nothing says a summer bbq like corn, tomatoes, melons and peaches.  The market will be open and full of ingredients for any number of wonderful recipes.  Join us for the morning or just pop in for a quick spin around the playground.  Happy Labor Day!

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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Lots of eggplant in the garden and at the farmers market right now!  The standard has been olive oil, seasonings from Awaken Savor or the garden, grill.  Red pepper flakes, dried oregano – good, but what next?  Here is a winner from a fabulous magazine all cooks should subscribe to – Saveur!

Photo: Antoine Boot

(Caponata alla Siciliana)

SERVES 8

Eggplant is an extremely popular vegetable in Sicily, used in scores of ways, and sweet-and-sour flavors, as in this salad, are common to the island’s cuisine.

3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium eggplants, trimmed, peeled, 
and cut into small cubes
3 celery stalks, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped (optional)
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
3⁄4 cup capers
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1    6-oz. can oil-packed tuna, drained and broken 
up with a fork
1⁄2 bunch parsley, finely chopped

1. Heat oil in a large, nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes.

2. Transfer eggplant to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low, add celery and onions to skillet, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes to skillet, if using. Cover skillet and cook 10 minutes more. Return eggplant and all the accumulated juices to skillet.

3. Meanwhile, stir together vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute, then add to eggplant. Stir capers and pine nuts into skillet, cover, and cook 5 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool, then mix in tuna and parsley. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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Buy these from Park Fruit Farm Stand tomorrow!

These pluots are incredible!  They are freestone, firm and sweet.  Because of the natural sweetness, 1-2 tablespoons of sugar is all you need for a whole pie.  Sliced and tossed with the sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour and juice of one lemon, fill a pre-baked pie shell and place in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.  While the pie is baking, cut up and saute very ripe apriums or whatever you have on the counter that needs to be eaten.  Pour over the pie and continue baking until fruit is very soft.

Serve with vanilla ice cream if you must.  Delicious all by itself!

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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Before:

The honeyed goat cheese, basil and tomato tart is a winner.  But on occasion there isn’t enough goat cheese on hand, thus inspiring a new version.  This morning a baked pie shell was filled with feta cheese from Ari’s Farm Stand, then sprinkled with Green Mermaid herbal blend from Awaken Savor’s Farm Stand, topped with about two baskets of Sungold Cherry tomatoes from the Green Lab Urban Farm on Long Beach Boulevard at Spring Street.  The tart is baked for 30 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are very soft, then topped with chiffonade of sorrel.  Delicious!!

After:

The Green Mermaid blend with basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, ancho pepper, celery seeds, paprika, garlic, flax seeds, green peppercorns and honey-adds a depth of flavor to the brightness of the feta and sungolds.  I love the combinations of Alicja’s products.  Well researched and thoughtfully presented, Awaken Savor offers such a large collection of herbal and spice blends, you could pick up a new one every week of the year!

The finished tart is a great brunch side dish and would be a satisfying meal if the sorrel salad were dressed with several ounces of crispy bacon.

Bon Appetite!

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy catering…good fresh, whole food!

This amazing photo of Chef Paul Buchanan’s own personally grown heirloom tomatoes was taken by Sam Paano at the tomato tasting and cooking demo a few weeks back.  The rare “action” shot of expert seasoning, illustrates something Chef Paul emphasized during his presentation – the importance of throwing salt from a great distance to insure even distribution and avoid salt pile ups in one area.  The sporadic over salted nook or cranny caused by a less dramatic arc, is undesirable at best.

The platter, seasoned and drizzled with aged balsamic vinagre.

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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The melons at the market right now are just superb.  The orange fleshed muskmelon commonly know as cantaloupe in these parts is especially good.  The one picture above is going in the ground here in Long Beach at a local Urban Farm, it’s called a Melon Charentais.  The seeds are rare heirlooms, available from Baker Creek Seeds and can be found most Sundays at the market in the Farm Lot 59 seed rack!  It might be a little late to plant, but so is the summer heat…so they might have time and ripen by the end of October.  We’ll just have to wait and see!

Grab a few each week and keep them in the fridge.  There are several ways to enjoy an ice cold melon.  They make a great dessert on their own and you will soon be craving the crisp refreshing sweetness for a late night snack.  The kids will like a half a melon filled with an unsweetened whipped cream-just hand out a few spoons.  It’s a real crowd pleaser at the dinner table!

For a savory starter, pile up a slice of prosciutto and the melon on a pick and  add a drizzle of passion fruit.   Enjoy and experiment with the fresh melons at the market right now… see you tomorrow!

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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A few weeks ago we, Long Beach Sunday Market in Cal Heights, hosted a pie baking contest.  The idea was to feature fruits in season and found in the markets right now.  While this particular pie was not entered in the contest, it has been vetted by market vendors and friends of the market as yummy.  The fresh in-season fruits and vegetables need very little preparation or seasoning.  This dish is a great example of a simple and fast way to present the sweetness of the golden sun-kissed orbs-Sungold Cherry Tomatoes!

Tomato Tart

1-Pre-baked pie crust

2-baskets Sungold cherry tomatoes

6-ounces chevre goat cheese

1-teaspoon honey

1-large handful basil leaves

Pre-bake a pie crust and don’t forget to use the baking weights or dried beans to hold up the sides.

Soften the goat cheese and stir in the honey.

When the pie crust is cool, spread the goat cheese on the bottom.  Top with shredded or chiffonade of basil then pile on the tomatoes.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft.  Serve with lightly dressed baby greens.  Some salt and pepper in the salad, but none has been used in the tart and it tastes great every time!  Bon Appetite!

© Long Beach Sunday Market, 2010.

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