Rich Pickings at Kailua Farmers Market

OK, I’m sure most of you know about the Kailua Farmers Market on Thursday nights at the Longs parking lot, so I don’t need to get into my schpeel about getting there early to avoid the influx of shoppers, and would-be-cooks and browsers as they hop from one produce provider to the next. But even if you did get there “late,” the sea of goodies you’ll find is pretty impressive and worth the crowd surfing you may have to do.

From atypical items like lavender butter and yellow dragon fruit, to prospective pizza toppings for the perfect margherita, the alfresco market is chock-full of the fresh finds and hard-to-come-by ingredients. Personally, I go there for the ready-to-nosh fare from the likes of The Pig & Lady (yes, it has popped up over there, too), Soul, Grandma G’s (can you say, “seared Cajun blackened ahi?”) and Ono Pops. However, every so often, I’ll whip out my Spanish cookbook so I can take a stab at making a tapa or two, and I’ll pick up a few artisanal components as well. Maybe I’ll see you there next time I’m hankering for raw local honey from Nalo Meli, pasteles from Texeira’s or a refreshing cooler from PacifiKool.

–Margie Jacinto

Located at 609 Kailua Road. For info call, (808) 522-7088

Photography by Alison Akau