I try my hardest to shop local during the holidays. Since I live in Vista, I often visit the Vista Farmers Market, which is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon. Last Saturday, my goal was to find unusual gifts for family and friends that could be part of a gift basket or served at a holiday party.
What I was pleased to find were two food makers who create unusual desserts and made products perfect for holiday get-togethers. Of course, this is just a sampling of the nearly 100 farmers and food vendors who present their exciting products at the market.
Chocolate without dairy
Gourmet M co-founders Michael Ross and Erica Bohm have created chocolate desserts that are vegan, gluten-friendly and exquisitely beautiful to look at. According to Ross, all this started after he retired from another profession.
“My first career was in aerospace engineering — designing rockets for NASA. I’ve now taken that engineering mindset and applied it to the art of making chocolate. After studying how commercial chocolate is typically made, I set a goal to create a tastier and healthier product.
“That’s how Gourmet M was born. I now create a new kind of gourmet treat using Belgian dark chocolate — incredibly rich in flavor and free from dairy, palm oil and animal products — and incorporate dried fruits, fresh roasted nuts, exotic spices, and more. All of our chocolates are handcrafted goodness, made in small batches in our Carlsbad kitchen — vegan, gluten-friendly, and out-of-this world.”
Bohm assists in the making of the chocolate delicacies and tends to their booth. The assortment of chocolate bars, squares, truffles, fudge and halvah is available for sampling and wrapped and ready to go into your holiday gift basket.
Gourmet M is available every Saturday at the Vista Farmers Market and every other Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., at the Solana Beach Farmers Market. Check out their website to view their beautiful products. Contact [email protected] or call 858-337-3134 for inquires and orders.
Holy cannoli!
Sandra O’Callaghan, a lifelong baker, fills her booth with Italian baked goods. It was the first time I have seen handmade cannolis since I left New York, and it was a pleasure to see her array of cookies and cakes, which was almost sold out by the end of the day.
This baker specializes in large- and small-scale occasions, and is as comfortable selling a dozen cookies at the market or setting up a cannoli bar for a wedding or birthday. Party guests can visit O’Callaghan’s cannoli station where she happily will fill the guest’s pastry to order with her variety of homemade ricotta cheese fillings, including traditional Sicilian, caramel crème and maraschino.
Another favorite special occasion cake is tiramisu filled with homemade ricotta. To view her handmade creations, visit her site on Instagram @thegoodsbakeco. Call to make a special order, or plan a party or wedding at 760-310-8857. Orders can be placed and picked up at the Saturday market or large orders will be delivered locally for parties.
O’Callaghan is at her booth at the Vista Farmers Market each Saturday, where you can taste her delightful sweets. If you would like to take home cannolis, she will box up the empty shells and furnish a piping bag filled with ricotta to finish the process at home.
Visit the Vista Farmers Market every Saturday
The Vista Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Vista County Courthouse, 345 South Melrose Drive, Vista. It features over 50 farmers selling what they grow — local, certified and organic growers with in-season produce.
In addition, there are more than 30 food makers offering fresh bread and other baked goods, sauces, salsas, pickles, chocolate, and local tea and imported coffee. Other artisans sell pottery, clothing, hats, jewelry, soap, gifts, and more.
A wide assortment of food vendors offer hot food, including crepes, hash browns and roasted chicken as well as international vegan and vegetarian options from Vietnam, Thailand and Ghana.
Weekly events and photographs from vendors can be found on Facebook, Vista Farmers Market and at vistafarmersmarket.com.
Jano Nightingale is a horticulturist and Master Gardener who teaches vegetable gardening at the Carlsbad Senior Center’s community garden. Contact her at [email protected].
