Sakura of DOOM

My market seems to be getting more and more popular since its move last year across the street to a larger space; either that, or I am going later and later. I wasn't early today, but I wasn't late either. And yet, parking is getting to be such a massive pain that I growled and grumbled and finally stole a prime spot. I swore a little more when I discovered that I had rushed out and forgotten to bring along my cloth bag, which means that I am currently typing with fingers that are still a bit tingly from having the circulation returned to them.

I sadly looked at the first stall, which had corn and tomatoes and watermelon, but not the piles of cherries that were there two weeks ago. Alas, the cherries are gone now, and I am sad, even though I have probably eaten pounds and pounds of them already.

But all was forgotten as soon as I hit my pea stand! Alas, the usual pea guy wasn't there, but I still got my insane amounts of peas. Possibly lugging around a giant bag of six pounds or so of peas is largely why my fingers are a little purple. And then I looked around to glory of stone fruits everywhere! Piles and piles of peaches white and yellow, nectarines, pluots, plums and apricots! I boggled at the variety: Arctic Snow and Yellow Zee, White Ladies and Loring cling peaches, too many more for me to remember. I tried to sample every single one of them, which was a little difficult, given my steadily increasing groups of plastic bags filled with fruit.

I couldn't resist getting two pluots and two white nectarines and two yellow peaches from random stands, even though I knew I would regret it after hitting the best stand (which I had yet to discover, but I had faith that it was there, waiting for me). The nectarines in particular were so sweet that I couldn't pass them up, even though I generally don't eat that many nectarines because the flesh clings so much to the stone -- I like to cut them in half and twist out the stone so I don't get as much fiber in my teeth.

My patience was rewarded when I found the Best Stone Fruit Stand, who had types of peaches that I had yet to sample! Also! All the white peaches I had tried up to then had been crunchy but rather insipid. These were soft and sweet and sweet and sweet. I can't remember the variety anymore, sadly; I think it was "Joanna" something or the other. Also! They had these Yellow Zee peaches which are amazing. And! Even though their fruit is more expensive, their peaches are absolutely gorgeous, dark pink and orange and yellow skin, depending on the variety, a heady aroma, and all this and they were so large that a single one filled my entire hand. I am in love with this fruit stand.

I also cursed myself for getting a few heirlooms yesterday at Whole Foods after seeing them in the market. But they were on sale at Whole Foods for $3.99/lb. and the last time I saw them in the market, they were $5! And $5.99/lb. at Whole Foods! Today, the market had them for $3/lb. Amazingly, I managed to restrain myself from buying all of the heirlooms I could get my hands on at the first stand, as they had no samples, and the ones I got two weeks ago were sadly watery.

And then! Then! I walked down the last leg, and to my right, I saw MY HEIRLOOM TOMATO GUY!

The other stands have heirlooms, but they are not my heirloom tomato guy! Because! My heirloom tomato guy is only tomatoes! And has many varieties, separated out! And! BEST OF ALL!

HE HAS A SAMPLER TRAY OF ALL THE VARIETIES!

Black brandywines! Normal brandywines! Stripey green and red zebras! Teeny brandywines! I didn't see any of the pineapple tomatoes or the peach tomatoes, but I think those come later in the season. I sampled like mad and probably ate a few too many, but I couldn't help myself! I had been so jealous of coffeeandink last week because her market had heirlooms, and now they were at mine as well! And tasting like they should -- sweet and intense and absolutely amazing!

I think I babbled a little incoherently to him as he got me my change, but I managed to fit in, "I am so glad you are back!" while beaming like an idiot.

I also got strawberries and raspberries and corn and a mixed-berry fruit tart, and I think I really need to get a little cart so I can tote it around and look dorky. I do not mind carrying around pounds of fruit, but I went home to discover that some of my precious berries got squashed, and that is really unacceptable.

But really. The important thing is: I HAVE HEIRLOOM TOMATOES! And I have already eaten two small ones and a large one and they are delicious!