Cherry season starts off slowly with the arrival of the Black Tartarian and Burlat; followed by the blushing yellow Royal Anne and Rainier. Sour cherries, like the Montmorency or Morello are primarily grown outside of California, and valued mostly for pies, jam, and for drying. Most agree the West’s dark, sweet, meaty Bing is the quintessential cherry, followed closely by Lamberts and Vans.

Long before it was known as a search engine, Bing was just a cherry. (And, of course, a famous crooner.) A cross between the Tartarian and Royal Anne, the Bing was developed in Oregon in 1875 by Seth Lewalling. Legend has it that because he didn’t have enough money to pay his Chinese cook’s wages, he named the new cherry after him.

Here are some helpful cherry factoids:

• Cherries should be shiny, plump, and firm.
• A green stem is an indicator of a just-picked cherry.
• Refrigerate cherries, unwashed, in an open plastic bag. It’s best to eat them within several days of purchase.
• Cherries-on-the-stem tend to last longer.
• Cherries contain vitamin C, and about 87 calories per cup.
• Cherry juice can stain your hands, so you may want to wear latex gloves—and an apron—while pitting them.
• A cherry-pitter is an inexpensive kitchen tool that makes the job a breeze. (It works a bit like a paper punch, forcing the pit out of the cherry.) Lacking one, just use the tip of a small, sharp knife.

Though not much can beat a cherry eaten out of hand, it’s fun to use them in unexpected ways. Act quickly, though, for cherry season is short but sweet…about 3 1/2 weeks, to be exact.

Spice things up: Transform pitted cherries into a zesty salsa by adding finely chopped red or green onion; minced jalapeño chile pepper; finely grated fresh ginger; coarsely chopped cilantro or mint; a tiny drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt; and fresh lemon or lime juice, to taste. Serve alongside pork or poultry; with a gooey jack cheese quesadilla; or for dipping tortilla chips.

Sweeten things up: Jazz up your favorite upside-down cake, substituting pitted fresh cherry and apricot halves for the usual canned fruit.

To preserve stemmed pitted cherries for baking year ‘round, flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until firm; then pack into freezer-safe bags or plastic containers. Use frozen.

Late Spring Fruit Salad: In a bowl, toss together stemmed, pitted, and halved cherries; cubes of ripe cantaloupe; pitted apricot halves (or quarters, if large); a pinch of salt; a splash of sweet white wine; and a few fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips.

Salad Days: Grill a well-seasoned skirt or flank steak until nicely charred on the outside and pink in the middle. While the meat rests on a cutting board, make a mustardy balsamic vinaigrette. In a bowl, combine young arugula leaves and stemmed, pitted, and halved cherries; drizzle with just enough vinaigrette to coat lightly, and toss gently to mix. Spread the salad over a large platter. Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices and arrange on top of the salad. Top with crumbled blue or goat cheese, and a few toasted almonds. Serve with warm crusty bread.

Gilding the Lily: Add fresh cherries to your favorite chicken salad or rice pudding; layer them in trifles, or bake the classic French clafoutis. Pile fresh cherries on a cheese platter; or build an adult-ice cream sundae by first macerating cherries in kirsch, brandy, or amaretto. (Heat the fruit topping, and you’ve got Cherries Jubilee.) Or mix them into slightly-softened vanilla ice cream, with or without shards of semisweet chocolate, for a home-style take on one of the country’s favorite ice cream flavors.

For an elegant ending to a meal, rinse perfect ripe cherries and pat them dry. Working one at a time and holding each by the stem, dip the cherries in melted dark or white chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; then refrigerate until the chocolate coating is firm. (This is an especially charming presentation for “twins”—2 cherries joined at the stem.) Just be sure to warn your guests these cherry-chocolate bonbons contain pits.)

Savoring the Moment: Forget those scary iridescent cherries sold in jars and make your own boozy ones to garnish cocktails or desserts. For each pint jar you’ll need about 1 pound of fresh cherries. Rinse them well and pat dry; pit them or not, as you like. (If you don’t pit them, prick each cherry 2 or 3 times so the liquor will penetrate the fruit.) Pack cherries into a sterilized jar, cover with bourbon, rye, brandy, kirsch, or Maraschino liqueur, and refrigerate. When all the cherries have been eaten, mix the remaining alcohol in cocktails.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

I always seem to have a package of frozen peas in my freezer “for an emergency.” And I think the last time I used them was indeed an emergency—when I needed an ice pack to soothe a grandson’s skinned knee.

There’s nothing wrong with eating frozen peas, of course. They are one of those vegetables that freeze pretty well. I just never seem to find an occasion to serve them; preferring, instead, to eat what is fresh and in season. Frozen peas are good for emergencies. Fresh peas are good to eat.

If you question whether there is really that much of a difference in flavor and texture, this is the month to find out once and for all. Spring is bursting through at the farmers’ market, and winter veggies are on the way out. Asparagus, artichokes, peas, fava beans — this kaleidoscope of green is nature’s sneak preview of all the wonderful things ahead.

