Scarf Boys: "Cooking with K"

I think we are discussing the Menu for the Supper.

During our stay in San Francisco, B & K requested me to give them a few recipes. Such as "Miso Soup" "Pickled Carrots with Orange & Ginger" So I suggested I'd make a Supper for them after my visit to Farmers' Market. The menu will include those items they requested, except "Pickled Carrots"
"Pickled Carrots" must stay in fridge at least over night to serve.
This means even if I make it right after my visit to the Market, it still won't be ready on time for the dinner.
We chose to add "Miso & Goma Marinated Fish" for the menu, and rest is up to the Market. I was getting excited as I started thinking what kind new things I'll be seeing this visit.
Food is becoming very big part of my pleasure when I'm traveling.
In San Francisco Japan Center, you will be able to find a Japanese Super Market. I couldn't remember the name of it, but I knew where it was.
I needed to get a few things from there for the dinner. So we had to make a special trip to that part of town.
I was so surprised to find there is not even close to the selections we have in NYC. For example, we may have 20 kinds of "Miso" to chose here, but there I got 30 or more. And vegetables, I'm talking about Japanese Vegetables, are so much closer to the ones we get in Japan, even the packaging of it. Are they coming from Japan, certainly much closer to there.....
So I couldn't help myself to get "Gobo" and seasonable Japanese Sweets, besides the things from my shopping list. If we have that kind Japanese Shop in New York City, it will make my cooking repertoire so much better !
One thing left to do is Going to the Market on Saturday morning.

This is The Ferry Building without Farmers' Market.

Atmosphere changes so much on Saturday Morning.

At many farmer's stands, this is what you will see.

Having samples for you to try. Make sense, doesn't it ?

If we are lucky, we get only one kind of Asian Pear in NYC.

But Markets in SF, I get to choose which one to have !

On my last visit to Farmers' Market at Ferry Building, I found a few new favorites.

I tasted very pretty vegetable call "Watermelon Radish". I have never seen it nor heard of it. It has a very specific taste, I loved from the first bite. Without the offering of samples at many Farmers' Booths I would never have discovered this fantastic vegetable. Sliced up those Radishes are almost like miniature Watermelons. They were so pretty and fresh, it was difficult not to reach for it.
After that I started to look for it at our Union Square Farmers' Market in New York.

I don't remember when, but it certainly became not so difficult vegetable to find here. I won't take credit for it, but I think I'm helping them to become a more popular vegetable. Among my friend's circuit it is no longer a strange vegetable. They've all tasted it. So, they must started to ask farmers where they are ?
And I'm sure they are buying as much as I do every Saturday Morning.....

Funny thing is that at this visit I did not see them at all !

Other discovery was "Dried Persimmons" They make them just like Dried Apple Rings. They are so sweet, and reminds me of the Fall. "Dried Persimmons" are wildly popular in Japan in the Fall.
Although Japanese drying method is totaly different from the ones I found in SF, nevertheless finding them in USA was so unexpected.

So this visit, I got enough of them for the Whole Fall Season. Because this one is still in search mode in this city.