At Mendocino Farms, our house-made iced teas are a big seller. We love ‘em and our customers do too.  For a minute, we thought they couldn’t get any better, but thanks to our new vendor, they did!

We are happy to announce that this spring we have introduced new tea blends from our wonderful friends at Sugarbird Sweets and Teas, the Los Angeles based producer of artisan teas and sweets.   Kei Okumura, the owner and head creator of Sugarbird, is truly a tea artist, and all of her teas are organic and made from the highest quality ingredients, which are qualities we value so much at Mendo. Each variety is so thoughtfully crafted and unique; they really can’t be beat.

Working with Sugarbird has also made us feel extra special – aww – because Kei has been busy custom blending our very own Mendo-fied varieties, just for us.  We now have three types of organic ice teas for us to make iced brews from, and they are all becoming huge hits..  So far in our rotation, we have offered Verbena Green, a unique blend of green tea, citrus peels, lemongrass, and matcha; Black Tropical, a classic black tropical tea with passionfruit and cherry notes; and Rooibos Red, an organic caffeine free rooibos tea with hibiscus, rosehip, and calendula flower  Stop by, try a sample and see for yourself. We guarantee you’ll want the whole glass.

Outside of our locations, Sugarbird Sweets teas can be found online at SugarbirdSweets.com and at the Farmers Markets (Larchmont on Sundays, South Pasadena on Thursdays). The exclusive line include the likes of Zoe (did we mention that they all have such cute names too!?), a green tea with peppermint, cacao nibs and vanilla; Fiona, a red rooibos with hibiscus, rosehips and raspberry; and Karina, an earl gray with vanilla, plus many more.  And, like the name Sugarbird Sweets suggests, our friends also make extraordinary pastries and fancy marshmallows.  We highly recommended ALL of them.  Kei knows her confections!!

We are so lucky to be living in Southern California, where there is a Farmer’s Market being held somewhere in the city every day of the week.  Two of my favorites are Santa Monica’s, on Arizona and 2nd, held on Wednesday and Saturday, and Hollywood’s on Ivar and Selma, held on Sunday.

Since these markets also happen to be the largest and most popular in the area, a good plan will help you maximize your time and value.  Here is my list of tried and true Farmer’s Market tips that will help you do exactly that.

Prep Work:

Know that it’s cash only, even for restaurants like us! Make sure to stop at the ATM. 

Expect to pay about $30-40 a week, if you cook at home a lot, or less if not.

(Keep in mind that fruits are more expensive than vegetables.)

To haggle or not to haggle? Farmers typically price their items to sell so they are usually priced just right.

Pack up a few reusable totes for all of your purchases.

Parking:

Santa Monica – Free parking for up to 1 ½ hours is available at several public parking lots on blocks surrounding Arizona.

Hollywood – Since it’s on a Sunday, the meters along perimeter streets, like Sunset, Ivar and Cahuenga are free, but they go quickly. Even better is parking in the Arclight Cinemas’ lot (entrance on Ivar off of Sunset). Right next to an entrance point and costs around $4.

When To Go:

The markets are best right when they open, between 8am and 9am.  Not only is parking easier, but you’ll have the first pick while enjoying the quiet energy of the market getting ready for it’s busy day.

What To Buy:
Some of our favorites (and mainstays on the Mendocino Farms menus):

Jaime Farms and Underwood Farms – leeks, chard, beets, kale

Life’s a Choke Family Farms – cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus and artichokes

McGrath Farms – baby beets, Seascape strawberries, and winter greens

Coleman Farms – leafy greens, winter greens and herbs (when in season, custard apples and cherimoyas)

Tutti Fruitti Farms – heirloom tomatoes (summer) and butternut squash (winter)

Ha’s Farms – Fuji apples, Asian Pears

Stay in touch to let me know how it goes.  I’d also love to hear some of YOUR favorite Farmer’s Market tips and experiences too!

Post your comments or e-mail me at judy@mendocinofarms.com

Chef Judy

To get the right flavors in a great sandwich you need to start with the freshest and best ingredients, from the highest quality proteins all the way down to the last little leafy piece of greens.  If you’ve ever wondered what you’re getting when you order something with “Organic Farmer’s Market Greens” on our menu, you should be happy to know that you’re getting just that – the freshest, highest quality, locally grown produce you can find.  We would love to share with you about the great farmers who produce the beautiful lettuces we receive fresh every day from Kenter Canyon Farms.

Owned and operated by Andrea Crawford and husband Robert Dedlow, Kenter Canyon farms now harvests over 80,000 pounds of produce per year from its three locations in El Centro, a winter farm in Baja California, and Fillmore.  Andrea’s talent for growing fine produce stretches back to her love for gardening growing up in Kentucky, and became more serious while waiting tables at Chez Panisse in the Bay Area.  During her time in San Francisco, the kitchen crew of the restaurant would regularly borrow from her backyard garden.  Quickly her gardening hobby became full time employment, and she began selling lettuces to Chez Panisse.

In 1985, Andrea moved to Southern California and started Kenter Canyon Farms, utilizing the biointensive method of farming, an organic farming technique focused on getting as much from a small amount of land as possible, while improving the earth.  Today, Kenter Canyon Farms grows a large variety of plants, mostly herbs and lettuces, and is committed to staying local – once harvested, produce arrives to Downtown LA distributors within 24 hours.

Working with our distributor and Kentery Canyon Farms we have developed a custom blend of certified organic greens called “Mendocino Mix”, which includes green romaine, green tango, mizuna, lollo rosa, triple red, red oak, and purple Osaka mustard – all grown on their ranch in Ventura.  So every time you’re chewing on those greens, eat well and enjoy knowing you are getting the best, and at the same time, promoting small sustainable, local farming!