Oyster Mushrooms: These stunning mushrooms have a rather delicate physique and a layered fan-like appearance. They are delicious when sauted in olive oil, finished with salt and minced garlic to serve as a side, or over a grilled steak. They are also great in stir-fryÕs with seasonal sweet peppers, eggplant, and green onion. Grown in Santa Barbara by Golden State Papaya Farm, they are available at the Saturday and Tuesday Santa Barbara farmers markets. Make sure to inquire about cooking and storage tips when buying them direct from the farmer. Price is $5 per 4 ounces.
Poblano Peppers: Landing between jalapeo peppers and Anaheim chilis on the Scoville heat scale, this variety is most recognized as the go-to pepper for making chili rellenos. Delivering a moderate level of heat, they are excellent when blistered to remove the skin, then stuffed with cheese and grill corn and finished in the oven. They also are excellent when cut into strips and sauted with onions to enjoy as a taco or tostada topping. This week I used them to make a grilled tomatillo and poblano pepper sauce to enjoy throughout the Santa Barbara fiesta week. With the season just getting started, you can expect to find these peppers at all weekly Santa Barbara farmersÕ markets from a number of local farmers. Price averages $2.50 per pound.
Flavor Gem Pluot: Burkdoll Farms is currently well stocked with a great selection of flavorful pluots. With harvest currently in full swing for this plum and apricot cross, the flavor gem is one that definitely should not be passed up. With samples available at farmers markets of all of their varieties, make sure to have a try before you buy. Flavor gem pluots are medium in size, with a red blush over a green background. The flesh portrays a nice cream color and the fruit itself is quite sweet. Currently available at the Tuesday Santa Barbara, Thursday Goleta and Carpinteria, Saturday SantaBarbara, and Sunday Camino Real Farmers markets each week. Price is $2.50 per pound, or 5# for $10.
Tomatillos: Also known as the Mexican husk tomato, this naturally tangy fruit is recognized by its papery brown skin ad vibrant green to hello fruit within. Tomatillos are used to make salsa verde, often combined with cilantro, onions, lime juice and peppers. Tomatillos can be used to make either a raw or cooked preparation. Originating in Mexico, they have adapted quite well in our area, particularly prolific from the late summer through the fall seasons. You can currently find fresh tomatillos at all weekly Santa Barbara Certified farmers markets from a number of local farmers. Price averages $2.50 per pound.
Lemon Cucumbers: Local Goleta farmer Chris Millikin currently has some excellent lemon cucumbers at the weekly Tuesday Santa Barbara, Saturday Santa Barbara, and Sunday Camino Real farmers market. Recognized by their variegated white and yellow markings, these cucumbers are super sweet and crisp. Typically, this variety is peeled as their skin tends to be thicker than other varieties, but that is up to personal preference. They are ideal for adding to salads and sandwiches, making for a great presentation with the bright white flesh. Price is $2.50 per pound.
Black Mission Figs: When there are over a half-dozen varieties of fresh figs available from the Avila and Sons Farm out of Hanford CA, I know the fig season is on. These Black Mission Figs always tend to be my favorite, possessing a deep purple skin and vibrant red flesh. Make sure to sample the different varieties, as you may find another variety that better suits your pallet. Figs can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. In their raw state, I typically eat them right out of the basket. Although some will be sliced and added to a mixed green salad, others stuffed with goat cheese to enjoy as an appetizer. Occasionally, super soft, over-ripe figs will get tossed into a smoothie. Cooked figs are also quite delicious. They can be poached, sauted, and grilled, any of which methods I highly recommend serving over vanilla ice cream for dessert. This week I prepared a Fig and Roma Tomato Salsa, The Fix of the Week. Currently available at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara, and Wednesday Solvang farmersÕ markets. Price average $6 per pint-filled basket.
Figs
Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Calimyrna, Kadota and Panache are just some of the figs varieties I came across last Saturday at the Santa Barbara farmers market. They each have a distinct flavor, texture and color, so it’s fun to work with them in the kitchen. Make a fig salsa or preserves, add to a mixed green salad, poach or grill and serve warm over ice cream, or simply enjoy right out of the basket! For the Fix of the Week on page A7, I made a fig salad with walnuts, herbs and feta. Fresh figs are available at the Tuesday and Saturday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang and Sunday Camino Real farmers markets. $5 per basket.
Lemon cucumbers
Like their name suggests, lemon cucumbers possess a pale to bright yellow skin with alternating cream stripes. I typically peel this variety before consuming unless I’m making pickles, in which case the yellow really pops. These cucumbers are delicious in a salad with summer tomatoes or when cut into rounds and used as a scoop for hummus. They are quite moist and sweet when they hit their prime. You can find these lemon cucumbers from a number of local farmers at the Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang, Thursday Carpinteria, Saturday Santa Barbara and Sunday Camino Real markets. About $3 per pound.
Flavor Grenade pluots
This variety delivers explosive flavor! Flavor Grenade pluots are crunchier than many other varieties, so they hold up well in fruit salads. While I typically eat them as they come, my wife enjoys them in her morning yogurt. We usually slice these pluots up and add to the kids’ lunchboxes. Possessing a dull yellow skin with a pink to red blush, Flavor Grenade pluots are available from Burkdoll Farms at all Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Markets. About $3.50 per pound.
