Saturday, June 27, 2015

La Jolla interlude



I am in La Jolla visiting old friends for a few days.    Fled the HOT valley yesterday for the cool, overcast, foggy southland.  I have photos to post later; I'm using a PC and have no idea how to do anything on it except type!  Tomorrow is the big farmers' market in the morning (after beach walks with dogs).  In the evening we'll drive into San Diego to attend Evensong at the Cathedral where I can visit my sister in her cozy little niche.   Monday is a coffee date with Vic's brother-in-law who is the interim rector at the Episcopal church in La Jolla, followed by lunch with yet another boarding school classmate, followed by a Shakespeare Film Festival at the Old Globe theater in Balboa Park (Lawrence Olivier's Henry V).  Tuesday is back home, exhausted but very happy to have been here.  I have always loved La Jolla and will move here when my ship comes in.  If ever.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

our local tianguis



This being Saturday it's Farmers Market day, so I roused myself early and went up to see what's good.  Needless to say, everything looked so beautiful, fresh and inviting.  This was my morning's haul.


This vendor had two big stacks of these beautiful carrots, some with the stems, some without.  What would you make with carrot stems?  Put them in a vegetable broth?


This stall also had gigantic yellow patty pans and green and yellow zucchini.  This is my favorite squash, steamed and slathered with butter and sprinkled with fresh rosemary.  Along with a lamb chop, of course.


L to r:  kale, leeks, onions.  I thought this last item might be a shallot but the grower said, "Not really."  What does that mean?  Yes or no?


Beautiful nectarines with a smell as good as they look!  Didn't buy any this week; they're still quite hard and small so I'll wait a week.


It's high season for cherries in the valley and several vendors had great piles of these glistening gems.


But these Ranier are my favorite and we came home with two boxes.  They'll probably be gone in a day or two.  So sweet and juicy!


Lots and lots of strawberries giving off their intoxicating perfume.  Hard to resist.


Or if you'd rather, you can always grow your own.  Plants available at several stands.



Many flower vendors, too, and I can never resist!


These  little (gluten-free) cakes are for dessert.  Looks like a layout for a Wayne Thiebaud paining.

And finally, something to put it  all into carry home.  Such a colorful collection of market baskets.


So that was my Saturday trip to the market.  Along with musicians,  the hustle and bustle of the vendors as they set up their stalls and the busy shoppers it made for a delightful start to the weekend.  Hope yours is as fun and (potentially) delicious.