Tag Archives: Farmers Market

Hillcrest Farmers Market

The Hillcrest Farmers Market was a wonderful way to spend a bright and sunny Sunday morning. There is such a nice variety of vendors, and a lot of options for when your stomach starts to growl.

Our first stop was for a Spinach, Pineapple and Lime agua fresca. I must learn how to re create this at home. It was so clean and refreshing. The vendor had a lot of different flavors to offer, most of them you wouldn’t see on a normal basis. My stomach was running on empty, and I had spotted the Gyros on the way in. We made our rounds to check out all of the other options, but those Gyros were definitely stuck in my head.

Their thin pita bread was filled with a lemon beef and slathered with Tzatziki and Chile sauces. I loved that the bread was thin, and didn’t overpower the contents that were inside. You could very well try eating this without utensils, but they do give you a fork to handle the hearty serving of beef. This Gyro had some great flavors, and I would without a doubt eat this again on our next Farmers market run.

All of the colors and aromas of Farmers markets are really what makes for an unforgettable experience. Walking around to each vendor, gawking and tasting their offerings is so much fun. Recipes start running through my head, and I kind of go off into my own little world for a second. Farmers market are the perfect way to get outside and see what your city and local farmers have to offer.
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Mercado Hidalgo de Tijuana

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Mercado Hidalgo de Tijuana
I can’t even tell you how long my husband has been telling me that we need to go to Mercado Hidalgo. He knows that I am all about markets, and the fresh produce and goods that come along with it. It’s a shame that we couldn’t cross all of the beautiful produce back home, but just the all around experience was wonderful that day. Every vendor has their own setup as well as products, and the smells are just intoxicating. You can purchase everything from produce to piñatas. Of course Giovanni was immediately drawn to the piñatas and candy, and had to point at it every time we came across a new vendor.

Merdcado Hidalgo is where the majority of Chefs and cooks in Tijuana go to supply their restaurant with the finest ingredients. You may have seen both Rick Bayless and Andrew Zimmern make their own trips the the mercado. It really is a unique and great experience. If you go hungry, there are little restaurants, as well as street carts to satisfy your hunger. We had stopped to get Carne Asada tacos before the mercado, so we just ended up grabbing some Gorditas de nata. They were absolutely delicious. They are creamy pillow like ‘cakes’, that are served to you right off of a heated griddle. You must grab a plastic bag of these on your visit, but believe me they won’t last long.
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Suzie’s Farm

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We spent part of our Saturday afternoon walking Suzie’s farm, and you couldn’t have asked for better weather. Being two days before Halloween, and almost November, we still didn’t have one pumpkin in the house. Saturday marked their last day for Pumpkin u- pick, and what’s better than going to a local farm and picking your own pumpkins from the ground. I loved having Giovanni on my hip, pointing at every little thing while we strolled up and down the rows of pumpkins. These are the little moments that I absolutely love to share with my little family.

Aside from pumpkins they are a USDA Certified farm, that grows over 100 different crops every year. They also supply produce to some of the well- known restaurants and food trucks that are local “farm to table” supporters. You can find them at the local farmers markets as well, with a lovely stall stocked with amazing produce. We paid them a little visit at Little Italy’s Mercato. Check out their website that offers recipes, as well as updates on all of the upcoming events. We will definitely be paying close attention to their event (see video below), and hopefully we can make it to most of them. I can’t explain the feeling of being in the middle of such beautiful surroundings, and seeing where your food comes from. Suzie’s Farm is so close to us, and I really want it to become an “everyday” part of our lives. You are eating fresh, and Organic produce, meanwhile supporting local farms and farmers, it can’t get better than that. I want to thank everyone there, they were so kind and helpful about all of the Pumpkin varieties, as well as letting us know about some of their future events.

Little Italy’s Mercato – Farmers Market

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Every Saturday there is a Farmers Market held in Little Italy, San Diego from 9am-1:30pm. It is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning, sampling fresh and local produce. You can find all of your groceries in one spot, while supporting the local farms and vendors. I absolutely adore Farmers markets, and this one is a definite favorite of mine.

Little Italy's Farmer's Market - Fresh Limes