After stocking up at the farmers’ market on sunny April mornings, I’m often inspired to continue the pace. Blame it on the mounds of fragrant strawberries, the tender little greens, or the riot of spring flowers available, but I want all of that beauty to follow me home.

More often than not I’ll toss my purchases in a cooler in the trunk of my car and spend the rest of the afternoon combing through local (and not-so-local) nurseries, buying up colorful annuals to perk up my patio garden. And getting more pricey landscaping ideas than I’ll ever put to use.

Although I consider this a perfectly legit way to while away the hours, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to make dinner when I get home. In fact, my ideal Saturday family dinner usually involves uncomplicated, comforting foods that are already in my refrigerator or pantry. (Or trunk.) A yummy meal prepared on the fly. Preferably while wearing high heels.

Here’s a speedy one-pot recipe that combines a vegetable and starch in one delish dish. Serve it alongside grilled wild salmon, and dinner is done. For dessert? Sliced farm-fresh strawberries, with or without a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt. Spring at its finest. And prepared in a flash.

Fresh Peas with New Potatoes and Mint

• 8 ounces tiny red or white new potatoes, scrubbed clean*
• 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas (1 1/2 pounds peas in the pod)
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water over medium-high heat until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the cooking water, but don’t bother to rinse out the pot. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
2. In the same saucepan, combine the peas, water, about 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the peas are barely tender and turn bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the warm potatoes and the remaining butter. Cook uncovered, shaking the pan gently, until the butter melts and becomes creamy and sauce-like, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Taste, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the mint and serve at once.

Serves 4.

*If you have only larger potatoes on hand, cut them into 1-inch chunks

Pea Primer

• There are basically two kinds of peas: English peas (aka common garden peas) that must be shelled to eat the “seeds” inside; and snow peas and sugar snap peas, which have edible pods. Sugar snap peas are plump; while snow peas—a favorite in Chinese cuisine—are flat.
• Although there are “string-less” sugar snap peas on the market now, most other varieties have a tough string running along the length of the pod. To remove it, snap off the leaf end and pull down on the string. (This is a mindless chore best done while watching television, or staring into space. Ditto for shelling fresh English peas.)
• Like corn, the sugars contained within peas convert to starch shortly after harvesting, so it’s best to buy them fresh at the farmers’ market and eat them as soon as possible.
• Easy does it! An over-cooked pea is a sorry thing. Strictly speaking, peas do not require cooking—though giving them a quick sauté or blanch in boiling water will intensify their color and mellow their flavor ever so slightly.
• One of my favorite go-to salad/side dishes comes from Ina Garten, and requires absolutely no cooking: Trim the ends from sugar snap peas, and remove strings if needed. Toss the uncooked sugar snaps with barely enough Asian sesame oil to coat lightly. (Be miserly here. Don’t think of the oil as “salad dressing;” add only enough to make the peas glisten.) Sprinkle with toasted white or black sesame seeds and serve at room temperature. You will be amazed.
•  Regardless of which variety you buy, always inspect the packaging: look for plump, glossy green pea pods, crisp and free of blemishes.
• Peas taste best when eaten the same day they were picked. When that is not possible, store them in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
• Pea Arithmetic: one pound of English peas-in-the-pod yields 1 cup of shelled peas.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

I’m not talking about the same asparagus we see every month throughout the year; the stuff that was shipped halfway around the world before ending up under the fluorescent lights of the warehouse store. That asparagus is bred to look picture-perfect, but tends to be tough and usually lacks any significant flavor. No, my Irish eyes gravitate to the season’s first young, tender stalks from the Delta. Step aside, tulips and daffodils. In my book, asparagus is the undisputed harbinger of spring.

I will gladly don my rain boots early every Saturday morning just to stock up on this, the most elegant of vegetables. But best of all, asparagus means that peas, artichokes, and fava beans are just around the corner. Literally. Only a few stalls away from juicy, locally-grown strawberries.

ASPARAGUS TIPS

• When buying asparagus, select firm, bright green stalks with little or no white and tight, dry tips. Asparagus breaks down quickly after harvesting, losing sugar and moisture, so check the ends; if they are shriveled and dry, the stalks are old.
• If you can’t resist the exotic, remember that white asparagus is comparatively a bit bland; and purple asparagus turns green when cooked.
•  White asparagus is the very same vegetable; it’s just grown differently. The stalks are covered with soil during the growing period to block out the sun, so they never produce chlorophyll—and never turn green.
• To ensure even cooking time, choose asparagus spears that are all about the same thickness
•  Thick or thin? Like people, it’s often the luck of the draw. Asparagus plants live 8 to 10 years. Young plants produce thin asparagus; mature plants tend to produce thicker spears. It’s as simple as that.
•  To store, wrap unwashed asparagus in a damp paper towel and refrigerate in an open plastic bag for up to 4 days. If the spears begin to go limp after 2 or 3 days, rehydrate by cutting a bit off the ends and standing them upright in a container filled with about an inch of water; cover loosely with a plastic bag and refrigerate for an hour or two.
• To remove tough ends from asparagus before cooking: Hold a spear near the middle with one hand and near the bottom-end with the other hand. Gently bend the asparagus; it will snap apart at the spot where it begins to get tough. (If you’re a neat-nik, go ahead and trim the ends with a knife.) Discard the tough ends….or freeze them for stock, or toss them in the compost pile.

