What's in season at the farmers market this week?
– Boysenberries
– Cherries from Andy's Orchard, at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays during cherry season
– Summer squash
Peach season has firmly arrived at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, and Ishnoelle Chin Richardson of Baking with Ish, a micro-bakery in Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel, is picking up a case of the stone fruit from Regier Family Farms. With its sweet redness, the Fiesta Gem peach pairs perfectly with a champagne mango, which Richardson uses to make his favorite summer pie. He was inspired by the hand pies at Filipino chain, Jollibee. Combining the fruit with a vanilla bean cream pastry and thyme, the mixture is baked in a crust made with Sonora wheat flour sourced from Tehachapi Grain Project. Whole pies and slices are available at the bakery.
The peach mango pie at Baking with Ish combines farmer’s market fruit with a hint of thyme. Photo by Ishnoelle Chin Richardson.
Troy Regier's family has been growing nearly 100 varieties of peaches on 30 acres at their farm in Tulare County for the past 37 years. On the table this week are Fiesta Gem peaches. "It's a classic yellow peach that just melts in your mouth," Regier says. Also available this week, a white nectarine dubbed the Arctic Star and a white peach known as a Snow Fox. Growing up on the farm, Regier knows the two-week window when the sugar content is the highest. After that, it's a whole year before the varieties are available again.