GASTRONORMOUS

First, I must divulge that I grew up in America’s heartland, where the fields far outnumber the freeways. Inexplicably, the Midwestern diet is heavy on cheese and pork, light on fresh fruits and vegetables, so I didn’t really cultivate a taste for the bounties of the harvest until I moved to the big city (and became a vegetarian).

Now that I live in Northern California, the thing that strikes me the most about the region is the abundant opportunity to “eat local.” Sure, I’ve been to farmer’s markets all over the United States (and Europe!), but in my experience they can be confected arrangements of knobby, gnarled fruit and bags of nuts trucked in from very far away, and the buying experience was rushed and overcrowded. Here, they are truly cornucopias of all that is delightful about food, and rarely is there a grower present whose fields are more than 50 miles from the market.

My favorite farmer’s market is, hands down, the twice-weekly affair in Davis.

Every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning, the main park transforms into a delightful panoply of arts and crafts, flowers, baked goods, prepared foods, and a wonderful assortment of fruit, veggies, nuts, fish, and even fresh tortillas and wine. By no means is it the largest or most comprehensive market (the Sunday morning Sacramento farmer’s market far outstrips Davis’ in terms of quantity and diversity, and of course the farmer’s market at San Francisco’s Ferry Building is a singular experience), but darn if it isn’t always a good time. I come for the food and the people; my husband tags along for the Labrador Retriever rescue that always sets up shop at the far end of the park. The pace is leisurely, almost extravagant, as people file through with dogs or kids in arms; growers are friendly and willing to chat about any aspect of their business (they also love it when you take pictures of their produce!) as you munch on samples.

Let’s be brutally frank, however: though I love the fresh almond butter (available in creamy OR crunchy!), the locally produced honey, and the gigantic fruit, my favorite thing about the Davis farmer’s market is the popsicles made by Aisu Pops.

It’s almost a crime to call them mere popsicles, for they shouldn’t be lumped into the same category as an Otter Pop or a Fudgsicle. These are chilly innovation on a stick, and I find myself counting the days until I can go back and try another flavor.

Aisu Pops are the brainchild of H.T. Jaymes Luu, a Davis local who brings her wares on a bicycle fitted with a freezer. Nearly all of the ingredients come from growers who sell at the farmer’s market, and they are made in small batches of 40 pops at a, well, pop. The flavors rotate according to season and chef-ly whim; some are conventional taste combinations such as strawberry coconut and kiwi mango, but step outside the norm and the results are astonishingly original and exciting: beet tangerine, kaffir limeade with avocado, blueberry grape with tarragon, and canteloupe chai are just a few of the flavors that have graced the freezer on wheels at markets past.

This weekend, we tried the Thai iced tea popsicle, made creamy and even more orange with sweet potatoes, and kiwi mango (pictured above), which had the perfect blend of gritty seeds and velvety tropical delight. At $2 a pop, I can’t think of a more cost-effective way to eat local, undoubtedly with a smile.

I am excited to introduce a new contributor to gastronormous! Michelle Treviño is a writer, editor, and friend extraordinaire. She was born in the Midwest and spent much of her life in cities small and large along the East Coast before moving to the West Coast a few years ago. Her gastroreporting will focus mostly on Sacramento and its environs, with some forays into San Francisco and other California locales.

Michelle’s first post is about a farmer’s market, the bounty of which is perhaps best appreciated by someone who lived in New York for many years (as she did), and therefore understands the sadness of living someplace with a relative dearth of readily available, good-quality, fresh produce! [Ah, but I miss fresh California produce!]

Okay, everyone, please welcome Michelle! You can contact her at michelle {at} gastronormous {dot} com.