STALKING RECIPE IDEAS

•  Steam or stir-fry it if you prefer, but roasting asparagus highlights its inherent grassy-nutty flavor. To roast asparagus: On a rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus with just enough olive oil to coat lightly. Spread the spears in an even layer and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 425 degree oven, shaking the pan once or twice, until lightly browned at the edges and the stems are crisp-tender, 7 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness.
• Serve roasted asparagus as is, or topped with a shower of grated cheese or toasted sliced almonds. Or, for a change, brown panko breadcrumbs in butter with a bit of finely chopped fresh mint and lemon zest; then scatter over the top.
• If you’ve already fired up the outdoor grill, toss the uncooked spears lightly with olive oil and arrange them diagonally on the grill (so they don’t fall through) and cook, turning with tongs, for 4 to 8 minutes, until crisp-tender. You’ll get that same delicious caramelization that comes from oven-roasting. Indoor grills work perfectly well, too—though it may take a bit longer to cook.
• For a slightly addictive appetizer, dip fresh asparagus spears in a tempura or light beer batter. Deep-fry and serve warm, with either a squeeze of lemon or a dipping sauce.
• Roast asparagus spears until just barely tender. When cool enough to handle, wrap with paper-thin slices of prosciutto or other ham, roast beef, or turkey. Serve at room temperature.
• Why not a raw asparagus salad? Trim off and discard the ends from the fattest spears you can find; then shave them lengthwise on a mandolin or other mechanical slicer. Season the thin slices with salt and pepper, then toss with fruity California olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan cheese over the top.
• When you find thin asparagus, try Chef Anne Burrell’s take on the raw asparagus salad: Cut the trimmed spears crosswise into thin rounds; then toss with diced red onion and plenty of finely grated Pecorino cheese. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and fruity olive oil, and season with kosher salt.
• Trim and lightly steam a few baby artichokes. Cut them in half lengthwise; then toss with olive oil and roast in the oven along with fresh asparagus spears and halved tiny fingerling potatoes. Toss with a lemon-caper vinaigrette and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. (Adding a handful of steamed fava beans will only make this better.)
•  Make an Asian-inspired salad by topping cooled roasted asparagus with a squeeze of fresh orange juice and a drizzle each of sesame oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and garnish with peeled orange slices.
• Tuck roasted asparagus in omelets, quiche, or frittatas dotted with crumbled California goat cheese; or in simple pasta dishes or risotto.
• Glam up brunch by serving a poached egg over roasted asparagus spears, with or without a slice of smoked salmon or Fontina cheese … or a generous drizzle of Hollandaise. Serve slices of toasted crusty artisan bread on the side

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9am until 1pm. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FAR, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

When spring is still a whisper away, it’s a good time to explore the cool-weather vegetables we normally take for granted….and I’m hard-pressed to think of one more overlooked than the humble radish.

Often dismissed as little more than a colorful afterthought for crudité platters, there is probably not a grocery store in California that doesn’t keep a permanent mound of red radish bunches piled high in the produce department (or, worse yet, stripped of their leaves and decaying in plastic bags.) Unfortunately, more often than not these little orbs are unpalatably peppery, giving the entire genus a bad rep.

Although available year ‘round, radishes are just now coming into their finest season. And if you’ve limited your past consumption to only the red globe varieties, you are in for a very affordable surprise at the farmers’ market.

Members of the mustard family, radishes are root vegetables that resemble tiny beets or turnips. Aficionados reach for the reliably mild Flambo or French Breakfast radish, so chic with its elongated shape, red shoulders, and white tip. White Icicle radishes are, as the name suggests, long, thin, and snowy white. The rounded Easter Egg radish comes in varying shades of red, pink, purple, and white; often bundled together for visual appeal.

It is believed radishes were first grown thousands of years ago in China, and eventually migrated to Egypt and Greece. They made their way to England in the mid-16th century, and were cultivated in Massachusetts less than 100 years later. Although now grown throughout the U.S., the largest commercial crops come from California and Florida.

While perusing radishes at the farmers’ market, be sure to also stock up on end-of-season apples, pears, and citrus. And treat someone special to a bouquet of fresh flowers to brighten up a cold wintry day.

