Where have all the favas gone?

[the mess]

By this time last year, fava beans were at every stall at every farmer's market. I even remember these $1/pound bags at the Civic Center market. Last week only one stall there had any, and they were going for $5.99/pound (although they did look really nice and full). Other than that, I saw some anemic ones imported from Mexico at the Whole Foods on Franklin. What gives?

Suspiciously, plenty of restaurants indeed have favas on their menus. Where are they getting them?

[cabet]

In case you're down this way, Felipe's on El Camino in Sunnyvale had fave at .69/lb yesterday. BTW, this is a great little produce market. The space was taken over by Felipe when Sunnymount closed.

[Fig Newton]

Lee at Tierra Farm said that the Santa Rosa area was tough on favas, and that it's going to be a short season. I've bought them for the past 2 weeks, but she won't have them for too much longer. She said that there's a big gap in the plant due to that hot heat we had a month or two ago. Hers were $4/lb, and I saw them at Star Route for $3/lb -- both prices tracking with the price last year. Star Route has farms in Marin and in San Diego county, so not positive where they're growing the favas. Last week, Knoll Farms had a small amount of itty bitty (2 inch) favas that looked amazing. If you're an early FPFM attendee, keep an eye out for those tomorrow.

[Robert Lauriston]

The season's in full effect some places. I saw big, beautiful ones at the Jack London market last Sunday, we're getting some in our Full Belly box today, and my friend's Oakland garden is putting out a lot.

[Kayde]

Ditto on the Full Belly box (mine Wed.). But lately there are enough favas so I can gorge on my favorite spring salads. Tuesday I got a bagful for $2/lb. at the farmers market at South San Francisco Kaiser. Last week and again yesterday my husband scored at the farmers market in Martinez.

[rccola]

I saw them at the Tuesday Berkeley Farmers' Market. Unfortunately, I didn't note the stand. Might be @ Saturday's.

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Berkeley Farmers' Market
2530 San Pablo Ave office), Berkeley, CA

[mariacarmen]

i bought a mess of them at Evergreen Market last week (Mission between 21st & 22nd.)

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Evergreen Market
2539 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA

[ernie in berkeley]

There were piles of them in several stalls at North Berkeley FM today.

[uberslop]

Got Berkeley Bowl favas last week -- very good, nicely priced.

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Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

[jsinnicks]

Green String Farm in Petaluma <http://www.greenstringfarm.com/> had them for sale at their farm stand Tuesday afternoon. Looked good sized. I didn't notice the price.

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Green String Farm
3571 Old Adobe Rd, Petaluma, CA 94954

[CarrieWas218]

Mine in Napa are just barely pickable. I harvested some that I thought were large enough yesterday but the favas inside were still insipidly small. Need another few weeks, I think.

[Robert Lauriston]

Cotogna a few weeks ago had baby fava pods in their fritto misto. I never knew they were edible but these were good. I didn't feel like I was eating lawn clippings like I do with sugar snap peas.

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Cotogna
490 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

[the mess]

Yup, both Pizzeria Delfina and Nopa had fried baby favas on their menus in the last two weeks.

I got some beautiful fully grown (and very sweet) ones at the Civic Center market yesterday for $1/pound.

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Nopa
560 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

[lexdevil]

Plum had some pretty rocking fried baby favas at lunch today.

[grayelf]

I had the baby favas at Pizzeria Delfina last week. Pretty tasty, though the fry oil could have been a little fresher. I didn't know you could eat them whole.

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Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

[Joel]

Favas yesterday at BB East, $0.89 per pound. Of local origin.
And a few days ago our friend gave us some, grown in her yard in Berkeley.

[bigwheel042]

Wow - the ones I saw at the farmer's market yesterday were >4x that much.

[Dana B]

Yes, they are definitely late this year. Mostly because of the weather.

I grow them and usually they have podded out by now, but mine are still in the flowering stage.

[Melanie Wong]

Mariquita's email blast today offered favas, $12 for 10 lbs, preorder today for pick up tomorrow in Palo Alto or Santa Cruz.

[farmersdaughter]

I have had terrific favas the past two weeks bought at the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market. Iacopi said they wouldn't have them for another month, but I went up front to Catalan family farms and they have some nice sized ones - not the teeny tiny ones that you usually see this time of year, which, while delicious, are a lot of work. I am trying to remember how much they were - I think in the $2 - 3 / lb range.

[Joel]

Large favas at Berkeley Bowl today -- from Mexico, $1.39 per pound.
Did not look very good, though.

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Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

[JasmineG]

I think it's just a late spring because of all of the rain, maybe; I haven't seen favas or English peas at a market yet.

[Windy]

I've had both already, although not cheap. Was at Pizzeria Delfina last week watching them shell a huge bowl of favas.

I got mine from Mariquita, which is probably where PD got theirs.

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Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

[lrealml]

Yeah, I am still seeing citrus, winter greens, squash and cauliflower...
We seem a couple weeks behind.

[Robert Lauriston]

They're in full season now, anywhere that sells them should have plenty at reasonable prices.