Berkeley Sat. Farmers' Market report w/ pics

[hhc]

Berkeley Farmers Market is convenient. It's a few blocks from Downtown Berkeley Bart which is very easy to get to.

Since we were there almost closing time and too full to buy anything I'm just going to list what I saw.

Flacos - vegetarian Mexican food
Cafe Zambala - organic Himalayian food catering
Andy & Cindy Thai Cuisine
Curry Leaf Cuisine-vegetarian/vegan
rosemary plants to buy, plant, & grow
lemon thyme to buy, plant & grow
orchids
Hodo soy
Blue Bottle Coffee Co.
Madjool dates $7/lb
Solano mushroom
cauliflower: white & or purple $2/lb
brussel sprouts $4/lb
Highland Hills Farm-pork sausages
Blossom Bluff Orchards
Fatted Calf Charcuterie
Three Twins Organic ice cream
Phoenix Pastifico-meyer lemon bucatini, crab ravioli, vegan ravioli, almond macaroon $3; chocolate pecan chewie cookie $2
Hudsonfish
nuts
Bariani olive oil
fresh popcorn
Crepe Maker
Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery-goat cheese & goat milk yogurt
some live musicians

Saturdays, 10a-2p.

pics:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow...

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Berkeley Saturday Farmers' Market
Center St and Milvia St, Berkeley, CA

[lintygmom]

Eggs from the egg guy are very good. Forget the name of his stand but it's by a truck. Has chicken also. And pecans. Frozen pies.

[chemchef]

yes, and his pecans are very good too.

[hohokam]

And potatoes, which I occasionally buy from him.

[Morton the Mousse]

Art Davis/Ludwig Avenue Farms. I prefer Kaki's eggs.

[lintygmom]

Where is Kaki's? I go every Saturday and don't remember seeing other eggs. Why do you prefer them?

[Morton the Mousse]

Kaki Farms is on the south side of the market, near the middle. They also sell a selection of seasonal fruit. I find the yolks to be richer and more flavorful than Art Davis's.

[lintygmom]

Near Riverdog? Will have to try them. Just never noticed them. I find the lack of a date-seller disconcerting. Do you know of one? The Alemany FM was far superior and the only reason I miss living in SF.

[hohokam]

Hmm...I thought I saw someone selling dates this past Saturday on the north side near-ish to the Ecology Center booth--but this could be a figment of my imagination.

The Ecology Center's vendor list includes a date grower, but it doesn't say which of the markets (Tue, Thu, or Sat) he sells at.

http://www.ecologycenter.org/bfm/vendors/directory.php

Flying Disc Ranch

Products: dates
Not Certified Organic: Biodynamic
Contact: Robert Lower
P.O.Box 201
Thermal, CA 92274
[phone]
http://www.flyingdiscranch.com

[Robert Lauriston]

Isn't Flying Disc a regular at the Saturday market?

[hohokam]

Maybe. Like I said, I thought I saw someone selling dates on Saturday, but as I as I'm not a big date eater, that vendor is not on my radar.

[lintygmom]

I went up and down the market a few months ago, looking for dates--nada. Recently I've been on "keep the dog company" duty as our neurotic mutt would go into a frenzy if we all left him tied up. Besides, he's waiting for the croissant innards that are his due.

[Robert Lauriston]

All the vendors skip days occasionally, but we've bought dates from Flying Disc at the Saturday market many times.

[wally]

They are also at the Tuesday and Thursday markets.

[Morton the Mousse]

Excuse me. Kaki's on the north side, not the south side. Closer to Milvia than Riverdog. Near Swanton's.

Flying Disc Date Ranch was at the market last Saturday.

[rworange]

Flying Disc also shows up at the Tuesday market in Berkeley. However, usually during date season in late fall and winter, which is about the same as the SF schedule. Occasionally there's a vendor that sells dates at the Saturday Grand Lake market, though I don't think it is Flying Disc.

[Robert Lauriston]

Actually the market runs from 10 to 3. The last hour or so the pickings can be slimmer and some places may have sold out and left, on the other hand sometimes you can get great deals.

[hhc]

I noticed the farmers' market was still going even though it was after 2pm, I thought it was strange. My last pic # 33 the banner said 10-2 that's where I got the info.

What should I make sure to buy next time I'm there? Rworange mentioned Olive Bread from Phoenix Pastifico. Anything else?

[hohokam]

I don't tend to buy any of the cooked food, and my produce choices at driven by what looks good on any given Saturday.

anyway, here are a few of my favorites...

-lamb and beef from Highland Hills farm [sweetest lamb I've ever had]
-pastas filled with seasonal ingredients from Phoenix Pastificio
-honey from the Tunitas Creek folks
-jams/preserves from Lou Lou's Garden [haven't seen her in a while, though]
-coffees from Blue Bottle
-fresh sausage from The Fatted Calf
-cured sausage from The Fatted Calf
-bacon from The Fatted Calf
-terrines/pates from The Fatted Calf

did I mention The Fatted Calf? ;-)

[Robert Lauriston]

I buy produce, stuff from Fatted Calf, and sourdough rye from Vital Vittles.

I buy from whichever vendors have the best-looking stuff, but usually that's Avalos, Catalán, and (the few months she's there) Tercera for vegetables and herbs, Dirty Girl for lettuce, and Ram Das for fruit. There's a new vendor (not sure of the name) that's had some good produce.

I'd like to buy from Highland Hills, but their butchering's too sloppy.

[gatun]

County Line could be the new vendor that you are referring to.

[Robert Lauriston]

That doesn't ring a bell. The Web site says they're from Petaluma, and I'm pretty sure these people are from Yolo County.

This is a small stand, all produce, maybe a dozen items, they've had some stuff I haven't seen before, like turnip-shaped carrots.

[Morton the Mousse]

You're thinking of the stand with all of the boxes of loose greens like white chard an mache, right? That's County Line.

[Robert Lauriston]

I don't think so. They're on the south side, right? These people are on the north side, roughly in the middle.

I'm not sure new vendor's on the list on the Ecology Center's Web site yet. None of the names sound right.