Radish Tips and Trivia

• 1 cup of sliced radishes weighs in at less than 20 calories; with 4 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber, and 45 mg sodium. They also contain 29% of our RDA of Vitamin C.
•   Crisp, bright green leaves are the primary indicator of freshness.
•   Smaller radishes are generally milder and crunchier. As the weather gets warmer, most radishes become spicier.
•   Some may like them hot, but everybody wants them crunchy—which means the very best radishes are fresh from the grower. Once purchased, use them within 5 days.
•   Unless you plan to serve the radishes intact, trim away the leaves, leaving a bit of the green stems attached. Then store the radishes in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
• Radish leaves are edible—and nutritious—so do not discard. Rinse them well to remove any grit, then add to salads or cook as you would Swiss chard or kale.
• Radishes are best served raw; but any unpleasantly peppery ones are easily tamed by cooking—either sautéed or roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper; or braised in a bit of chicken stock and a splash of white wine. Serve warm as a side dish.
•  Enhance a crisp butter lettuce salad with sliced radishes, chopped fresh chives, and a homemade herb vinaigrette or buttermilk dressing.
• Toss sliced radishes into your favorite coleslaw or other cabbage- or cucumber-based salads.
• For another invigorating salad, combine sliced radishes with matchstick-size pieces of jicama, bite-size chunks of avocado and orange segments, dressed with a lime-cilantro vinaigrette.
•  For a taste of the exotic, cut away the skin and pith from several navel oranges. Cut the oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch slices and arrange on a platter. Mix together a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice, a few drops each of orange flower water and honey, a pinch each of ground cinnamon, salt, and cayenne; then drizzle over the oranges. Scatter sliced radishes on top and garnish with small fresh mint leaves.
• Serve a bowl of sliced radishes at the table to top off posole or other soups and stews.
• Tuck radish slices inside soft tacos, or shower them over tostadas.
• Spread crostini with soft goat cheese and top with radish slices, a tiny sprig of arugula or watercress, and a few grindings of black pepper. For more genteel occasions, make tiny tea sandwiches filled with paper-thin radish slices, finely shredded mint leaves, and a lemony mayonnaise.
• Grate radishes into softened cream cheese; stir in some chopped fresh parsley and season with salt, pepper, and a squirt of lemon juice. Serve as a spread for cocktail rye, pumpernickel bread rounds, or whole radishes.
• Whip up a healthy lunch by stirring sliced or coarsely grated radishes into cottage cheese, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Stir grated radishes into guacamole for added crunch and color. Ditto for egg salad.
• Pair chopped radishes with cucumber, celery, minced red or green onion, and cilantro for a refreshing homemade salsa.
• For an unusual raita, mix chopped radishes with cucumber, yogurt, and a few minced golden raisins; season to taste with ground cumin, salt, and a bit of minced fresh jalapeño. Serve alongside spicy curries; as a condiment with grilled chicken or fish; or as a dip with pita chips.
• Make radishes the unexpected star of grain or veggie salads. (Especially when asparagus and sugar snap peas come into season.)
• Rozanne Gold, author of Radically Simple, sautés sliced French Breakfast radishes and their coarsely chopped leaves along with bite-size strips of bacon; then tosses everything together with just-cooked pasta, grated Pecorino Romano, lots of coarsely cracked black pepper, and a dash of salt. Brilliant.

Radish Crudité

This classic French appetizer couldn’t be easier on the host—nor is there a better way to showcase your latest radish finds from the farmers’ market. The quality of each ingredient elevates the simple to the sublime.

• Whole young French Breakfast radishes (the smaller the better), or red globe radishes, halved lengthwise
• Best-quality unsalted butter, such as Kerrygold or European-style Plugra, at cool room temperature
• Coarse salt, such as Maldon sea salt, fleur de sel, or kosher salt
• Thin slices of sweet baguette

1.  Rinse radishes well with cold water. Leave whole with leaves intact, or trim away some or all of the leaves, maintaining enough of the green stem to serve as a “handle.” For maximum crispness, refrigerate the radishes in a bowl of ice water, covered, until serving time. (This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.)
2. Drain the radishes well and arrange on a small platter. (You can place them on a bed of crushed ice, if you like.) Accompany with a crock of butter, a small dish of salt, and the bread. Set out an empty bowl for any radish tops that may be discarded.
3. Have each guest spread a bit of butter on a radish and dip lightly into the salt. Eat as-is, or cradled in a slice of bread.

Variations:

• Mix chives or other fresh herbs into the butter before serving.
• For added depth of flavor, offer truffle salt (available in many gourmet shops), or mix a bit of finely grated lemon zest into plain coarse salt.
• Provide a small dish of toasted cumin seeds as an alternative to salt.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FAR, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

I would be the last person on the planet to recommend dining on a tablespoon of cottage cheese and a few limp carrot sticks. (I’m all for maintaining high standards, regardless of the circumstances.) So instead of partaking in dreary rabbit food, how about something fresh and colorful, brimming with bright flavors and a variety of textures? How about a dinner where nearly every ingredient can be purchased at a fair price, directly from the grower?

