Cameo apples
Possessing a stunning red streaky skin, this variety is thought to be a cross between the red delicious and golden delicious varieties.
Very crisp and firm, cameo apples deliver a nice sweet finish and pleasing amount of juice with every bite. Perfect for slicing, eating as it comes, or enjoying in a seasonal salad as in this week’s Fix on A6.
The firm texture also less well to pies, crisps and cobblers. Grown and harvested by the Rydell Family of Fair Hills Farm out of Paso Robles, this seasonal favorite is currently being harvested right off the trees and brought fresh to the Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang and Thursday Carpinteria farmers markets.
Make sure to grab some of their farm’s new batch apple cider as well. It’s exceptional! Cameo apples are priced at $3.50 per pound.
Organic galia melons
I found these two varieties of beautiful Galia style melons this week from Tom Shepherd’s Farm at both the Saturday and Tuesday Santa Barbara farmers’ markets.
When inquiring about the different options, I was told that the striped variety was referred to as an “ogen” melon and the one more reminiscent of a cantaloupe’s exterior was an “arava” melon. Both possess a vibrant green flesh and are quite sweet. The flesh is soft and delectable, perfect for a chilled melon sound, or simply eating right out of the skin, seeds discarded of course.
Certified organic, these melons cost $1 per pound.
Organic salt and pepper cucumbers
I’m pretty sure you have never seen this variety at any of your local grocery stores, or even specialty food stores.
Possessing a pale yellow skin and cream colored flesh, this relatively smaller variety is both sweet and crisp. The bumpy outer skin, similar to that of a pickling cucumber, is usually peeled before adding to a salad, although I often find myself enjoying them right out of the refrigerator, whole as they come.
They are a great option for homemade pickles, resulting in a fun yellow color once done. The color really pops when pickling and adding a little turmeric.
Grown organically by Jacob Grant of Roots Farm in Los Olivos, they can be found at the Saturday Santa Barbara, Tuesday Santa Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers markets. Price is $3 per pound.
