Mar Vista Mom

Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up: Guest Poster Today

Hello Mar Vista Mom Readers,

Mar Vista Mom is visiting a Mission with her fourth grader this weekend so she asked me, Elise, of Elise's Ramblings, to guest blog. My subject, Chelsea Magdaleno, is an amazing photographer, so she wanted to take the pictures. Unfortunately that means she is not in them, but they are lovely.

Chelsea is making a Burrata cheese appetizer today.(This is not Chelsea. It's the cheese guy.)

(And this is the cheese.)

 

She will be dicing the tomatoes, basil and garlic, 

 

and putting them on a large platter then drizzling "good" olive oil over them, and sprinkling it all with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Then she puts the burrata cheese (this is a mozzarella-type cheese but with more cream) in the center.

She serves it with a sliced baguette, crackers, or just by itself.

I've actually been fortunate enough to have had her bring this to my house for a party. It is fabulous, but it doesn't last long so make sure you get some before it's gone, if you decide to make it.

Thanks for having me, it was fun!

Elise

 

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

This week's special guest is Mar Vista Dad. Well, that's not his real name, but since he's my husband, he can be known that way. He's also a wonderful cook and he decided to make fresh tomato pasta sauce with these beautiful tomatoes

and this delicious lemon basil.

He chops garlic and sautes that in olive oil, then adds the coarsely chopped tomatoes and cooks just for a few minutes. Basil goes in last, just as you're serving the pasta. Yum!! Thanks for cooking, honey!

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

Today was a blustery day in Mar Vista, cold, windy and rainy, and only the heartiest of shoppers were there first thing when the market opened. One such hearty soul was Agnes Anderson, from the Sivananda Yoga Vendanta Center, who was picking up the ingredients for some split pea soup. The perfect thing to have on a chilly day.

She first picked up some potatoes, then she got some carrots and celery.

She starts by sauteing the chopped vegetables in some ghee, with cumin and home-grown, dried oregano. Then, once they're soft and the spices are really coming to life, she adds water and the dried peas. Then just let it cook. Sounds pretty easy -- and, like I said, perfect for a day like today.

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

Today I checked in with my friend Craig Jaffe as he shopped for dinner for his family, and it sounds really yummy! (That's Craig on the right.) 

He's going to start with these clams that he'll steam in white wine, with garlic, onions, salt and pepper, and then he'll serve them in their broth.

Then they're going to have Chilean Seabass, sauteed in butter, dill, and salt and pepper, served with artichokes, garlic butter dipping sauce on the side.

I have to say, those are all some of my favorite foods. Wish I were invited over!

Craig is what we call a "Major Volunteer", by the way (and so is his wife; must run in the family). He's co-President of Mar Vista Elementary's booster club, the MVSEG, he's a cub scout den leader, AND he's a coach on his son's little league team up at North Venice Little League, which is where I run into him about three times a week now that the season is in full swing. Oh and by the way, he runs his own business, The Jaffe Insurance Agency. It's amazing he has time to cook, much less make such amazing food!

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

Today's market shopper is my friend, Debra.

She's going to make something that sounds amazing: quinoa and red rice salad. 

The ingredients are: quinoa, red rice, carmelized onions, spring onions, arugula, pine nuts, dried apricots, and cilantro, dressed with olive oil and the juice and zest of one lemon. 

She's also holding these cool-looking red carrots, which she's going to glaze with a little butter and sugar. Thanks, Debra!!

ps Red rice is a special ingredient you need to get at Whole Foods (or I'm sure other places), so if you don't feel like making the trip, you can substitute brown rice instead.

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

Today was a big day at the Market! Crafts, Logos, Cooking Demos! Wild!

The market debuted its new logo today, created by the talented students at the Art Institute of California -- Los Angeles, seen here on an apron. Awesome! And the students of the Institute's Culinary Arts program were on hand to demonstrate mirepoix and it sure smelled good.

Join me after the jump for a run-down of the crafters, and of course, a new recipe!

Save The Date: Sunday, March 1st: Crafts For Sale At The Farmer's Market

The Mar Vista Arts and Crafts Collective will be setting up booths this Sunday at the Mar Vista Farmer's Market, as they do each 1st Sunday of the month. 

Please come and see the beautiful, hand-made items by our own Mar Vistans!

The Farmer's Market runs from 8:30 am to 2pm every Sunday.

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

Today's recipe comes from Bill Waiste, of P.O.P. Candy Co. He's quite the chef, apparently. 

Today's he's chosen bok choy, which is abundant at the market. 

He's going to saute it in a little olive oil and sesame oil, with some garlic and onions, for just a really short time, then he adds some chicken stock, which wilts the bok choy. At the last minute, he adds some soy sauce, sweet hot sauce, and fish sauce, and tops it all off with some sesame seeds for garnish. Sounds dee-lish!

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up

Rob Kadota is the Chair of the Mar Vista Community Council, and he's a regular at the Farmer's Market. Stop by the community booth, that's where he hangs out, practically every Sunday.

Today he was buying some beets. Half are for roasting and half are for pickling. He roasts them in a 350-degree oven, with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little balsamic vinegar, for about an hour, peels off the skin and serves them with chicken for dinner.

Rob didn't get specific about the pickling recipe, but he says it involves vinegar, salt, sugar and celery seeds. I have heard pickling takes a lot of time. Personally, I don't have the patience. I actually read a cheater's recipe for pickles recently: buy a jar of pickles you like, eat the pickles, and use the leftover liquid to pickle something new. Right up my alley.

Sunday Feature: Mar Vista Farmer's Market Wrap-Up (This Week On Monday)

Sunday I had the pleasure of seeing the Mar Vista Farmer's Market through Lorraine Wells' eyes. I refer to Lorraine as the Market Maven. She helped to bring the market into being nearly 3 years ago, and she's there every week. I'm pretty sure she knows every vendor by name.

She had a delicious menu planned: chicken for Sunday dinner and seafood for later in the week. We started at the seafood booth and she picked up some shrimp and scallops from Ali at Smart Fish. 

When she cooks them up, she's going to use tangerines, limes and ginger. I made her promise to cook it for me someday!

She already had the chicken at home and she was planning to use Shawarma seasonings on it. On the side, she was making basmati rice, spinach and a lovely salad.

We headed off in search of the ingredients for her basmati rice side dish. She caramelizes these beautiful onions 

from Gama farms and adds them to the rice, along with cilantro from Gloria's Fruit and Vegetables. 

She sautes these shallots 

in a little olive oil and then adds spinach from Gloria's for a very delicious and iron-rich side dish.

She gets her red leaf lettuce from J.R. Organics, who are part of Community Supported Agriculture, which is a very cool program and you should check it out. And then she adds these awesome tomatoes

to the salad for some color and deliciousness.

Not only am I inspired to cook these dishes myself, I'm thrilled I got to see the market with Lorraine.