This weekend, CUESA will kick off the next phase of our Waste Wise Market Initiative by becoming the first plastic-bag free farmers market in San Francisco. If you forget to B.Y.O.B., vendors will still be dispensing paper and/or compostable bags at their booths and we’ll also be offering re-usable and washable 100% cotton Eco-Bags for sale at our information booth.

Cherries are back with a vengeance. Hamada Farms, in the Kingsburg area, is famous for its wonderful stone fruits and cherries are the first sign of the good things to come at their booth throughout the summer—in particular, the plump and juicy Brooks cherries. They’ll be gone by the end of June, so get ‘em while you can.

Bill Crepps of Everything Under the Sun is always experimenting with beautiful and unusual varieties of produce on his 28 acre farm in Yolo County. This week Bill showed me a new variety of leeks he planted this year called Lincoln leeks. Lincolns are an early leek variety also often referred to as “baby leeks.” Their flavor is mild and subtle but also deliciously creamy and though they are wonderful cooked (try them on the grill!) they are also delicate enough to be eaten raw in salads.

I spotted Padron peppers at the Happy Quail’s Farm stand this week. These incredibly flavorful peppers—some with more heat than others—make quite possibly the tastiest and easiest appetizer in the world. Just sauté them in olive oil until they’re soft and lightly charred, toss with sea salt and serve. Get them now and thank me later.

As the days get warmer, and we inch closer to summer, prepare to say goodbye to asparagus for yet another year. I can’t help but feel a little bit sad. Get your hands on the last of the season’s tender green stalks this week at Zuckerman’s Farms.