About Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter

Karen Beverlin is the Vice President of Specialty Sales for The Produce Hunter. The Produce Hunter curates the Farmers’ Markets, and works with small, local family farmers committed to sustainable agriculture, responsible production, and propagation and promotion of fruit and vegetables with exceptional flavor. Follow her as she finds the best of the Santa Monica Farmers Market every week with on Instagram (@fpproducehunter).

Tardivo Radicchio

The wide-ranging chicory family includes this unusual radicchio member, TARDIVO. Its leaves are the typical radicchio color, intense wine-red, with faintly visible secondary ribbing and completely white primary dorsal ribbing. The regularly-shaped 4 to 6 inch, narrow, enveloping leaves curl around and close the head at its top. Now grown in California, Tardivo is very…

Treviso

TREVISO (Radicchio di Treviso) is a red-leaf chicory that is easily distinguished from the rest of the radicchios. Its narrow, elongated leaves with thick, white midribs do not form a solid head. Its taste is very strong and more bitter than that of other radicchio varieties. Thanks to its especially bitter taste, treviso is usually…

Watercress

Although WATERCRESS is indigenous to Europe, today it is found throughout the world. This hervbaceous aquatic plant sends out shoots which creep along the bottom of ponds and springs. Its hollow stems grow up over the water’s surface and bear dark green, highly nutritious leaves. It is wonderful in salads or as a seasoning herb…

Watercress *L*S*

Edgar Jaime grows a wonderful ORGANIC WATERCRESS with small leaves and tons of peppery flavor. Sometimes during the production cycle, little white flowers appear. We consider them a bonus because the flowers are lovely and flavorful, and the flavor and texture of the leaves do not suffer. We prefer Edgar’s ORGANIC WATERCRESS to commercially grown…

White Beet, Large Bunch *L*S*

Organically grown on California’ s Central Coast, WHITE BEETS have all the rich, earthy flavor of Red Beets but don’ t bleed color all over everything. On initial inspection, some diners may think they are Turnips, but the WHITE BEET’ s smooth texture and distinctive flavor will announce their lineage! While these BEETS are pure…

White Salsify

Our grower is harvesting true Salsify! This heirloom variety, Mammoth Sandwich Island White Salsify, has been available in the US since at least 1894. Related to Scorzonera (commonly available and known as Black Salsify) this ancient root vegetable is covered with tiny rootlets, and is usually about six to twelve inches long, looking very much…

Wild Mustard Flowers

We were walking the Farmer’s Market with one of our favorite chefs, when we were presented WILD MUSTARD FLOWERS. Their bright yellow color is very attractive, but the chef wasn’t convinced until he tasted them. Hot and spicy, like a cross between Coleman’s Mustard and Wasabi, these wild blossoms are very assertive. An immediate fan,…

Wild Mustard Greens

Whenever we compare cultivated produce items to their wild counterparts we are amazed by the difference. It is seldom subtle. WILD MUSTARD GREENS are a case in point. More pungent and assertive than their commercially grown brothers, WILD MUSTARD GREENS are assertive enough to hold their own in any dish. Let’s be very clear on…

FM Yellow Romano Bean *L*S*

One of the most popular bean varieties, especially in Italy, is the Romano bean. These are Yellow Romano Beans, and they are members of the snap pole bean family. They are meaty, tender, flat, have stringless pods, and a unique flavor. Combine yellow Romano, French, Dragon Tongue, fresh Cannellini and Cranberry beans for a gourmand’…

Yellow Wax Bean

The bean saga continues. YELLOW WAX BEANS are available throughout the year, but they are abundant during the summer. A bright yellow member of the botanical species phaseolus vulgaris, the yellow wax bean can range in size from four to six inches long. Their beautiful color holds up perfectly to cooking, and their flavor is…

Young Garlic

For years, the only garlic available commercially was the traditional white heads of cured garlic. Progressive chefs across the country have pushed growers to make garlic available throughout the production cycle. YOUNG GARLIC is pulled from the ground as the bulbs are just beginnning to swell. Further along in growth than the younger version, green…

Young Gold Chard *L*S*

Many chefs are intimately familiar with Rainbow Chard, and we have one chef who is not fond of the orange, pink and red varieties but loves the gold Chard. We asked our grower to grow just the Gold Chard but he couldn’t find seed…until this year. Now, thanks to our incredibly responsive (and talented!) grower,…

FM Baby Bok Choy *L*

One of the oldest Chinese vegetables, Bok Choy has been cultivated in China since the fifth century A.D. and in the West since the mid-eighteenth century. Despite its ancient lineage, there still is some confusion about what exactly Bok Choy is. The name Bok Choy simply means ‘ white vegetable’ in Cantonese. There are four…

Baby Blue Hubbard Squash

Blue Hubbard is the single most elegant member of the hard squash family, so consider these BABY BLUE HUBBARDS well-bred youngsters. Lovely in shape and exterior color, they make gorgeous natural serving dishes. Used in any recipe that calls for a hard squash (pumpkin butternut, etc.), this squash will impart its sweet, rich flavor and…