San Diego Farmer's Markets

Taken Mostly from the San Diego Farm Bureau's Website

TUESDAY

Coronado - 2:30 to 6 p.m.
Old Ferry Landing at First St and B Ave
Manager: Mary Hillebrecht (760) 741-3763

Escondido - 2:30 to dark (effective Oct. 3)
Grand Ave between Broadway and Kalmia St
Manager: Debra Rosen (760) 745-8877
Website: www.downtownescondido.com/events/farmers_market

UCSD/La Jolla - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Sept thru June)
UCSD Price Center near the bookstore at Lyman Lane and
Library Walk
Manager: Bonnie Harmon or Christine Woolery (858) 534-4248
or via e-mail at bharmon@ucsd.edu

WEDNESDAY

Carlsbad - 2 to 5 p.m.
Roosevelt St between Grand Ave and Carlsbad Village Dr
Manager: Christy Johnson (760) 434-2553 Cell (760) 687-6453
or via e-mail at info@shopcarlsbadvillage.org
Website: www.shopcarlsbadvillage.org/events/farmersmarket.html

Ocean Beach - 4 to 7 p.m. (8 p.m. in summer)
4900 block of Newport Ave between Cable St and Bacon St
Manager: David Klaman (619) 279-0032

Temecula - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Promenade Mall accross from Edwards Theatres
Manager: Gayle Cunningham (760) 728-7343
or via e-mail at gcfarm123@aol.com
Website: www.temeculafarmersmarket.com

THURSDAY

Chula Vista - 3 to 6 p.m. (7 p.m. in summer)
Downtown Chula Vista at Center St and Third Ave
Manager: John Ward (619) 422-1982

Horton Square/San Diego - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Mar thru Oct)
Downtown San Diego at 225 Broadway and Broadway Circle
Manager: Mary Hillebrecht (760) 741-3763

North Park
Reopening Thursday, June 21, 2007
3 p.m. to sunset (Spring-Summer); 2 p.m.-dark (Fall-Winter)
CVS Pharmacy parking lot at University and 32nd streets
Manager: David Larson (619) 237-1632
or via email at drlinbaja@hotmail.com

Oceanside - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Pier View Way between Coast Hwy and Ditmar St
Manager: Suzanne Bendixen (619) 440-5027

FRIDAY

Borrego Springs - 7 a.m. to noon (Nov thru May)
Christmas Circle Community Park at Christmas Circle and
Palm Canyon Dr
Manager: Erica Savage (760) 767-5555

Clairemont Mesa - 3:30 to 7 p.m.
Ray Kroc Middle School
5050 Conrad Stree
Clairemont Mesa and Highway 805
Manager: Susan G. Beach (858) 272-4267

La Mesa - 3 to 6 p.m.
8300 block of Allison Ave east of Spring St
Manager: Suzanne Bendixen (619) 440-5027

North Pacific Beach - 3 to 6 p.m. (7 p.m. Mar. thru Oct)
Corner of Cass St and Chalcedony
Manager: Ron LaChance (858) 272-7054

Rancho Bernardo - 9 a.m. to noon
Bernardo Winery parking lot at 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte
Manager: Mike Machor (760) 723-2469
or via email at rexranch@att.net

SATURDAY

Carlsbad - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Roosevelt St between Grand Ave and Carlsbad Village Dr
Manager: Christy Johnson (760) 434-2553
or via e-mail at info@shopcarlsbadvillage.org
Website: www.shopcarlsbadvillage.org/events/farmersmarket.html

Del Mar - 1 to 4 p.m
City hall parking lot at Camino Del Mar between 10th St and
11th St
Manager: Alan Usery (760) 727-1471

Pacific Beach - 8 a.m. to noon
Promenade Mall on Mission Blvd between Reed and Pacific
Beach Blvd
Manager: Mary Hillebrecht (760) 741-3763

Poway - 8 a.m to noon
Old Poway Park at Midland Rd and Temple
Manager: Suzanne Bendixen (619) 440-5027

Scripps Ranch - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ellen Browning Scripps Elementary School
10380 Spring Canyon Rd
Manager: Bev & Mike Cassity (858) 586-7933
Website: www.scrippsranchfarmersmarket.com

South Park - 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Corner of 30th & A Streetsl
Albert Einstein Academy playground
Manager: Darcy Young (858) 405-6086
Website: www.southparkmarket.com

