On Wednesday mornings, you'll often find Grenoble-born chef Daniel Matho pulling his blue wagon through the Santa Monica Farmers Market. These days, he's shopping for his eponymous Maison Matho, a charming sandwich shack on Melrose Avenue in East Hollywood. Eggs, broccoli, citrus, and fennel are on his list. For his current vegan sandwich, he roasts butternut squash and rests it on a bed of salad dressed in vinaigrette and a puree of capers and espresso, all of which is topped with pickled sea beans. Matho also combines segmented grapefruit, a caper sauce, celery leaf oil, and a couple of tarragon leaves that he brûlées with condensed milk and tops with candied cocoa beans as a seasonal side.
Lettie Garcia of Garcia Organic Farm in Fallbrook grows the grapefruit that Matho purchases. Valentine pomelo, Texas Ruby Star, and cocktail varieties are featured on her table. With their red tint, valentine pomelos are crossed with blood oranges. Cocktail grapefruits, which are also crossed with an orange, are juicy and sweet. Pink-fleshed Ruby Star has the grapefruit flavor most associated with this citrus varietal. Pomelo is an eating grapefruit with a thick rind. Cocktail varieties should be stored in the refrigerator while other varieties are safe to keep on the counter.