Throughout history, mandarins were used as stocking stuffers along with chocolate coins.
Market Report
Market Report: Winter squash offer beauty, variety
Winter squash are incredibly versatile: great for decorations and for sweet dishes like pies, they also taste excellent baked in savory dishes.
Market Report: Bleinheim apricots
By Romney Steele Near come and gone by now, I have to give a shout-out to my favorite apricot, the Blenheim (sometimes referred to as Royal Blenheim, or simply Royal), before it’s too late. This petite but sublime variety with its speckled, blush appearance has a short season, usually peaking by end of June but, […]
Market Report: Making seasonal adjustments
Usually by this time of year my kitchen counter is laden with sweet raspberries for making jam, strawberries for sprinkling on cereal, snap-peas and fresh beans for eating and cooking — all from the farmers’ market. By June I’m devouring breathy salads (not warming soups) made with first-growth greens, and planning summer canning sessions using local […]
Market Report: Rhubarb
Rhubarb, often referred to as a pie plant — and really a vegetable — is just beginning to appear around town and in the farmers’ market. Long cultivated as a medicinal plant in Asia (thought to cure fevers and other ailments), the garden or culinary variety is probably best known for its use as a […]
Market Report: Strawberries
By Romney Steele A strawberry day: California is the leading grower of strawberries nationwide and, according to the California Strawberry Commission, they grow year round in our sunny state. Certainly they do, but if you’re looking for locally grown, organic or unsprayed strawberries (which I recommend), the season is right about now. In fact, a […]
Market Report: Asparagus
Springtime is no longer around the corner, it is here. With longer days and a shift in weather, it’s hard not to want to fling off the boots and start wearing your flip-flops on a regular basis. Drive by Berkeley High, and you might think it’s summer with all the short wearing and airy clothing. […]
Market Report: A prelude to spring
Today, we are delighted to welcome Romney Steele into the Berkeleyside fold. Romney will be writing a regular report for us all on what’s fresh, in season, and available at our local farmers’ markets and grocers — she will also throw in some suggestions on what we might want to do with it. Early March teases […]