Because we have access to excellent produce throughout the year, Californians are known for their inventive seasonal salads. I realize a cold dinner is about the last thing on anyone’s mind in January—but take a minute to walk through the farmers’ market and think outside the ice box. What if one of our salad’s main ingredients was roasted to cozy perfection in your oven?

There is a whole world beyond that wedge of crisp iceberg drizzled with blue cheese dressing or, far worse, those wilted lettuce leaves and anemic tomato slices drowning in a bottled vinaigrette. Californians know how to make the most of the most humble, any time of the year. With sweet chunks of roasted winter squash, crunchy toasted walnuts, and tart dried cherries, the following salad is hearty enough to stand on its own for dinner—and a worthy side dish for any potluck.

Make this the main event one Meatless Monday this month—accompanied by a warm, crusty loaf of artisan bread and a glass of crisp California Chardonnay to toast in a new year of good eating.

Honey-Glazed Butternut Squash Salad

• 1/2 cup California walnut halves and pieces
• 1 (2-pound) firm winter squash, such as butternut, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
• 2 tablespoons California extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse (kosher) salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons California walnut oil or olive oil
• 6 cups baby arugula leaves (about 7 ounces)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• Optional: crumbled California goat cheese, blue cheese, or shaved Parmesan

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the walnuts in a small pan and bake, stirring once or twice, 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool; then chop coarsely. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
2. To facilitate clean-up, line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment. Combine the squash, olive oil, about 2 teaspoons of coarse salt, the thyme, and crushed red pepper on top; toss to mix. Spread into an even layer and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey; stir carefully with a spatula, and once again spread into an even layer. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are nicely browned and the squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 5 to 10 minutes longer.  (If desired, squash can be baked up to 2 hours in advance. Just cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature.)
3. To make the dressing: In a large shallow serving bowl, whisk together the orange juice and the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the walnut oil. Add the arugula, walnuts, and dried cherries and toss gently to coat. Taste, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Use a spatula to scrape the warm (or room temperature) squash and any cooking juices over the salad. Top with cheese, if desired. Serve at once.

Serves 4 to 6.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

In a perfect world I would spend this month leisurely baking cookies, tying tartan ribbons around the hundreds of(imaginary) jars of jam I made last summer, and writing personal notes in every single holiday card. But the reality of December is an entirely different matter. In addition to my regular work schedule, there are dozens of parties to attend, an inordinate amount of cooking and entertaining at home, and lots of time spent with friends with whom I may have lost touch during the year. Paired with endless trips to the grocery store and last-minute shopping for gifts, it’s easy to become frazzled and lose sight of what’s really important. I know. I do it every year.

An early morning excursion to the farmers’ market is my personal form of therapy, however. No nasty traffic jams or cranky shoppers at that hour. No fluorescent lights or recorded carols to raise my anxiety level. Just warm people and nature at its most beautiful, in the crisp morning air.(If the truth be told, I secretly enjoy the rainy mornings even more, when only the most discriminating shoppers show up.)

While I pick up what I’ll need for weekday meals and potlucks, I scout out the many bargains available at the market. Along with fragrant wreaths and seasonal flowers, gifts of good taste abound. Our farmers’ market carries much more than perishable produce; there is locally produced extra virgin olive oil, vinegars, artisan jams and preserves, and glistening jars of sun-dried tomatoes. All make deliciously practical gifts.

As I linger over all the little bags of freshly dried fruits and nuts at the market, my mind always wanders back to the kitchen. Gifts from the kitchen show you care—but procrastinators like us don’t have much time for starting a new project mid-December. Then my mind turns to chocolate bark. Homemade candy in less than an hour. No thermometers, no marble slabs, no sugar that refused to caramelize. Easy breezy.

Face it: this is a chocolate-coated month. There is simply no way around it. But joining the masses doesn’t mean you can’t sneak a few healthy ingredients into the mix. And it’s the quality of the ingredients that give this recipe the edge.

Good chocolate abounds in the Bay Area, and buying in bulk makes it affordable. As far as all the bumpy little goodies that lend personality and flavor to your bark, shopping at the farmers’ market ensures the nuts are part of this year’s crop—not something recently liberated from a warehouse freezer—and the dried fruit is consistently plump and moist.

Packaging is also key: I opt to pack homemade bark in either clear cellophane bags tied with red-and-white bakers’ twine, or plain white Chinese takeout boxes. (Most restaurant supply stores sell them in large plastic sleeves for next-to-nothing.) Or, when I find small tins that aren’t festooned with crazy caricatures of snowmen and reindeer with red noses, I stock up on them. If you’re a thrift shop or flea market kind of person, you can usually find great prices on single china plates—so pretty to pile a mound of bark on top, and wrap in clear cellophane with a festive bow.

A custom-made gift has never been simpler.

