September 6th, 2008

Tomatoes, Grapes, and Apertures

The Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association is a non-profit corporation, founded in 1988, that is dedicated to establishing and maintaining successful Certified Farmers’ Markets around the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. The PCFMA operates weekly farmers' markets in Oakland, San Mateo and Danville.

Since getting to San Francisco one of my favorite things is to sample all the delicious foods at these markets. Everything is always fresh and considerably riper than when you get it at a supermarket. Also I have a mostly unfounded distaste for when fruits are picked green and then shipped cross country only to be ripened with an ethylene treatment. It just seems really artificial.

Anyway, I took my Nikon and snapped a few photos. I am most proud of the ones I took of the cherry tomatoes and the grapes. I think the tomato picture would have been better if I had a smaller apeture so I can get a bit more of them in focus. The grape shot would have been great except for the bit of lens flare at the bottom. So I guess I'm off to buy a lens hood.
 

Freshly picked cherry tomatoes sitting in the sun. These tomatoes make a welcome addition to any summer salad.

Grapes are a frequent sight at farmers' markets this time of year.

A simple, painted sign sitting on the side of a stand. Organic markets are flourishing as people gravitate toward eating locally.