If anyone has the inside scoop when it comes to the Ferry Plaza Farmers market it's Lulu Meyer, associate director of market operations at CUESA. You'll see her at the market, rain or shine. Every week, she'll be giving us her short list for the market—just in time for Saturday shopping. Go to cuesa.org for more information about farmers, what's in season and market goings-on.

Pluots were popping up all over the market this week. These plum apricot hybrids, also sometimes referred to as plumcots, have an intense flavor and pronounced sweetness. Right now you’ll find many pluots to choose from at the Blossom Bluff Orchards booth, including the Flavorosa, Dapple Dandy and Flavor Queen varieties. With all these tasty varieties available, pluots have become my latest obsession. The only hard part? Picking a favorite.

Allstar Organics farmers Marty Jacobsen and Janet Brown have recently started bringing jars of applewood-smoked salt to sell alongside their already popular lavender, garlic and celery salts. The smoked salt is made on their property in Lagunitas using apple wood provided by Dan Lehrer of Flatland Flower Farm. Smoked salt is a quick and easy way to add a wonderful smoked flavor to seafood and meats and is lovely sprinkled on a radish and butter sandwich. 

G & S Farms of Brentwood California is back in the market with ear upon ear of their delicious sweet corn. G & S was one of the first farms to plant corn in the Brentwood area in the 1940’s; today the area is well known for the sweetest and tastiest corn around. Farmer Glenn Stonebarger attributes this fact to Brentwood’s warm days, cool nights and fantastic soil.

This week Bill Crepps from Everything under the Sun had a bounty of torpedo onion bunches for sale. The torpedo onion—an heirloom variety native to Italy whose name comes from its lovely oblong shape — has deep reddish purple skin and pale red flesh. These pungent members of the allium family are perfect grilled, pickled, or roasted.

Nothing makes me salivate quite like the bright fragrant aroma of cilantro. The leafy green herb has been adding flavor and zest to food since 5000 B.C. and is a prominent ingredient in many Latin American and South East Asian cuisines. It can be used in everything from curries and vinaigrettes to marinades and salsas. No Bahn Mi sandwich or taco would be complete for me without the rich flavor of cilantro. You can find beautiful bunches of this pungent herb to take home at the Catalan Farms booth.