Chocolate Bark with California Nuts and Fruit

• 2/3 cup unsalted California slivered almonds, coarsely chopped walnuts, or pistachios
• 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
• 1 cup dried California fruit, such as chopped apricots or figs, cherries, or dark or golden raisins
• 1 pound semisweet or other favorite chocolate, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts in a pan and bake, stirring once or twice, until just golden and fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes for almonds or walnuts; or 5 to 7 minutes for pistachios. Sprinkle with salt and toss gently to coat. Set aside to cool.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, add about two-thirds of the chopped chocolate. Cook over low heat just until melted. Remove the bowl and add the remaining chocolate; stir gently with a rubber spatula until melted and smooth.
3. Pour the warm chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread into a rectangle that roughly measures13-by-9-inches. Working quickly so the chocolate doesn’t set, scatter the salted nuts and dried fruit evenly over the top; then gently tap the baking sheet on a counter to remove any air bubbles and allow the toppings to sink into the chocolate slightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 15 minutes. Break the bark into irregularly shaped pieces. Serve at once, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 1 1/2 pounds—enough for 3 generous gifts.

Some thoughts on making your bark as good as your bite:

• Most people agree that chopping chocolate can be tedious, but it makes the whole melting process go such much faster and efficiently, you really don’t want to take a shortcut here. I find a serrated bread knife makes the job a little easier.
• For a change, top the bark with chopped crystallized ginger and/or candied orange zest.
• Or add a little zip to the chocolate by stirring in a teaspoon or two of chipotle or other chili powder and a generous pinch of ground cinnamon
• For those who choose to gild the lily, melt a little white chocolate and drizzle it over the completed bark. A holiday homage to Jackson Pollock.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

Free from the glare of fluorescent lights, and harried hosts pushing cumbersome shopping carts through crowded supermarket aisles, the farmers’ market offers a plentiful selection of pumpkins and other winter squash for soup; a gamut of greens for salads; sweet potatoes to bake; russet potatoes to mash; artisan breads for homemade stuffing; Brussels sprouts, green beans, onions, and plenty of other seasonal veggies for side dishes; apples for pie; and flowers for the table. It’s all right there — in the crisp November air.

A trio of pies traditionally ends the Thanksgiving meal at my house: there’s always pumpkin, apple, and something nutty. Last year I decided to forgo the cloying sweetness of pecan pie and instead spotlight the new crop of locally grown walnuts. How did it go? As the last crumb was devoured, we unanimously agreed there is no reason to ever turn back. The pleasant bite of toasted California walnuts, paired with an optional glug of all-American bourbon, offsets the richness of the filling. (If you prefer to omit the bourbon for any reason, just increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons.)  This pie is just one more reason to be thankful we ended up living in California.

California Walnut Pie

• Prepared dough for a single-crust pie, chilled
• 2 heaping cups shelled California walnut halves and pieces (about 9 ounces)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Make-Ahead Whipped Cream (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into circle about 13-inches in diameter. Ease the dough into a 9-inch pie pan and form a decorative border as desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.
2. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Carefully position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and place a heavy baking sheet on the rack. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Press the brown sugar through a sieve into the bowl (to ensure there will be no lumps). Whisk in the corn syrup, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt until combined.
5. Here is where you make a choice: If you just want a delicious pie and don’t care if it looks a tiny bit homely, coarsely chop all the toasted walnuts now and be done with it. Scatter the nuts over the bottom of the chilled pie shell and skip to Step 7. But if it’s important for you to create a photo-worthy Martha-kind-of-pie, proceed to Step 6.
6. To determine how many walnut halves are needed to decorate the top of the pie, draw a 9-inch circle on a piece of paper; then arrange enough toasted walnut halves in concentric circles to fill it. Gather up these nuts and set aside. Coarsely chop all the remaining walnut halves and pieces and scatter them over the bottom of the chilled pie shell. Arrange the reserved walnut halves over the top decoratively in concentric circles.
7. Carefully pour the filling into the pie shell. If needed, re-position any walnut halves that have floated out of place. Place the pie pan directly on the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the filling is puffed around the edges and a knife inserted 1-inch from the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Cool completely on a wire rack. If made in advance, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature, cut into wedges, with whipped cream. Makes one 9-inch pie, to serve 8 to 12.

On a day like Thanksgiving, any recipe that doesn’t require last-minute fussing in the kitchen always catches my eye—especially when it’s for the end of the meal. By the time I’m ready to serve dessert, I’d rather be holding a wine glass than a hand mixer.

I’ve never been a fan of those artificially flavored whipped toppings that come in a tub or an aerosol can; and I think using them at Thanksgiving should be a crime. But making freshly whipped cream was just one more last-minute thing to add to my “to do” list. For years I’ve tried quick-fixes to stabilize cream so it can be whipped in advance; tricks like adding a bit of nonfat dry milk powder or a touch of unflavored gelatin. I was never overly impressed with the results—until I found this technique in The Food of Campanile: Recipes from the Famed Los Angeles Restaurant. Leave it to renowned chef Nancy Silverton to finally crack the whipped cream code by adding crème fraîche. Brilliant. It’s creamy, rich, and silky—and adds a pleasant yet almost imperceptible tang.

