What's in season at the farmers market this week?
– strawberries!!!
– the first cherries
– the first mulberries
– Murcott mandarins
– lemons
– limes
– pomelos
– baby lettuces
– turnips
– conehead cabbage
Inspired by seasonal Southern California ingredients, chef Arnie Marcella seeks out strawberries at the farmers market. He'll put them to work at Cobi's where he uses local produce to create Southeast Asian-inspired dishes. (In 2023, the Santa Monica restaurant was named a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which recognizes refined cuisine at affordable prices.)
Marcella relies on green almonds for a savory dish that mimics the flavors of indigenous mangos, adding summer squashes, fermented tofu, and chilis. On the sweet side, he uses strawberries in a vegan granita served with coconut jelly, Thai cream, and sweet, pandan-infused tofu.
Oxnard-based Tamai Family Farms is one of the most popular strawberry vendors at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Gloria Tamai recommends sealing strawberries, keeping them in the refrigerator, and not washing them until they are ready to be eaten. She currently has three varieties of strawberries on her table:
- Gaviota strawberries are sweet, juicy, and low in acid
- Albion strawberries, which are available year-round, have a firmer texture
- Monterey strawberries have less flavor and are grown primarily for commercial purposes
A strawberry granita made with tofu cream, coconut jelly, Thai basil oil, and cilantro flowers at Cobi's in Santa Monica. Photo by Arnie Marcella.