Beverly Hills Farmers Market Hits 15
July 23rd, 2009 Categories: Real Estate Tools
The Beverly Hills farmers market, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary Aug. 2, is one of the best mid-size markets in Southern California and is carefully supervised by its manager, Greta Dunlap.
McGrath Family Farm of Camarillo has started harvesting organic lima beans, which are a real treat, delicate and sweet — nothing like the pasty frozen kind. They’re the Fordhook heirloom variety, discovered in a Santa Barbara County field in 1903, when lima beans were a major crop in the area. McGrath has put in six staggered plantings of a half-acre each, so they should be available through September, conveniently shelled by machine. They’re delicious simply steamed for 15 or 20 minutes, dressed with butter or a good olive oil
Johanna Finley of Santa Ynez sets up a beautiful display of organic vegetables, including round lemon cucumbers, edible peel and all, and Zefa Fino fennel, a Swiss variety that’s amazingly tender and sweet, with an intense fragrance of licorice.
By this point in the summer, Hass avocados from hot southern growing districts are often over-mature: They can pass from green to rancid very quickly and have woody roots growing out of the seed. Hass aficionados head for coastal fruit from Ventura County, like the rich, buttery specimens that Frank and Keiko Wells of Westfield Farms bring from Camarillo. Keiko, with a gentle smile and touch, is almost preternaturally gifted at assessing avocado ripeness.
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From L.A. Times