Here are 3 more of my own tips for making perfect whipped cream:

1. Always start with pasteurized heavy cream—not the ultra-pasteurized stuff a lot of supermarkets try to pass off as the real thing. The latter may have a much longer shelf-life (which is why grocers love it), but it takes forever to whip, and ends up tasting vaguely of plastic. Go figure.
2. If you have room in the refrigerator or freezer, by all means chill the mixing bowl and the beater(s) for at least 10 minutes before you begin. When everything is cold, the whipping process is significantly easier.
3. Always use pure vanilla extract. Anything less is a travesty.

Make-Ahead Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, well chilled
• 1 or 2 tablespoons confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

In a large bowl, beat together the cream, sugar, and vanilla with a hand-held electric mixer on Low speed until slightly thickened. Increase the speed to Medium-High and beat until fluffy, stopping just before the cream is firm enough to hold soft peaks. Finish whipping the cream by hand, gently whisking in the crème fraîche. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, whisk again briefly to aerate the mixture.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

This natural evolution is apparent at the farmers’ market, as well, where the vibrant colors of summer produce are replaced by soft golden hues that mimic the leaves of autumn.

It seems friends gravitate toward each other more than ever this month, as our calendars begin to fill with gatherings of every variety. Halloween holds a special place in my heart, along with plenty of others who refuse to give kids a monopoly on this spooky/fun night.

In the sweet spirit of Halloween—and with more than a passing nod to the upcoming Day of the Dead—consider casting a spell with a deep dark chocolate fondue that’s fragrant with classic Mexican flavors—not the least of which is a devilish kick from chipotle chile. Serve this to your friends and family, and don’t be surprised when boys and ghouls of all ages bypass that platter of pumpkin cupcakes with garish orange frosting.
There is only a ghost of a chance you’ll encounter someone who expresses disappointment when faced with a mini-cauldron of silky chocolate, but an inspired selection of dippers will elevate this fondue to a whole other level. Oh sure, you can serve it with the usual lineup of suspects like banana chunks, pineapple spears, marshmallows, biscotti, donut holes, pretzels, or even warm flour tortillas. But a quick visit to the farmers’ market will give you a bewitching—and dare I add healthy?—roundup of seasonal dippers to assuage any chocolate-covered guilt guests might feel at consuming such an indulgence.

Haunt the farmers’ market and you may come across some late-season strawberries—always an extremely popular choice for dipping. Other sure-fire hits include:

• Wedges of crisp apples and juicy pears (leave the skins on, so guests can spot different varieties)
• Chunks of peeled cantaloupe and honeydew melon
• Kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into thick slices
• Fuyu persimmons, cut into chunky wedges
• Seedless grapes
• Fresh and/or dried figs and mango
• Dried apricots
• Pitted dates
• California almonds and walnuts

If you don’t own a fondue set, just serve this directly from a nice-looking saucepan or a heatproof bowl, and offer bamboo skewers instead of long-handled forks.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fondue

• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 cinnamon sticks (each about 3-inches long)*
• 1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and cinnamon sticks. Cook over medium-low heat, watching carefully, until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook 5 minutes longer. Carefully remove the cinnamon sticks and discard, or reserve for another use.
2. Gradually add the chocolate to the cinnamon-infused cream mixture and cook, stirring, until melted and smooth. Stir in the espresso powder, chipotle powder, and vanilla and continue cooking over low heat for 1 minute longer. Transfer to a fondue pot and serve warm, not hot. Makes about 3 cups, to serve 8 to 10.

*Cinnamon sticks infuse the cream with a subtle yet distinctive undercurrent of flavor; but if you have none on hand, simply add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon along with the espresso and chile powders.

Adapted from Great Party Fondues by Peggy Fallon (John Wiley & Sons, 2008)
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

This month Francophiles may be consumed with making ratatouille, that classic ode to late summer, but quick-cooking calabacitas also deserves a place in yourCalifornia kitchen.
Over the past few months I’ve taught a series of cooking classes for kids around the country, and I must say I’ve converted a significant number of young veggie-phobes with this simple dish. The appeal may begin tentatively with its lyrical name, but the uncomplicated, fresh taste of summer always seals the deal.

September is a glorious month at the farmers’ market, with plenty to stir the senses. There are great deals on end-of-season vegetables and fruits at the peak of perfection—a veritable double-feature with a bonus sneak-preview of fall’s coming attractions.

• This is a great all-round veggie/side dish, but don’t overlook its potential as a filling for quesadillas or omelets—all by itself, or paired with your favorite cheese.Monterey jack (with or without hot peppers), queso fresco, and California goat cheese are all good choices.
• Some cooks add a smattering of diced tomatoes, minced garlic, ground cumin, chopped oregano, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the mix.
• To transform calabacitas into a more substantial meal, stir in cooked black beans, rice, or bite-size bits of grilled chicken, beef, or pork. Serve with a big green salad, a bowl of homemade salsa, and a stack of warm tortillas.
• If you feel the urge to garnish, coarsely chopped cilantro and/or green onions should do the trick.

