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Few things capture our hearts more broadly than the initial steps into a local farmer’s market - the bursts of color, promise of delectable meals at home, joy of seasonal discovery, and perhaps most importantly, the palpable sense of community in the air, punctuated by lively conversation among fellow market-goers and farmers alike. My favorite questions to ask and answer: What did you find and what are you going to make??
It is in this community spirit that we worked with California Grown this Summer, a partnership that led us to explore and more intimately discover the incredible fruits and vegetables that the Golden State provides. Growing fields and orchards as far as the eye can see populate my vision of the California valley. A majority of small farms comprise the CA Grown collective, almost all of which are family owned (over 90%). They produce everything from artichokes to almonds, figs to pomegranates and hundreds of fruits and vegetables in between. The largest growing state in the US turns out it’s produce primarily in small batches!
If you don’t happen to live in California, chances are CA Grown produce is right under your nose at your local supermarket - CA Growers provide virtually all of us with some of their bounty. Specifically, ⅓ of vegetables and ⅔ of fruits grown in the United States originate in California.
As a result, countless opportunities for fresh, delicious dishes follow any trip to the market. We love CA Grown’s Eat the Season newsletter, becuase it provides ongoing inspiration for CA Grown food. Sign up there for the Simply Delicious Dishes e-cookbook, which includes seasonal recipes plus a special cocktail!
As hard as it was to choose where to dive in regarding our own selction of recipes, we ultimately had to start with the vegetable that in our minds is synonymous with California - the artichoke. Check out CA Grown’s delicious herbed and roasted version below, and don’t forget to visit our Artichokes Feed for more inspiration and preparation tips.
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