Farmer's markets are stocked with late-spring, early-summer produce. Most of the vendors keep the public cordoned away from the food and they select items for you. It might feel a little strange not being able to pick your own food, but chances are that each item is very fresh. And now you have food that is minimally handled. Most places require social distancing with masks and a 6-foot spacing around other people.Here is an outing that I just made to a market in Napa, California. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and very plentiful so I made them my "vegetable of the week".The farmers were grateful to be outside selling their food. And it was very easy to navigate the market, find great seasonal items, and stay safe. I opted to wear a mask and to carry small bills so I could pay quickly and easily.The dish that I made was bruschetta. This dish is simply chopped tomatoes, herbs, garlic, and vinegar served with French bread slices. You can do so much more with it like putting it over grilled fish or chicken, vegetarian bean and rice dishes, salads, and pasta.Here is a little stop motion to show how the items all go into a bowl and mix together. Keep it refrigerated and use it within 2-3 days.[video width="2374" height="1942" mp4="https://foodandhealth.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Bruschetta-animation-recipe.mp4"][/video]More ways to use the fresh tomatoes:

• sliced as a side dish
• on sandwiches
• in salads
• roast and puree into a pasta sauce
• make pico de gallo or fresh salsa
• chutney

I realized that each tomato is so beautiful and ripe that I could not go wrong by allowing the farmer to choose them for me. I simply declared I would love to try a few of each!Enjoy![shopify embed_type="collection" shop="nutrition-education-store.myshopify.com" product_handle="2020-hot-topics"]