Chefs working a summer farmers market don’t head for whatever looks best for a photo. They go straight for seven things, and most shoppers don’t even know to look for them until it’s too late. Peak stone fruit and dry-farmed tomatoes disappear off the tables first, gone before the rest of the crowd shows up. Everything else can wait its turn.
Farmers markets run on their own clock. A lot of the best stuff on the table is only good for a few days, so shoppers who know the season shop with a calendar in mind instead of grabbing whatever looks fresh. That’s the real difference between walking away with the best of summer and walking away with whatever was left sitting out.
Stone fruit won’t wait
Peaches, plums and nectarines hit their peak for only a short stretch each summer, and the window closes fast. “Stone fruit is the one thing at the farmers market I get almost territorial about,” said chef Jenn Allen of Cook What You Love. “That season is so short you almost have to plan your meals around when the peaches and plums show up, not the other way around. But that’s exactly why it tastes better. A peach that traveled two states in a truck is never going to compare to one that was picked yesterday, a mile from where you’re standing.”
Dry-farmed tomatoes taste different
Growers cut back on watering these tomatoes once the plants take root, so the fruit stays smaller but packs in more flavor. They’re often a little thicker-skinned, and at their best, all they need is salt and olive oil.
Heirlooms you won’t find at a grocery store
Farmers markets are often the only place to find heirloom tomatoes, since their thin skins bruise too easily for a trip through a distribution warehouse. “In the summer, my farmers market basket is always brimming with all sorts of seasonal fruits and vegetables. But what’s non-negotiable for me? A few heirloom tomatoes,” said chef Molly of Vanilla Bean Cuisine. “Heirlooms are grown specifically for their flavor and texture, and are often varieties that have been grown for generations. Their thinner skins mean they are too delicate to be transported to a traditional grocery store, so often markets are the only place you can find them. I love to pair them with burrata cheese and fresh basil for a light salad, or use them to top a puff pastry tomato tart.”
Squash blossoms don’t last a day
Farmers pick these the same day they open, since they wilt fast after that. Stuff them with ricotta and herbs and fry them quick, or tear them raw into a salad.
Fresh shell beans skip the soak
These get picked before the seeds fully dry inside the pod, so there’s no overnight soak needed. They cook up creamy and tender in a fraction of the time dried beans take.
Garlic scapes have a few weeks, tops
These curly green stalks come from hardneck garlic plants and get cut early in the season so the bulb below can grow bigger. The flavor is milder and greener than a mature clove. Grill them whole, sauté them, or blend them into pesto.
Corn is sweetest the same day
Sweet corn starts converting sugar to starch the moment it’s picked, so the freshest ears taste noticeably better. Look for plump ears with green husks and silks that have started to brown but are still soft. Ask before you peel one back, then get it home and into the fridge fast.
The best haul from a farmers market isn’t always the biggest tomato or the shiniest peach. Sometimes it’s the crop with only a few picks left in the season, or the one too delicate to survive a trip to the grocery store. Get there early, grab those first, and let everyone else fight over what’s left.
Jennifer Allen is a retired professional chef and long-time writer. Her work appears in dozens of publications, including MSN, Yahoo, The Washington Post and The Seattle Times. These days, she’s busy in the kitchen developing recipes and traveling the world, and you can find all her best creations at Cook What You Love.