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!
Now THIS is fresh lettuce! 🥬💚
Stop by Market Farms at the Aptos Farmers Market this morning and check out their gorgeous LIVING lettuces — sold with their roots still attached!
Market Farms grows these beautiful leafy greens hydroponically in the Salinas Valley as part of their HydroLeaf program. Their greenhouse growing system allows them to carefully manage growing conditions year-round while using approximately 90% less water than traditional farming.
And just look at these lettuces! Butter Lettuce, Summer Crisp, Oakleaf, Romaine and more — crisp, beautiful, and about as fresh as lettuce gets.
Keep the roots attached and treat your lettuce like the living plant it is until you’re ready to use it. Then turn those beautiful leaves into salads, lettuce cups, sandwiches, burgers — or simply dress them with your favorite vinaigrette and let the lettuce be the star.
Come meet the folks from Market Farms and pick up a living lettuce this morning!
The Aptos Farmers Market is open until noon. ❤️
#AptosFarmersMarket #MarketFarms #LivingLettuce #HydroponicLettuce #SalinasValley
Hurry and get in line…it’s Biscuit Day at Bay Living Culinary! 😍
Yep — those are hot, freshly baked biscuits, straight from Jody’s oven, with gravy to go with them. And they’re available while they last!
We might just be the only farmers market around where you can start your Saturday morning with a warm biscuit fresh from the oven before heading off to fill your basket with amazing local produce. ❤️
Honestly, can you think of a better way to begin a morning at the market?
Come early, grab a biscuit (or two!), and then enjoy your Saturday shopping at the Aptos Farmers Market.
We’re open until noon — but the biscuits definitely won’t be! 😉
#AptosFarmersMarket #BayLivingCulinary #BiscuitDay #BiscuitsAndGravy #FarmersMarketBreakfast
Another fabulous stop at the Aptos Farmers Market this morning — Munak Ranch! 🍉🍅
Munak Ranch is renowned for its spectacular melons and heirloom tomatoes, and right now their booth is absolutely bursting with the best of late summer.
And the watermelon? I have it on very good authority from the photographer that it’s “the best watermelon he’s ever tasted.” That’s quite a recommendation! But don’t just take our word for it — stop by the booth and try a sample for yourself. We have a feeling you won’t be leaving without one.
The Aptos Farmers Market is open until noon today, and it’s a spectacular morning — cool, sunny, and overflowing with gorgeous produce.
Come hungry. Bring a BIG market basket. You’re going to need it!
#AptosFarmersMarket #MunakRanch #HeirloomTomatoes #Watermelon #MelonSeason
What a beautiful morning at the Aptos Farmers Market! ❤️
The market hasn’t officially opened yet, but that hasn’t stopped early shoppers from gathering at Spade & Plow Organics — and one look at this gorgeous display tells you why.
This is one of our favorite moments of the year, when the abundance of summer begins to mingle with the first flavors of fall. Heirloom tomatoes and colorful specialty peppers share the table with potatoes, onions, shallots, and so much more — all beautifully grown, organic, and fresh from the farm.
For anyone who loves to cook, this is pure inspiration. Come without a menu and let the market decide what’s for dinner!
The Aptos Farmers Market is open until noon today. Come wander the aisles, fill your basket, say hello to your favorite farmers, and enjoy one of the very best parts of the weekend with us. ❤️
#AptosFarmersMarket #SpadeAndPlowOrganics #FarmersMarket #OrganicProduce #EatSeasonally
✨Market find!✨ Fresh passionfruit is available now at Borba Family Farms — and if you’ve never tried this exotic little fruit, consider this your sign.
Cut one open and you’ll find a fragrant, jewel-like center with a flavor that’s bright, tropical, sweet-tart, and wonderfully aromatic. A little passionfruit goes a long way, adding an instant burst of sunshine to desserts, drinks, sauces, and even savory dishes.
And the timing couldn’t be better! This month on Edible Paradise, we’ve been celebrating passionfruit with some of our favorite recipes, including Passionfruit Curd, Vanilla Panna Cotta with Passionfruit Sauce, Passionfruit Sorbet, Passionfruit Posset, and a bright, tangy Passionfruit Vinaigrette.
So pick up a few at the market and give something new a try. You may discover a new favorite!
The Monterey Farmers Market is open until noon today — come by and see what else is in season.
#MontereyFarmersMarket #BorbaFamilyFarms #Passionfruit #FarmersMarketFinds #EdibleParadise
Another fall favorite has arrived! 🍇🍂
Sweet, juicy organic table grapes from Schletewitz Family Farm are in at the Monterey Farmers Market, and there are plenty of varieties to choose from. Look for Autumn King, Autumn Royal, Red Flame, Melissa Seedless, Thompson, and Vintage Red—each with its own flavor, color, and character.
And while you’re there, don’t overlook the raisins! Pick up a bag or two for baking (the holidays will be here before we know it!), adding to granola or oatmeal, tossing into salads, or simply snacking.
If your idea of a raisin comes from a little supermarket box, these may change your mind. Schletewitz raisins are plump, moist, naturally sweet, and nearly twice the size of ordinary raisins. They’re one of those farmers market finds that remind you just how different something can taste when you buy it directly from the people who grow it.
The Monterey Farmers Market is open until noon today, so come by and stock up!
Can’t make it today? You’ll have another chance tomorrow at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College. We’ll see you at the market!
