The Watsonville Certified Farmers Market is home to a variety of foods from around the world. KT Farms, a regular at the Watsonville Market throughout the spring and summer months, specializes in vegetables of Asian origin.
Browsing the KT Farms booth, shoppers have many questions about the unfamiliar produce selection. Long, thick red-brown sticks, upon query, turned out to be fresh-cut sugar cane. Strange-looking brown orbs with long shoots protruding from the surface are taro roots, the base starch ingredient in poi, a Hawaiian specialty. A long, skinny vegetable that looks like a cross between broccoli and spinach, is actually Chinese broccoli.
Asian cucumber, baby bok choy, Thai basil and purple Chinese spinach are just some of the other interesting Asian vegetables found at the KT booth. Sounds like there’s a stir-fry in the making!
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Other market offerings this week will be shell peas, green and red onions, asparagus, celery, citrus fruits and peanuts.
Shopping at the farmers market is a wonderful way to connect with your community, support local farmers, and eat seasonally.
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Simple Hawaiian Poi
Recipe by Robert Irvine
Ingredients:
- 1 taro root, peeled
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, steam taro root until tender. Transfer to a large wooden bowl and add water. Pound to a puree with a pestle, and season, to taste, with salt.
Serve with fish or any other luau-style dish.
The Watsonville Certified Farmers' Market is 3-7 p.m. every Friday on the corner of Peck and Main streets. The market is open, rain or shine.
