Chefs rely on Karen Beverlin to procure fruits and vegetables at their peak. As Vice President of Specialty Sales for FreshPoint, she knows a thing or two about seasonality. She explains that carrots are at their best during fall, winter, and spring. The root vegetable protects itself from freezing by creating sugars when it's cold so that the water in their cells won't burst the cell wall. Commercial carrots are harvested at a specific time and stored with their tops cut off. At the farmers markets, carrots are harvested a day or two before they are brought to market. A few of Beverlin's favorite farmers and varieties include the orange carrots from The Garden Of, which break easily because the fiber content is so low. The stand also offers the large, kintoki red carrots. The larger a kintoki carrot is, the sweeter it'll be. Tutti Frutti offers black, orange, and yellow varieties.
Meanwhile, chef Lucio Bendon of Vicini keeps an eye out for beets and pomegranates during the seasonal shift at the market. He uses Chioggia beets in a cooked beet carpaccio that includes green kale, pickled onions, pickled raisins, avocado, and a basil/jalapeño dressing. The Chioggia variety is red with pink concentric circles inside. Bendon explains that the Italian variety of the beets are grown close to the sea, which produces a creamier beet. Pomegranate seeds top a scallop crudo with fresno chile, as well as a baby arugula salad with shaved Brussels sprouts and parmesan cheese.