August 16, 2012
One of my favorite parts of traveling is the chance to wander my way through farmers markets around the world. I’ll spot familiar items readily available at the markets here in Santa Barbara, while other produce looks so exotic that I’m totally clueless on what it even is, let alone how to prepare it.
No matter where the market is, I always like to talk with the local farmers. They have great secrets, tips and wits about their produce that most chefs don’t even know. I’ve found too that they are usually happy to share lots of information about their goods.
In Kauai, with my flip flops on or caked in mud from that morning’s hike, we headed down the rows of the local farmers market in search of deliciously tropical fruit. Perfectly ripe pineapples, juicy mangos, apple bananas and passion fruit were abundant. We happily ate our fill of island flavor, gleaning information as we smelled, squeezed, talked and tasted our way through the stands.
