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Ripe Now! Figs
Oh my, figs! The warm summer months bring the first harvest of these rare and versatile gems. Figs are surprisingly sweet, yet lusciously complex. These babies are available at Berkeley Farmers' Markets through September. Figs are a high source of potassium and fiber, which may have a positive effect on blood sugar and weight management. Even more reason to indulge!
Find varieties like Kadota, Black Mission, Desert King, and Brown Turkey Figs from Kashiwase Farms, Guru Ram Das Orchard, Full Belly Farms, Peach Jamboree, Lucero Organic Farms, Bariani Olive Oil, and Kaki Farms.
Selecting and Storing: Look for figs that are plump and tender, but not mushy. Given their highly perishable nature, figs should be purchased only a few days before cooking or eating. Avoid washing until just before use.
Zero Waste: Those of us who have fig trees know what it's like to have too many figs at once! Luckily figs can easily be dried: Rinse the figs. Set your dehydrator at 135F. Cut figs in half and place on dehydrator trays for 8-24 hours until all liquid has evaporated.
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Recipe: Fig Tart
For a decadent and healthy treat, make this Fig Tart recipe from Jennifer Caroff, Natural Chef and Health Coach.
Ingredients:
7-8 ripe figs
1 T dark balsamic
Almond Flour Olive Oil Crust:
1 1/4 C. blanched almond flour
1 1/4 C. almond meal
3/4 tsp. sea salt
2/3 C olive oil
2 T full fat coconut milk, or other plant-based milk such as almond
1 T date syrup or maple syrup
Vanilla Cashew Crema: 1 1/2 C. cashews, soaked
6-7 Medjool dates, pitted
3/4 C. water
3 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)
Preparation: Soak cashews in water for two hours (ideally 4-6 hours). Drain and rinse the cashews well. Place cashews in a high speed blender. Add the dates, water, vanilla, and salt. Blend until creamy and smooth.
Preheat oven to 350F. Place dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl and mix with a fork, then set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients and whisk together. Create a small well in the dry ingredients, then slowly pour in wet mix and stir until dough forms. This dough comes together easily; if it seems a bit too oily, sprinkle more almond flour on the dough and gently incorporate. Press the dough ball into the pie or tart pan and dot with fork marks. Bake on 350F for 12 minutes.
Spread the cashew crema in the tart crust. Be generous; you want the fig halves to float on a thick layer of crema. Artfully arrange figs on the crema. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
A note on the tart: The olive oil crust is quite moist and will moisten even more as crema sets so this tart is best enjoyed the same day.
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Jennifer Caroff, Natural Chef and Health Coach, offers private chef services and health-focused cooking classes in the Northern California Bay Area and requested destination locations. To learn more about her services and sign-up for her recipe blog, visit www.foodsoulutions.com. To see what Jennifer's cooking, follow her on Instagram @foodsoulutions.
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Current Vendors
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Tuesday South Berkeley
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Thursday North Berkeley
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Saturday Downtown Berkeley
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Kaki Farms
Massa Organics
Oya Organics
Brokaw Ranch Co.
Swanton Berry Farm
Full Belly Farm
Flying Disc Ranch- back 9/8
Blossom Bluff Orchard
Solano Mushroom
Dirty Girl Produce
Kashiwase Farm
Stepladder Creamery
Riverdog Farm
Smit Farms
Avalos Farm
Lou Vue Farm
Blue Heron Farms
Peach Jamboree
Frog Hollow Farm
Lucero Organics
Little Fish Co
Queen of Sheba Honey
Phoenix Pastificio
Three Stone Hearth
Soul Flower Farm
Base Camp Bakery
Bolani
Fruit Tree Smoothies
Tamales La Oaxaquena
Andy's Thai
Donna's Tamales
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Hudson Fish
Lucero Organics
Happy Boy Farms
Green Thumb Organics
Massa Organics
Golden Rule Organics
Pomo Tierra Orchard
E&H Mushroom Farm
Riverdog Farm
Frog Hollow Farm
Kashiwase Farm
Phoenix Pastificio
Big Little Bowl
Donna's Tamales
All Things Sharp
Morell's Bread
Upland Apiary
Three Stone Hearth- back 8/20
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Vang Family Farm
Brokaw Ranch
Swanton Berry Farm
Avalos Farm
Kaki Farm
Good Faith Farm
Golden Rule Organics
Guru Ram Das Orchard
Lifefood Gardens
Gattonelli
Achadinha Cheese Co.
