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Stone Fruit Now at the Farmers' Market
 Apricots, peaches, plums, and nectarines are now at your farmers' market! California is the largest producer of stone fruit in the U.S. and our local producers have the sweetest and juiciest you are likely to find anywhere.
There are over 200 varieties of peaches, 200 varieties of plums and 175 varieties of nectarines sold commercially from California, each with their own specific harvest time, flavor and color characteristics. California stone fruit is usually available from June through September.
If you're buying fruit to eat the same day, it's best to look for fruit that is soft, gives to gentle palm pressure and has a sweet aroma. The best indicator of high quality fruit is color. But if you're buying to eat a few days later, it's easy to ripen firm peaches, plums or nectarines. Just place the fruit in a paper bag, fold the top over loosely, and keep it at room temperature for 1-3 days. Check the fruit daily. Never use a plastic bag; it may cause decay and can produce off-flavors.
Pick up all the juicy goodness of these summer fruits while you can! Toss them on the grill for a special dessert, make a batch of jam or cook into sauces, mix with a fresh salad, or just eat out of hand. They're sweet natural treats from your farmers' market!
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 Summer Veggies Are Made for Grilling
Summer vegetables are just perfect for grilling outdoors. They are easy to prepare and cook, and as they cook the flavors are intensified. Eggplant, summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, onions, corn, and more all take well to quick hot grilling. Try these easy ideas for wonderful grilled vegetables.
- Slice zucchini and yellow squash in half lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil on cut side, add salt and pepper, and sprinkle lightly with chipotle powder (careful - it's powerful stuff!) Grill cut side down for 10 minutes.
- Place halved red and yellow peppers right on the grill and blacken the skins. Remove from the grill and immediately enclose in foil or a plastic bag to steam. When they have cooled you will be able to easily remove the skins and add to salads, sides, and sauces.
- Thick slabs of eggplant can be oiled lightly and seasoned, grilled for 10 minutes and eaten as a side dish with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese, or added to moussaka (Greek casserole dish), or tossed in a salad.
Use your imagination and experiment with some of your favorite veggies. There is no limit to the flavors and textures you can add to everyday meals with these summer beauties! |
Farmer Spotlight
DePalma Farm, Ripon, CA
DePalma Farms represents three generations of farming in Northern California since 1951, offering delicious peaches and  nectarines, wine and table grapes, nuts, seasonal fruits and vegetables, plus their imported olive oils from Italy. All of their fruit is handpicked and packed starting with cherries in May and continuing through October, rolling from one commodity to the next.
DePalma Farms attends twenty-four farmers’ markets each week during their season. Their family members and employees help run the markets and enjoy interacting with their customers. The DePalma Family loves bringing their beautiful and local fruits and nuts to the community and visiting with other local farmers.
Farm Tour
Join us by bicycle for our first farm tour of the summer on June 20th! We will leave from Pescadero at 9am, visiting three small organic farms: Fifth Crow Farm, Blue House Farm, and Green Oaks Creek Farm. After tasting fresh strawberries, veggies, and herbs from the fields, we will sit down to a gourmet farm-fresh lunch prepared by our market chefs, using produce from the farms. The tour leaves at 9am from Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero, and returns at 4pm. Bring your bike, water bottle, and sunsreen, and be prepared to bike about 30 miles. To sign up, please click here. For more information, contact sarahelson@pcfma.com.
Stay cool and stay healthy with fantastic summer fruits and vegetables now at your farmers' market. We thank you for supporting the Point Richmond Farmers' Market. We're here every Wednesday, 4pm to 8pm, through October 27, on Park Place, north of W. Richmond Avenue.
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