The Dirt: What To Get At The Farmers Market This Weekend

Though you’ve still got a full week of summer left according to the calendar, now’s the time to stock up on those summer favorites- plums, peaches, and tomatoes – because even good things can’t last forever. The good news is that we’re in for a gorgeous weekend ahead, so now’s the perfect tome for taking advantage of the huge amount of produce at area markets.

Kiwiberries – Hardy kiwis have returned! Both Beechwood Orchards and Buzby Farms have the fruit at Headhouse, and they’re sure to turn up from more vendors shortly. The size of grapes, they look exactly like kiwis if you shrunk them, but their skins are tender and perfectly edible.

Lima Beans – It’s not too late for a little succotash this season because Buzby Farm has fresh lima beans in their big, leathery pods at the Headhouse market. Even if you don’t typically like dried limas, these fresh ones might be worth a try. Fresh-picked, there less starchy and more sweet, more like edamame than their dried cousins.

Indigo Rose Tomatoes – These little round tomatoes are a relatively new addition to the tomato line-up, but they’re noteworthy for their deep purple, almost black, color. Plus? This color means that they’re high in antioxidants just like dark cherries or blueberries. Look for them at Happy Cat (Headhouse) or at Homestead Gardens (Clark Park).

Lavender – This weekend, the Bryn Mawr Market is welcoming a new vendor, Lavender Hill Farm, who will be at market with dried lavender, cured garlic, potted herbs and even some flowers.

Paste Tomatoes – Juicy, slippery heirlooms are fantastic alongside mozzarella, but if you’re cooking them down into a batch of sauce for your freezer, and certainly if you’re canning them what you need are paste or plum tomatoes. These tend to be fleshier and denser, with less volume of seeds. Their firmer texture means that they peel more easily after a dip in boiling water, and they take less time and cooking to come together into a jammy, never watery, sauce. Some farms have San Marzano paste tomatoes (obviously, grown here, not in the famous tomato region), and also keep your eyes out for the beautiful Speckled Romans, which still have a plum shape and skin that is yellow and red stripes.