Californacopia

Ahhh.... it's been almost two weeks since I came back from a week-long trip to the Mainland. I visited some of my favorite people in the lovely (and chilly!) city of San Francisco, CA. Months prior to my departure I was getting myself pumped up about all of the lovely treats I would sample and feast upon whilest in the land of legal raw milk. The shock of being in the cold city was only bearable thanks to my wonderful friends, the glorious organic bounty of California and quite possibly the neighborhood thrift shop!

As you know by now, I'm a total sucker for food and I love to make amateur food porn! I did my best to photograph some of the lovely produce and goodies along the way as well as collecting as much information as possible from the different vendors I fell in love with at the farmer's market. Somehow though, I spaced taking any photos of the long coveted milk that I was constantly chugging! (So, I'll just have to borrow those from the net). My old roomie/best buddy with whom I was staying on my trip, Christopher, was along for the ride and I think that he might be a budding foodie thanks to my visit!

My trip was about food in a big way so it will come as no surprise that trips to the farmer's market were main events! The one market that we frequented was the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market which is by and large the biggest farmer's market in San Francisco. The market is put on three times a week by CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) an amazing resource for the Bay Area (I'm a little jealous)! If you feel like drooling you can check out their website and take a closer look at some of the vendors including the ones I'm listing as well as many more! Over the next couple of weeks I'll write a post to discuss each of the vendors I found and the many merits of their products. :-)

It was my intention to make a farmer's market my first official priority.  After all, what is more basic a need than food? So, the first day after sleeping in and lazing around a bit whilst getting ready Christopher and myself trit-trotted down to the Ferry Plaza (after picking up an extra canvas bag in the neighborhood thrift shop!). We arrived with an hour or so left to shop around the modest Thursday afternoon market. Getting a late start we hadn't had any breakfast or lunch and were delighted to be greeted with samples of fruits, veggies, artisan honey, and the most delicious smoked salmon I've even dreamed of tasting!

 

Being a locavore I usually shy away from Mainland produce as much as possible save a few dried fruits, nuts and olives here and there. I felt absolutely decadent indulging in delicious fresh organic strawberries, pluots, apples and pears! Most of the veggies are available locally so it was no big thing (for me, but my dear Christopher got a real taste of the good life!).

 

 
I will say one more thing, the tomatoes we bought were marvelous! I had long since forced myself to forget how delightful really good tomatoes are! Yes, we've got some great tomatoes here in the Islands, but the pests and diseases are such a challenge for farmers and gardeners here the poor plants hardly stand a chance to really shine. The tomato harvests are nothing compared to some of the primo organic ones grown throughout the Mainland. Mmmmm. Pair that with some of the phenomenal cheeses and you will find yourself in Heaven!

Last, but not least, the milk!

As you may or may not know, raw milk is legal in Cali (sadly, not in the 808) and I was very thrilled to get a taste! This brings us to our first of two (there are only two raw milk dairies in Cali!) raw milk tastes, Claravale Farm. T'was delicious and BFF Christopher says it tastes better than milk (go figure)! He had just bought some 2% mystery milk against my insistence that the Claravale Raw Milk and the Strauss Family Creamery Milk and Half n Half I was getting would be all he would want to drink. Needless to say, the real milk won. Hands down! Later on I tried some raw cream and colostrum from Organic Pastures and WOW! I really love the raw colostrum and cream! Every morning, noon and night I was having my tea with milk/cream/half n half. In addition to that, strawberry cream smoothies for breakfast! Oooh so satisfying. I don't miss the Mainland, but I miss the milk!

Check back in a couple of days to get a closer look of the yummy Cali treats and vendors!