Hudson Fish
Kashiwase Farm
Happy Boy Farms
Stepladder Creamery
True Grass Ranch
Solano Mushroom
Riverdog Farm
Smit Farms
Four Sisters Farm
Blue Heron Farm
Peach Jamboree
Frog Hollow Farm
Off Beet Farm
Pomo Tierra Orchard
Higher Land Coffee
Tony's Kettle Corn + Crepes
Andy's Thai
Tamales La Oaxaquena
Cafe Zambala
All Things Sharp
Beber Almond Milk
Big Little Bowl
Soul Flower Farm
Queen of Sheba Honey
Your Way to Life Granola
Laguna Gardens Bakery
Cultured Pickle Shop
Morell's Bread
Obour Hummus
Phoenix Pastificio
Bolani
Coracao
Primavera Tamales
Bun Bao (New!)
Abrothacary
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Meet Amanda Gordon, our New Program Manager!
Amanda Gordon comes with deep knowledge of the inner workings of the Berkeley Farmers' Markets with 7 years experience at the Ecology Center (17 years of experience working in farmers' markets in the Bay Area!). She is committed to creating a just food system that serves everyone in our community and holds up small and sustainable farms and businesses. Please give her a warm welcome!
Why do you enjoy working at the farmers' market?
It feels good to support and be connected with independent California farmers and learn their struggles and triumphs intimately. Plus the tastiest, most nutritious food is there!
What are some reasons you like to work with the Berkeley community?
Many residents of Berkeley understand the importance of supporting small health rather than big agriculture.
What are the most challenging parts about your job?
While Berkeley Farmers' Markets are a huge community resource, sometimes supporting and ensuring the success and safety of small farms and businesses is at odds with supporting the local community, especially the community that is most in need. For example, we set up our markets in public spaces and steward those spaces--places where individuals sleep, suffer from mental health crises, and ask for money. While our job requires us to maintain a safe, sanitary, and enjoyable environment for our vendors and customers to thrive, I feel the responsibility to support these members of our community is also on us. We usually have limited time to do this and there are very limited public resources available. Situations like this happen frequently and can be painful, frustrating, and difficult to resolve.
What is one farmers' market food you can't go without? Strawberries from Dirty Girl Produce
What's the funniest thing you've ever seen happened at the market?
There is a state Health Code stating no live animals are allowed inside a certified farmers' market. Mid-pandemic, as we are frantically ensuring everyone in the market is wearing masks and maintaining 6 feet of distancing, someone saunters through the market on horseback. A staff member radios in, "Umm, there's a man riding through the market on a horse...and he's not wearing a mask."
What is a hobby or interest that you have outside of working at the market?
Learning how to garden, harvesting ripe fruit, dance parties with and without my toddler :)
---- Did you know that California certifies its farmers' markets to ensure that the farmers grow what they sell at the market? These special regulations also require a Market Manager be at all Certified Farmers' Markets. These folks ensure that the markets are following the agricultural and health department regulations. In addition to that job, these folks work on recruiting and organizing the vendors, liaise with local city staff, promote the markets, and ensure markets are a safe community-gathering space. At the Ecology Center, we are SO GRATEFUL for our Market Managers, essential workers who are out there at the markets working incredibly hard to make sure the markets remain safe and open. We hope you will take a moment to meet our team!
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Farmers' Market Hours & Locations
EBT and WIC Fruit & Vegetable checks gladly accepted and Market Match incentives distributed at all markets.
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South Berkeley
Tuesdays, 2 - 6:30 pm
Adeline St. at 63rd St.,
Berkeley
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Thursdays, 3 - 7 pm
Shattuck Ave. at Vine St., Berkeley
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Downtown Berkeley
Saturdays, 10 am - 3 pm
Center St. at MLK Jr. Way, Berkeley
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[Photo credit: Berkeley Farmers' Market Staff, Jennifer Caroff]
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