To market, to market…

to buy a…fresh fig!

At the Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers' Market

Hello and welcome to my little corner of the World Wide Web. My name is Kristen and this blog is dedicated to the great loves of my life (next to my husband, Joey, of course): food, fiction, and fitness. I consider these indulgences the “frosting and froth” of life, hence the title of my blog. For more about me and my passions, check out the links at the top of my home page.

This inaugural post is about one of my favorite pastimes—perusing local farmers’ markets. I have a special place in my heart for these delightful produce meccas. There’s just something about the inviting rows of stalls, chalkboard signs advertising edible wares, tables spilling over with fruits and vegetables—from plums to persimmons, corn to kale—and the friendly faces of the vendors and patrons that sets my heart aflutter.

A beautiful cornucopia of squash

I am lucky enough to have a year-round farmers’ market just minutes from my doorstep in lovely Campbell, California. I count my blessings that I am able to partake of luscious avocados in the spring (so creamy and rich, they taste as sinful as a thick slice of cheesecake), sweet peaches in the summer (smelling and tasting of sunshine), ruby red apples in the autumn (as crisp as the fall wind), and juicy tangerines in the winter (little jewels to brighten even the darkest January day).

And then there are the wealth of temptations awaiting at the prepared-food stalls. One could feast on the ethnic food offerings at my local farmers’ market. Savory samosas, fresh tamales, stuffed and sumptuous gyros, and chewy pita bread dipped in whipped peaks of hummus are but a few of the items available for purchase and immediate consumption. For a sweet treat, vendors offer a host of mouth-watering pastries, from delicate chocolate hazelnut croissants to orange-kissed morning buns, their spiraled layers peeling away to a doughy, cinnamon-laden center.

My sister, Carley, stops to smell the flowers

And have you seen the gorgeous flowers on display at your local farmers’ market? Dahlias, lilies, sunflowers, sweet peas, and peonies are among my favorites.

Farmers’ markets are an incredible resource for local, organic, and budget-friendly produce, breads, and prepared foods. No matter where you live, there is likely a farmers’ market near you. Visit the Local Harvest Web site to find a nearby location. If you’ve never visited a farmers’ market, what are you waiting for? I mean, unless you are opposed to creamy new potatoes, offended by organic okra, or put off by ripe burgundy plums. Hey, we all have our hang-ups.