Sunday afternoon is an excellent day to stroll along Cedros Street in Sonana Beach’s design district where local farmers, chefs and street vendors set up shop for one of the nicer farmer’s markets in North County San Diego.
Open from 1-5pm the small market meanders up a narrow pathway on the east side of the street a few blocks south of Birmingham. From organic produce to grass fed meats and artisinal bakeries and gourmet products, it’s what you expect from a farmer’s market—people with passion about food and sharing. And it’s always good to support local farmers and entrepreneurs.
I’d never seen a lemon like the “Citron Buddha Hand Lemons” one farmer was hawking for three bucks a piece. Three elderly ladies were fondling its arthritic looking fingers before they yielded to the lens of my camera. A quick google search revealed that the Chinese and Japanese use it, not for cooking but, for perfuming rooms and clothing. In Western cooking it’s often used for zest or for a tart candy when made into a chewy succade.
I opted out of the purchases, but with my newfound knowledege, I look forward to a return to the Solana Beach Farmer’s Market for more tasty fresh organic treats and a citron buddha’s hand lemon. I’ll be sure to share the adventure and discovery on the pages at Tasting Adventure—a new project that is in development and related to my upcoming book.
Low tide in the late afternoon in Solana Beach makes for a perfect time to walk on the beach. As the sun makes its descent and the glowing orb paints the bluffs orange and yellow and the shadows of beachcombers stretch and dance across the damp sand. Good thing I made the time today to wander and wonder.
