Last Sunday, June 6^th, the Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market opened with the support of thousands of San Francisco residents including the Honorable Willie Brown and Senator Mark Leno. It was a perfect San Francisco day for the grand opening- the sun was out strong, the fog picturesque at bay, and the aroma of fresh food filled the air.

I have been to many FM around the city and this one has my heart won. It’s large enough for abundant variety, but small enough to not overwhelm you with choices and vendors. There was a strong sense of community and happiness. Everyone was genuinely excited to have an option to eat fresh, unprocessed food closer to home. The live cooking demonstration was intimate and educative. At the demonstration, I learned that it is best to put strawberries in a bowl full of water and swoosh them to get them clean. Also, I tasted one of the best spinach, strawberry, sweet onion salad ever. I actually am now inclined to use sweet onion in cooking.

There were organic strawberries from Watsonville, cherries from Brentwood, organic peaches from Winton, plums and apricots, blueberries from Fresno, coastal organic lettuces from Watsonville, field-cut flowers, fresh baked Parisian bread, Nicasio Valley farmstead cheese, grassfed beef from Holding Ranch, wild Pacific salmon, pasture-raised eggs, and more.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Senator Mark Leno stressed the health problems that we currently face in a society awash in processed foods. “The Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market is an answer to that as a part of the fabric of San Francisco. This farmers’ market gives us the choice to eat healthier.”

I even had bit of a “star struck” moment when I met Chef Annie Somerville. Though, she was very kind and interested in Club Dine In!.

TIME: Every Sunday, 9:30am-1:30pm

LOCATION: Fort Mason Center, Marina & Buchanan, San Francisco