Sweet peppers from Happy Quail Farms, Palo Alto Farmer’s Market

 

I have a taste memory of savoring Pimientos de Padron peppers at a tasting a couple years back and being amazed at how delicious they were. They’re so addictive, too! It’s like eating really good potato chips or french fries – you can’t stop at just one. (That is, until you hit the hot one…)

We tried to grow them in our garden last year but didn’t have any luck. So when I read that Foodista got some Pimientos de Padron earlier last week, I knew I had to seek them out. After all, the grower, Happy Quail Farms, is in East Palo Alto, just a little bit up the Peninsula from us.

Happy Quail’s web page said that they were going to be at the Palo Alto Farmer’s Market on Saturday, so I convinced Annie that we needed to make the drive up to get some pimientos.

Happy Quail Farms Pimientos de Padron Peppers

 

We got there kind of late, but we generally like to get to the farmer’s market late. The closer to closing time it is, the more likely the farmer is to cut deals on their produce. It’s a win-win because we get a produce for cheaper and the farmer doesn’t have to truck his produce back or chuck it away.

The peppers were going for $6 per bag. Would she give us a discount if we buy 2 bags?

“Shhhhh-uuure. $10,” she whispered.

“How about if I buy 3 bags?” Annie is an aggressive haggler.

“I’ll give ’em to you for $12,” she replied.

Deal!

The rest of the market was the same way. Avocadoes, bananas, melons, corn…we were able to get quite good deals on all of these.

All except for these:

Asian eggplants

 

A buck-ninety-nine a pound, and she wouldn’t budge! Oh well. Pass.

“Sir, please don’t hit on my wife.”

One funny thing happened while Annie was haggling with the farmer over his watermelons. This oversized white guy standing next to Annie turns to her and says, “are you married?” Annie looks at him and goes, “Excuse me?!?!?”, then ignores him and keeps talking to the farmer.

I’m standing right behind them both, and when I heard the guy say what he did, I couldn’t believe it. I moved up a little closer. He said it again to Annie, “are you married?”

I’m like, WTF?! So I look at him and say very sternly, “sir, please don’t hit on my wife.”

He turns to me and says, “oh, I just wanted to tell her how she can choose watermelons.”

Yeah, right. I shook my head and gave him a little stink-eye. Looking a little flustered, he turned back to the farmer and asked for some watermelons for himself.

Annie and I had a good laugh about it afterward in the car.

“I guess I still got it if guys want to hit on me but, eww, he was so gross! AGF! (Asian Girl Fetish) hahahaha!”

At least he didn’t try to say, “KNEE HOW MAH!” I think I would’ve sicced the kids on him if he did that.

Got any funny farmer’s market stories? Leave a comment and tell me about it!

Aloha, Nate

Like this story? I will follow up with the rest of our Palo Alto excursion, plus what we did with the pimientos de padron once we got them home.