Berkeley Farmers’ Market, located at the intersection of Center Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, is full of fresh locally grown produce and farm-processed foods that are definitely worth checking out. The market sells seasonal fruits and vegetables, pastries and freshly cooked hot meals. Here are four vendors you should definitely visit.
1. Coracao Confections
Founders Daniel Korson and Matthew Rogers create unique and delicious raw cacao treats without dairy, gluten, soy or corn. Only low-glycemic sweeteners, such as coconut sugar, sweeten the treats. The production process starts with cacao trees grown in small organic farms with naturally mineral-rich soil. Interesting flavors include kale granola chocolate bark, coconut curry chocolate bark, jumbo kaffir lime caramel cup and Mayan spice truffle.
2. Phoenix Pastificio
Founded in 1995 on Shattuck Avenue as the third business of Eric and Carole Sartenaer, this fresh pasta shop is also famous for its pastries, pasta sauces and olive bread. The shop serves around 200 restaurants, including Lalime’s, Rivoli and Boulevard and attends 15 year-round farmer’s markets and there to five seasonal ones. Make sure to try the almond macaroons, avocado chocolate cookie, pecan chewies and vegan chocolate chip cookies.
3. Three Twins Ice Cream
Starting 2005 in San Rafael, this company now has a production facility in Petaluma and shops in San Rafael, Larkspur, Napa and San Francisco. Three Twins also serves restaurants around the Bay Area and retail locations across the country. The ice creams come in single-serve cups, pints and 1.5-quart sizes with flavors such as mint confetti with dark chocolate flecks, Dad’s cardamom, strawberry je ne sais quoi with a little bit of balsamic vinegar and chocolate orange confetti.
4. Billy Bob’s Orchards
This is the only vendor at this farmers market that sells only apples, but the huge variety makes one realize how little one knows about apples. From McIntosh to Pippin, each variety is grown with organic pesticides and fertilizers, and each tastes distinctly different.
Image by Natalie Maynor under Creative Commons.
Contact Annie Chang at [email protected]
