By Joshua Lurie
For dineLA.com
Refined Prepared Foods at Farmers’ MarketsEver since the Gardena market debuted on June 23, 1979, LA’s farmers’ market culture has continued to grow in both scale and complexity. Now nearly 100 certified farmers markets can be found across the county, every day of the week, and shoppers have more to look forward to than just seasonal produce. Artisans, chefs and farmers have found ways to compose prepared options that will make even the most hardcore food aficionados forget about restaurants.
Pitmaster Neil Strawder, better known as Bigmista, burns red oak, cherry and when he can find it, almond wood, to smoke an array of meats. He and wife Phyllis cook ribs, brisket and links. The pulled pork sandwiches tout a tomato-based sauce with lingering heat, tangy slaw, and a hamburger bun or hoagie roll, depending on the size of your order. Sides include vinegar-licked collard greens and baked beans with Christmas spicing. They also have unique products like pig candy (aka barbecued bacon) and a parfait with distinct layers of pulled pork, mashed potatoes and cole slaw.
www.bigmista.com
Columbia University-educated anthropologist Rowan Moore Gerety moved to LA from Madagascar, where he was teaching English…and discovered a passion for salad. His stand, which features an “explosive” cabbage logo and a blackboard menu that draws on the Silver Lake farmers market bounty. A recent salad featured shaved pumpkin, kale, cucumber and sugar snap peas, with a dressing involving sunflower seeds, olive oil, rosemary, mustard and more. We also experienced parnsip, carrot and sage soup, and a carbonated-to-order lemon ginger spritzer. Gerety recently accepted a grant from The State Department to study cell phone usage in Mozambique, so he brought on Jesse Campos as a partner, who’s running Bomb! Salads in his temporary absence.
www.bombsalads.com
Cam Slocum farms in Lincoln Heights and supplies restaurants like Lazy Ox Canteen, Joe’s, Barbrix and Water Grill. The "eastside tomato king" and his daughter bring six salsas to the market, including one with cantaloupe, roasted pasillas, roasted jalapeno and more. As his daughter said, “This one basically has everything we grow in it, but it still ends up tasting really [expletive] good.” They also make a mean carrot soup, which is served cool and available by the half-pint.
apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/cams_farm
Even though lead flavor developer Jessica Mortarotti and partner Zachary Cox recently graduated to permanent digs in east Pasadena, they’ve stayed true to their market roots. Mortarotti’s seasonal flavors of ice cream and sorbet may include blood orange and strawberry buttermilk. They also serve what might be the definitive salted caramel ice cream, plus standbys like brown sugar vanilla bean and positively luxurious ice cream sandwiches on firm cookies.
www.carmelaicecream.com
Silver Sabino and his father employ a fleet of roving rotisseries at markets across town. Their free-range birds are treated to 11 seasonings, including rosemary, garlic, ginger, pepper and cayenne before spinning for an hour-and-a-half until the skin’s nice and crisp. Seasoned potatoes roast below the birds and absorb their dripping juices, along with flavor from rosemary, shaved red onion, garlic cloves and cayenne. Dress the meat and potatoes with a choice of sauce. They’ve got salsa, but the preferred option combines coconut milk, cheese, mayo and a liberal amount of garlic. For added kick, opt for the version with piquillo, cayenne and chile de arbol.
www.grillmasters-chicken.com
The popular catering company from Matthew Poley, Tara Maxey and Talmadge Lowe rolled out in late April and features a different market-driven menu each night. Their itinerary includes Thursday evening stops at the Yamashiro Farmers Market. Depending on the day, you might find a pristine market salad, halibut tacos or a braised pork slider with arugula slaw, house-made pickles and ranch dressing. No matter the menu, they’ll have signature lasagna cupcakes and Cake Monkey treats. Think mini coconut cakes with layers of caramel and meringue. They even offer PB&J sandwiches with peanut butter and Sqirl strawberry, marjoram and ginger jam on house-made brioche.
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The Brown family has been farming 20 acres and 4,000 pomegranate trees since 2006, and those trees started becoming products in 2009. The marquee bottle is filled with the pure, unadulterated juice of the three pomegranates, which features zero preservatives and tastes sweeter, less tangy than most alternatives. Their grenadine involves pomegranate juice, lemon juice and sugar and is good for tequila sunrises or margaritas. The seed-filled fruit also factors into jelly and grilling sauces.
www.skylakeranch.com
Confectioner Valerie Gordon and partner Stan Weightman, Jr. took to the market in 2009, expanding their focus from chocolate, toffee, truffles and petits fours. A blackboard menu advertises seasonal options like breakfast handpies, including one with merguez sausage and fingerling potatoes, and our most recent choice - leek, sunchoke and shiitake - which comes sheathed in a half-moon of flaky pastry. A square, savory onion galette is studded with raisins. Sweeter offerings include Meyer lemon teacake and blackberry coffee cake crumble.
www.valerieconfections.com
