All over the city, the farmers markets should have opened by now. I think the official open date was May 2, and they run through early October. All though with the beautiful weather we are having, it is a little easier to imagine actually doing your shopping there than a few weeks ago. My favorite market in the city is the Columbia City Farmers market. Almost every Wednesday, I am there with my basket, piling it high with beautiful local fruits and vegetables, artisan cheeses, and the multitude of other treats available there. There is a man that sells fantastic garlic dips, my favorites being the cilantro pesto, and the salsa. Then there is Columbia City Bakery, which makes breads and French style pastry to die for, (try the gruyere and prosciutto croissants). There are also tons of other specialty vendors, and it is the place I go for hard to find unique produce.

I totally understand if you don’t want to venture all the way to the south end to attend the Columbia City Farmers Market. But don’t be surprised if I tout its greatness all summer long! Almost every neighborhood in Seattle has their own farmers market, and it is well worth checking them out. Just log on to www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org to find a list of the neighborhoods that participate, and the time and location as every one is different.

This morning, I picked up a very handy calendar at my neighborhood coffee shop. It is a “produce calendar”, which profiles the summers best local produce, and what months it is at its peak. Very handy for someone like me that is forgetful, and always trying to come up with menus and recipe ideas well ahead of time. I have added it below.

PRODUCE CALENDAR

Apricots July-August
Basil July-September
Blueberries July-September
Bok Choy June-September
Broccoli Late June-September
Carrots July-October
Cherries June-July
Corn August-October
Cucumbers July-September
Grapes August-September
Green Beans July-September
Lettuce June-October
Melons August-September
Nectarines July-August
Peaches July-August
Pears August-October
Peas June-July
Peppers July-October
Raspberries July-October
Squash July-October
Strawberries June-August
Tomatoes July-October
Mushrooms July-October