Edible Paradise celebrates the year-round abundance of the highest quality, freshest food grown on the Central Coast by our family farmers at the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets. If you enjoy preparing and eating locally grown food, this blog is for you!

A recent study published last month in The New England Journal of Medicine confirmed what Greeks seemed to know all along — eating a Mediterranean diet rich in nuts, olive oil, vegetables, fresh fruit, legumes, fish, poultry and red wine has proven health benefits, especially for those at risk for heart disease. Contrary to the popular belief that a low-fat diet was best for cardiovascular health, the results of the new Mediterranean diet study were so clearly evident that the researchers ended the trial early.

A Mediterranean diet supplemented with a daily handful of raw almonds or walnuts may be better for you than cholesterol-lowering statins. Researchers found that regular consumption nuts and olive oil was key to preventing heart disease. Enjoy a glass of red wine daily — in fact, a small carafe of red wine is part of the usual breakfast for centenarian residents of Ikaria, a Greek island where many of the residents reach the age of 90. Many of the Ikarian residents actually consume up to four glasses of wine a day.

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hen you think of "olive oil," what geographic area comes to mind? Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal…or California? Most Americans would think of one of these four European countries because they produce 93% of the world's olive oil. You find it surprising that while the golden state produces only a tiny percentage of olive oil for the US market, it produces 99% of all Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) made in the USA.

"California is the dominant player in the EVOO market due to the favorable Mediterranean climate and terroir that favors grapes as well as olives, and olive growers who are committed to producing the highest quality product using the latest equipment and technologies," said Patricia Darragh, executive director of the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). The Monterey Bay Farmers Market is pleased to have two such EVOO growers/producers participating at the markets: Valencia Creek Farms who makes Colline di Santa Cruz and Belle Farms.

Although better known as “Ranch” dressing to most, buttermilk dressing is the original name of this American classic developed in 1954 by Gayle and Steve Henson. The couple owned and ran Hidden Valley Guest Ranch, a dude ranch (of sorts) outside of Santa Barbara, where folks came to hike, fish and go horseback riding. It was a favorite hot spot for UCLA and UCSB students in the 50s and early 60s.

The Story Behind Ranch Dressing
In 1949, Steve worked in Alaska as a plumbing contractor in remote areas of the frozen outback with a crew of workers. It was there that he created his dressing concoction to improve the salads and the morale of the men he fed. “It’s tough to feed men in those bush jobs,” Henson said. “If they don’t like something, they’re as likely to throw it at the cook as they are to walk out cursing. I had to come up with something to keep them happy.” His secret? He mixed mayonnaise with buttermilk and whipped it until it had a creamy consistency and added a little seasoning and herbs.

Stone fruit season has arrived and we have a stunning variety of sweet, juicy peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, pluots and apriums at the farmers markets. Did you know California grows about 90 percent of the nectarines and plums grown in the US, and produces about 60 percent of all the peaches?

With over 200 varieties of peaches, 200 varieties of plums, and about 175 varieties of nectarines, it's easy to get confused about the flavor and color characteristics! Here’s a quick reference for stone fruits.

Peaches and Nectarines
There are many varieties of peaches and nectarines, but they fall into one of two categories: yellow or white flesh. Yellow peaches and nectarines are ready to eat when they yield to gentle palm pressure and have a balance of sweet and tart flavors. White peaches and nectarines are naturally sweeter and can be ready to eat when still firm and crunchy.