Today I drove down to the Wednesday Farmer's Market in our local mall parking lot. Parking was ferocious and made me glad to be driving a compact. I got out, and cruised the stalls. I like to make a loop before I decide what I want/need that day. I stopped when I came upon this:
I'd heard there were pot stickers at the market but kept missing them. Excited, I ordered a mixed dozen for $10. The lovely Cindy Liu, also a personal chef, caterer and instructor, took my order out of the ice chest, threw oil in the skillet and fired the burners. You can buy them frozen to take home and cook or she'll warm them for you there.
This is her baby, her brain-child. Usually on Farmers' Market days she also has a special, a Chinese beef soup or curry dish but today she was still creaky from the holidays and starting back slow and simple. I didn't mind. :) We talked about her facebook page, for LooHoo's Inc Asian Comfort Food.
She asked what kind of food I like, easy answer, "everything". But I admitted to having a penchant for cooking southern comfort food and/or whatever is fresh and local from our garden or the market. She admitted she loves both French cuisine and concentrating on local foods too.
She kept cooking steaming, sizzling skillets of pot stickers and I watched for a moment before wandering off to explore.
While away from pot sticker land, I pondered buying some organic local beef but my eye strayed and there I was, in front of the apple lady. I choose two Fuji's, two galas, a pink lady and a beautiful round Asian Pear. She was thrilled we were going to sample them and quizzed me on which were which so I could (hopefully) remember and report back on my findings.
Then I came upon gorgeous cherimoyas and bought a perfect heart-shaped one for my sweetie as it's our anniversary. :)
I kept walking and noticed how much beautiful citrus there was. I passed several larger vendors but was magnetically drawn to the man who had only a step ladder, (which doubled as a table), an ice chest and his smile. I bought a container of his sweet satsumas and told him he sounded like Sean Connery. Then he explained he was born in a town "26 Kilometers from Nice" in the south of France when a beautiful older woman who was listening to our conversation jumped in. I left them talking and wondered if romance was in the air?
The Spring Hill Jersey Cheese lady insisted I needed a taste of garlic herb jack, (who am I to say no?) and I considered the last, tiny bunch of kohlrabi for the day. Apparently there'd been a run on it and golden beets!
There was a gentleman selling flat breads and dips who was working his booth like a juggling octopus and literally before I could walk past him I'd stuffed down three samples, a mint garlic cheese spread, lentil spread and cilantro pesto all on spinach flat bread. The prices were all $6 for a container or piece of flat bread. The sweet jalapeno jelly and the mint garlic cheese and spinach flat bread were quite delicious but $18 for them wasn't in my future.
I stopped at Les Bles D'Or (Ojai Bakery) and picked up a $4.50 coffee cake for my sweetie and while the lady was making change a rumble happened behind her and she turned and laughed, saying "there he goes, waving again!". I had to ask and she told me this gentleman always shows up in his loud, rumbling old car each week, circles the market and waves at her. I inquired if there might be a romantic connection..at first she shrugged me off but then she smiled about the potential.
Back to Cindy Liu and her LooHoo's Inc stickers...As I picked them up, a beautiful, smartly dressed Asian woman was eating some and chatting with Cindy. I asked about taking her photo and she refused but said I could photograph her food. What a shame. She was as beautiful as the food.
As I left, I picked up some cauliflower and broccoli. While walking to my car, I saw an older gentleman with fancy-styled white hair and a black leather jacket walking toward me. As he passed, we looked at one another and my instincts said, "That's him!! the waver with the loud rumbly car!" As I got back in my car, he kept turning and staring at me, maybe because I looked suspicious myself or maybe because he was the man who drove by and honked. As he walked into the market, I wondered if our lady of Les Bles D'Or might just end up with a hot date this weekend. The man I "assumed" was Mr. Waver Flirt has quite the ride too parked right next to my car.
I put my potstickers on my dash and dashed home...
When I got home I put them on a plate, got out the chopsticks and prepared for my first bites. Cindy had taken great care to make certain the bottoms and frilly edges were crisped. The pork kimchi were my favorites and had a bit of kick. The chicken were a great, mild, meaty companion to the spicier ones and the veggie, with glass noodles packed throughout were a fascinating texture. What a blast, what a find for a special Wednesday or Saturday Farmers' Market lunch and I cannot WAIT to try some of her specials. Also SO looking forward to following up on the stories of the bread-maker and the waver and the French Sean Connery.
