Kathy Young
| For the Daily Press
Delicious foods and amazing flavor profiles are found at the High Desert Farmers Market each Thursday, and with warmer weather comes what appears to be a particularly creative group of food vendors ─ small business owners who strive to produce wonderful and imaginative edibles for your enjoyment.
They are really foodies that set up their stations each week to display their creations with enthusiasm to draw attention to their menus and draw you to their order windows.
In addition to foods, the market features vendors selling condiments, seasonings, flavor enhancers and more that add a new dash to your own kitchen creations.
This week we feature two vendors offering creative eats and enhancements, definitely places you must visit.
Branch & Vine
Adam Gutierrez is the friendly face of Branch & Vine, artfully displaying the company’s quality condiments ─ flavored balsamic vinegars, olive oils, dry rubs, premium salts, and uniquely crafted fruit jams that include flavored balsamic vinegars. Adam has been with Branch & Vine at the HDFM for about a year.
The gourmet store is located in Upland. For many years it has been the place to find the best in flavored balsamic vinegars, both dark and white varieties, as well as specialty oils, honey and teas, salts and spices and more. There are dozens of flavors of vinegars available.
The oils come from quality olives in Napa, California, and the barrel-aged balsamic vinegar is from Modena, Italy.
Their website says they offer “something for everyone from experienced cooks to those just starting out.” HDFM shoppers can get friendly, knowledgeable advice from Adam, who is skilled in helping everyone navigate the complex path to find perfect ingredients to enhance their own culinary adventures.
For those who are new to the whole specialty vinegars and premium flavored olive oils experience, the Branch & Vine booth at the HDFM is the perfect place to get answers to every question.
Adam offers samples of balsamic vinegars and outlines their best uses. He also knows about seasonal flavors and when they will be available.
The jams are a delightful mix of the sweet fruits that have been slowly cooked to bring out their best flavors and then enhanced by adding slightly acidic balsamic vinegar at the end of the cooking process that, according to the website, creates a jam that is “ … a combination that is sure to awaken your senses and whet your appetite.”
The jams enhance toast or muffins or are a savory complement to cheese or meat. Your next charcuterie board might benefit from one or more of these jams.
Follow Branch & Vine on Facebook and branchandvineupland on Instagram. Online ordering is available on their website, Branchandvineupland.com, and you can sign up for their mailing list to receive the latest news, recipes and discounts delivered to your inbox.
Toasted Delights
One of the newest vendors at the farmers market sports more than a snappy new canopy with large order/pickup windows.
Andrew Guitron and Jonathan Mariscal, the two men who welcome customers and prepare orders, have studied established and developing foodie favorites. Their latest item definitely a “must try” because it is delicious and unique.
It is gourmet stuffed French toast
While French toast is something scrumptious to prepare for breakfast for special occasions or on a weekend, for example, Toasted Delights makes their loaded dish a definite dessert item, and something incredibly special.
Loaded French toast flavors include dulce de leche, caramel apple, Nutella, mixed berry cheesecake and lemon citrus cheesecake.
Every item is “made to order,” so it is served fresh from the griddle.
Each loaded French Toast is made with the super filling, then dipped in vanilla custard batter, coated with cornflakes, fried ─ or, if you prefer the vernacular “French toasted” ─ and then served with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream, a drizzle of a suitable topping, and two scoops of ice cream.
Their Instagram account, @toasted_909, features videos of the construction of the loaded French Toast ─ Mixed Berry Cheesecake is the video we watched ─ and it will definitely be a “must try” item for many farmers market foodies.
The business is a work in progress because ideas come from everywhere ─ customers, friends, and sometimes from other vendors.
Besides the signature loaded French toast, Andrew and Jonathan offer a turkey pesto panini and a “new item” featured on Instagram, the Mediterranean Vegan wrap, paired with Jalapeno cilantro spread from HDFM vendor, Native Farms.
For information on menu items or to inquire about private parties, direct message them via Instagram.
When you goWhat: High Desert Farmers MarketWhere: 18244 Bear Valley Road, VVC lower campus,When: Every Thursday rain or shine from 8 a.m. to noon.Information: 760-247-3769, contact@highdesertfarmersmarket.com.What: Big Bear Farmers MarketWhere: 42900 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear.When: Every Tuesday, April through September, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Information: highdesertfarmersmarket.com.
If you want a restaurant profiled in Dining Around, please text/voicemail 760-953-8682 or email kaynhuey@aol.com.
Dining and Cooking