Two New Markets

Every Thursday, 10 AM to 1:30 PM

on Capitol Mall between 5th and 6th Streets

(on the grassy median)

**Open Until September 30th**

and

Every Saturday, 9 AM to Noon

at Inderkum High School in Natomas

(2500 New Market Drive)

**Open Until October 30th**

Ready For Market

• In addition to watermelon, cantaloupe, galia and honeydew melons, several of the farmers' markets also have different varieties of Indian and Persian melons. Try an exotic kharboza melon, or a traditional yellow-skinned casaba melon.
• Up for a challenge? Try to find a fruit peachier than an O' Henry peach.
• For a limited time, figs are ready. The brown turkey looks like a larger version of a mission fig. The janice fig is chartreuse green and satisfyingly sweet.
• There are plenty of tomatoes to choose from at market. Try a mellow and meaty cherokee purple heirloom tomato for the perfect BLT sandwich. When shopping please keep in mind that most tomatoes are incredibly fragile to the touch. Too much handling is harmful and unnecessary, as tomatoes at the market are picked ready to eat.
• Red and yellow bartlett pears as well as a few varieties of asian pears are now ripe. A large asian pear can provide 9 grams of dietary fiber.
• If you like to stir-fry, there are carrots, onions, garlic, bok choy, and winter melon ready to go. Try adding fresh thai basil leaves and fragrant cilantro a moment before serving. If you like spicy, one or two thai peppers will do the trick, especially if you include the seeds.
• Summer squash including patty-pan, yellow crookneck, and the mildly sweet costa romanesco can be found at many markets. These are a good source of many vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and potassium.
• Fresh-picked gala apples are crunchy and sweet. They should be stored in the refrigerator to keep them crisp. If you enjoy morning coffee just before shopping, munching on an apple is a terrific way to freshen your breath.

Grape Expectations

Grapes are some of the best back-to-school snacks nature provides. Here are descriptions of a few of the grape varieties available in late summer:

Muscat: These have been used as wine grapes for ages in many regions of the world. Their floral undertones make them an interesting table grape as well.

Black Emerald: This is a relatively new variety of seedless table grapes. Their fruits have very dark skin and crisp juicy flesh. The flavor is mellow and sweet.

Thompson Seedless: The green seedless grapes are sweet, seedless, and crunchy, which make them great in fruit cocktails. They have a high sugar content but are also a very good source of vitamin C.

Red Flame: These seedless grapes are very easy to find. They are quite possibly the most popular variety of grapes for sale. They are very sweet and mildly tart. Their skin is maroon and they have crunchy translucent flesh.

Red flames also make the best frozen treats. Rinse the grapes and remove them from the bunch. Once they are clean and dry, place them in an airtight container and freeze for a few hours. These are fun to eat and so refreshing.

Concord Grape: These unique grapes will be available for a short time. They have a thick skin, delicate juicy flesh and large seeds. Their distinctive nectar-sweet flavor is unmatched, but they are sometimes hard to find because seeded grapes do not sell as well as seedless.

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