If you like fresh food, multicultural experiences and like to get up very early on the weekend, come on down to the Saturday Stockton Certified Farmers Market. Mostly known as the Asian Market, it’s one of the oldest farmers markets in California. And one of the most famous.
Restaurant chefs come from over a hundred mile radius to get the freshest valley produce and incredibly exotic items that are required for authentic Asian and gourmet dishes. Ever hear of Bitter Melon, Chayote, Taro, Daikon radish or Nappa Cabbage? But most of the food is purchased by
Chinese, Filipino,
Korean, Japanese,
Vietnamese, Cambodian,
Thai and Laotian shoppers and is intended to be on that evening's dinner table.
I like to just wander around, listening and breathing. It’s noisy with the sound of bargaining and pungent with the smell of recently alive fish. Every now and again I’ll bump into someone I know. Which shouldn’t be a surprise because I’ve lived in this town since I was 9, but… This market transports me to San Francisco’s Chinatown. Or even Hong Kong.
So, here’s the plan. Next Saturday at 0 dark thirty, let’s meet under the crosstown freeway for some
Bok Choy!