Plain or fancy, calabacitas is always muy bueno.

Calabacitas

• 2 ears fresh corn, husks and silk discarded
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 2 yellow crookneck or other summer squash, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 1 poblano* or Anaheim chile pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 2 tablespoons California olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Cut off the stem end from one ear of corn. Hold it upright, stem-end firmly planted in the bottom of a large bowl or on a rimmed baking sheet. Use a large sharp knife to cut downward all around the cob to remove the kernels; then repeat the process, this time pressing the dull side of the knife downward around the cob to release its milky juices. (The bowl will capture any flying kernels, and contain the juices.) Discard the cob and repeat with the remaining ear of corn.
2. In a large bowl, combine the corn and its juices, the zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and chile pepper. Toss gently to mix.
3. Warm a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirling the pan to coat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the onion to a large serving bowl and keep warm.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high and drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Working in batches as needed, add thevegetable mixture and cook without crowding, stirring and tossing, 3 to 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Seasonlightly with salt and pepper and add to the cooked onions. Repeat cooking the remaining vegetables in the same manner. Gently toss all the cooked vegetables with the onion and serve at once. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

*Poblano chiles are sometimes called pasilla chiles
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

Calling all Cooks!
Looking to jazz up your recipe repertoire for the holidays? Check out Peggy Fallon’s “Elegant Holiday Appetizers” class at Draeger’s Blackhawk store Wednesday evening, October 26. For registration information, go to www.draegerscookingschool.com or call 1-800-642-9463.

Although Austin is the home of a major upscale grocery chain’s flagship store, Hightower dismisses it as more of a tourist-attraction than a food source. Twice elected Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Hightower knows it’s somewhere between difficult and impossible for a local farmer to get his products placed in one of these giant supermarkets. Instead, he and his family buy directly from their neighboring farmers, as well as those who sell at Austin’s weekly downtown farmers’ market.

Hightower stressed that the pricey merchandise you see in supermarkets may indeed be “organic” when labeled as such, but is still often imported from other states and sometimes even other countries. He knows that agribusiness corporations—those same folks responsible for bringing us genetically-engineered “fresh” tomatoes year ‘round, and packaged “guacamole” that contains no avocado—have been known to use their substantial political clout (i.e., dollars) to influence the definition of words like “organic.” So when Hightower passes by a supermarket produce display, he takes the organic moniker with a grain of salt. Instead, he looks for descriptors like “sustainable” and “local,” which carry far more value for the consumer. And he finds those labels rarely, if ever.

I think you see where I’m going with this. California is obviously ahead of much of the country when it comes to consumer affairs, but the wise shopper will always keep these factors in mind.

And while I’m on the subject, I defy anyone to leave the Danville farmers’ market empty handed this month. The kaleidoscope of colors and intoxicating aromas seduce even the most miserly among us. Even if you harbor a deep-seated aversion to cooking, you can’t help but succumb to the charms of summer’s bounty, as so much of it requires little or no time in the kitchen. Never underestimate the power of a vine-ripened tomato sandwich, fat and fragrant strawberries, or a juicy nectarine eaten out of hand.

Also remember that shopping at the farmers’ market ensures the food you buy has been grown locally and freshly harvested at the peak of ripeness; and that the money you spend there goes directly to the people who grow the food we eat. Oh, and need I mention everything tastes better?

Here’s a Spanish-inspired sauce that makes a colorful and remarkably tasty dip for summer crudités or prawns, especially when served outdoors on a warm evening. Or simply spoon a large dollop of it alongside anything that’s grilled—vegetables chicken, lamb, or fish. It is quickly made from pantry items you may already have on hand; but it’s the locally-grown vine-ripened tomatoes that send it over the top.

ROMESCO SAUCE

• 1/2 cup whole natural (skin-on) California almonds
• 2 vine-ripened plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• a heaping 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) sliced drained piquillo peppers or other bottled roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup California extra virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread out the almonds on a small baking sheet. Gently squeeze the tomato to remove most of the seeds and set cut-sides down on the sheet. Add 2 of the garlic cloves in their skins. Bake for about 10 minutes, turning the garlic and stirring the nuts once, until the almonds are very lightly browned when broken open. Place the nuts in a blender or food processor. Peel the roasted garlic and add it along with the tomato halves.
2. In a small dry skillet, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan from time to time, until they darken slightly and smell fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add to the blender. Mince the remaining garlic clove and add that as well. Add the piquillo peppers, olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the smoked paprika, chipotle chile, salt, and 1/4 cup of water. Pulse the machine on and off several times, then puree for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth. Taste, and add up to 1 more tablespoon of lemon juice if you think it’s needed. If the dip thickens upon standing, thin with a little more water.
3. Transfer to a bowl and serve at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Makes about 11/2 cups, to serve 6 to 8.

Adapted from Great Party Dips by Peggy Fallon (John Wiley & Sons 2009)

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.