#MontereyFarmersMarket #AptosFarmersMarket #Californiagrown #SchletewitzFamilyFarm #OrganicGrapes
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market! ☀️
Sweet fall plums and pluots at Minazzoli Farms are such a treat right now! Here on the Central Coast, we like to think of early fall as our “second spring”—the days are still warm, the growing season stretches on, and the market is overflowing with beautiful late-summer and early-fall produce.
Plums and pluots are especially wonderful this time of year—juicy, fragrant, and full of flavor. Enjoy them fresh out of hand, or take a few extra home for preserves, coffee cakes, crisps, or one of our favorites: a rustic fruit galette. They’re also delicious roasted or tucked into a simple seasonal salad. Visit EdibleParadise.com for great recipes!
September is one of those wonderful in-between moments at the farmers market, when summer favorites mingle with the first tastes of fall. 🍂
The Monterey Farmers Market is open until noon today—grab your market bags, come say hello to your favorite farmers, and see what’s in season this week!
#MontereyFarmersMarket #californiagrown #CentralCoastCalifornia #Plums #Pluots
Market find at Prevedelli Farms: QUINCE!
Here’s something you definitely don’t find every day.
Quince is one of those wonderful old-fashioned fruits that has nearly disappeared from the modern produce aisle — but it’s well worth rediscovering.
At first glance, quince looks a little like a lumpy golden apple or pear. Pick one up and you may notice its extraordinary perfume: floral, fruity, almost tropical. But don’t take a bite! Unlike its apple and pear cousins, quince is generally too hard, tart, and astringent to enjoy raw.
Cook it, though, and something rather magical happens.
Slowly poached or simmered with a little sugar, quince softens, becomes beautifully fragrant, and can deepen from pale gold to a gorgeous rosy color. Its flavor is distinctive — floral, aromatic, slightly tart, and unlike any other fruit.
Quince has been treasured for centuries throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. It’s famously used to make Spanish membrillo, a firm quince paste traditionally served with Manchego cheese. It also makes wonderful preserves, jams, poached desserts, tarts, and savory accompaniments for meats and cheeses.
If you’ve never cooked with quince, consider this your invitation to try something new! Pick up a few from Prevedelli Farms at the farmers market — and then visit Edible Paradise, where we have quince recipes and ideas to help you turn this unusual fruit into something delicious.
Sometimes the most interesting things at the farmers market are the ones you’ve never tried before. 💛
#Quince #PrevedelliFarms #FarmersMarketFinds #EdibleParadise #HeritageFruit
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market! 🧑🏽🌾
Brrr…where did summer go? It may be a little drizzly and chilly this morning, but the farmers are here with a glorious bounty of late-summer produce.
KT Farms has a beautiful selection today, including several varieties of eggplant, pickling cucumbers, lemon and Thai basil, tomatoes — and jicama!
If you haven’t tried fresh jicama, you’re in for a treat. It’s wonderfully crisp, juicy, and refreshing, with a mild flavor that’s a little like a cross between an apple and a potato. Slice it into sticks and serve with your favorite dip, toss it into salads or slaws for extra crunch, or add a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of chile.
Don’t let a few clouds keep you away — grab a sweater and come enjoy the late-summer harvest with us!
The Monterey Farmers Market is open until noon today. Come on by!
#MontereyFarmersMarket #FarmersMarket #Jicama #delmonteshoppingcenter #ktfarms
Dinner made easy!
Stop by Fogline Farm at the Monterey Farmers Market and pick up some of their flavorful marinated chicken. Made with organic, pasture-raised chicken and available in several delicious marinades, they’re ready to take home and put straight on the grill.
Add some grilled farmers market vegetables, a crisp salad, or fresh corn on the cob, and you’ve got an easy late-summer dinner with very little prep.
Good ingredients + a hot grill = dinner solved! 👍
#MontereyFarmersMarket #FoglineFarm #PastureRaised #OrganicChicken #farmersmarketdinner
Stop by Fernandez Farms and try a sample of this season’s beautiful sun-dried fruit!
Naturally sweet and bursting with concentrated fruit flavor, dried fruit is one of the simplest ways to enjoy the harvest long after the season has passed.
Tuck it into lunchboxes for an easy snack, add it to a cheese or charcuterie board, chop it into oatmeal or granola, or keep some on hand for fall baking—quick breads, muffins, scones, cookies, and more.
Come taste a few varieties and discover a new favorite at the Monterey Farmers Market! The market is open until noon.
#MontereyFarmersMarket #FernandezFarms #SunDriedFruit #DriedFruit #CaliforniaGrown
Good morning from the Monterey Farmers Market! ☀️🐝
First stop is a visit with our lovely Bee Lady, Lynne of Amen Bee Products.
Have you discovered Meadowfoam honey yet? It comes from the tiny white blossoms of the meadowfoam plant, a wildflower native to the Pacific Northwest. When meadowfoam blooms en masse, its creamy-white flowers can make a field look as though it’s covered in sea foam—hence the name.
And the honey is just as unusual! It has a rich, creamy flavor with notes of vanilla, toasted marshmallow, and caramel—almost dessert-like.
Try it drizzled over warm toast or biscuits, stirred into tea or coffee, spooned over yogurt, or paired with a good cheese. And, of course, it’s pretty wonderful straight from the spoon. 🍯
Stop by Amen Bee Products this morning and ask Lynne about this very special honey!
#MontereyFarmersMarket #AmenBeeProducts #MeadowfoamHoney #LocalHoney #CaliforniaHoney