Temecula - 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Old Town Temecula at 6th and Front Street
Manager: Gayle Cunningham (760) 728-7343
or via e-mail at gcfarm123@aol.com
Website:www.temeculafarmersmarket.com

University City - 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Spreckels Elementary School
6033 Stadium Street, San Diego 92122
Manager: Mike Echavarry (619) 729-4333
or via e-mail at mike_echavarry@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.openairemarkets.com

Vista - 7:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.
City hall parking lot at Eucalyptus Ave and Escondido Ave
Manager: Margo Baughman (760) 726-8545
or via e-mail at baughman@tfb.com

SUNDAY

Hillcrest - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DMV parking lot at 3960 Normal St and Lincoln St
Manager: David Larson (619) 237-1632
or via e-mail at drlinbaja@hotmail.com

La Jolla - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
La Jolla Elementary School at Girard Ave and Genter
Manager: Darcy Young (858) 405-6086
or via e-mail at darcyyoung@verizon.net
Website: www.lajollamarket.com

Leucadia/Encinitas - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Paul Ecke Elementary at Union St and Vulcan St
Manager: Ron La Chance (858) 272-7054

Solana Beach - 2 to 5 p.m.
410 to 444 South Cedros Ave at Rosa St
Manager: Barry Koral (760) 631-0200 or (760) 455-1261

Third Avenue/San Diego - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Downtown San Diego at Third Ave and J St
Manager: David Klaman (619) 279-0032

Gourmet Tamales

Gourmet Tamales is a small family-run business based in Oceanside. They sell their tamales at farmer’s markets around San Diego, and even up into Orange County and LA. Their flavors include sweet corn and scallion (simple, but one of my favorites), spicy black bean (flavorful, but not really spicy), green mole and vegetables, feta and spinach, poblano and cheese, chile relleno (similar to the poblano), Tinga (spicy chicken), beef, and dessert tamales like pumpkin, apple-strawberry, and pineapple. This is not even half of their flavors.

They do not use lard; they make their masa with olive oil. They also use onion broth to make their masa, giving all their tamales a light and delicate flavor with a hint of sweetness that complements the savory flavors. Their dessert tamales, luckily, are not made with broth, but instead are made with apple juice, again adding flavor and sweetness.

The tamales run $7 for a pack of three, which adds up quickly but is well worth it. I always keep several flavors on hand in my freezer as they make a quick and delicious meal for about $2.50 that puts to shame anything you can get from the frozen department of the grocery store. You simply wrap your tamale in a wet paper towel and microwave up to 5 minutes. I emerges steaming hot and ready to eat. You can also steam your tamales if you are not in rush.

You can buy Gourmet Tamales at these farmer’s markets in San Diego County:

Sunday
Hillcrest
Encinitas
Solana Beach

Tuesday
Escondido

Wednesday
Ocean Beach

Thursday
Chula Vista

Friday
Rancho Bernardo

Saturday
Vista
Del Mar

Gourmet Tamales
760-402-0805

Where's the Cheese?

Upon my return from Spain, and after the delicious and decadent cheese adventure I had there, I decided to seek out San Diego cheese, or at least Southern California Cheese.

But alas! I have had a very hard time finding it. I have found cheese from Humbolt (Cypress Grove Chevre), and I have found cheese from Sonoma (Bellweather Farms Fromage Blanc), and I can find cheese from Spain and France and England and Holland, but in all my searching I could not find any San Diego Cheese. The cheeses above can be found at People's Co-op (www.obpeoplesfood.coop) or Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's has a good selection, too.

I have never seen San Diego cheese at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, which is the largest farmer's market I have found in San Diego. Until Earth day 2007. For the first time I saw Southern California cheese. It wasn't from San Diego County, but it was from LA County, which is closer from Sonoma, which was all I could find until now.

Winchester Gouda is a farmhouse-style American Gouda made by Valerie and David Thomas in Winchester, California. And it is GOUD. I had never heard of "sharp" gouda before, but now I have. And I can buy it at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market.

I also enquired at my new favorite restaurant, Spread (www.spreadtherestaruant.com) about where they obtain their delivered-daily-fresh-cheese. They would only tell me the creamery doesn't sell to the public. But the owner of Spread did say "everyday more sophisticated people are moving to this town," and that means more sophisticated palates, which means when we reach a sophisticated critical mass, I will have the San Diego Cheese I am dreaming of.