Kate & I decided that in the new year, we'd go back to work on Sundays. Football season was over for the Chicago Bears & there were a plethora of Sunday morning farmers markets out there, compared to the limited Tuesday & Friday setup options.
A vendor next to us at the OB market, Matt, who sold raw fish & poke bowls, often spoke highly of the market in Rancho Santa Fe.
"Where is that at?" I asked.
"Pretty much straight inland from the Del Mar racetrack," he said. "You guys would do well out there. People have money & they don't like to cook breakfast."
So I grabbed a few extra loaves, meat & cheeses that week, set that Sunday morning alarm & headed north on the 5. After leaving the freeway at Del Mar Heights, you take some country-like backroads through a valley full of golf courses & horse stables. It was an area I hadn't yet explored in San Diego county.
Then, on the right we came up to a Spanish-tiled shopping center that could have been dropped out of the sky & placed in the tall grass. There was a large cluster of tents scattered about the large parking lot in the middle, adjacent to a luxury car dealership.
At first it reminded me of the Leucadia farmers market, but no this was a bit classier than that. We weren't next to the railroad tracks here & there weren't any public elementary schools in sight.
Diane was the manager & was very personable.
"You guys will be over here in the food court," she pointed down one of the walkways between tents. There was a large chromed-out trailer that sold rotisserie chicken to anchor the area. He was definitely the stud horse of the market, but we were the newcomers & people loved something fresh & different.
The seating reminded me of Scripps Ranch but with nicer chairs & again, not next to a school. We were next to a tent that sold Greek food & gyros. The girls working it were younger than us & very friendly.
"We have a shop down in Mission Beach called Arlan's. We've been doing this market forever," one of them told us. "You guys food looks so good. You'll do well here."
They eyed the "Display Only" grilled cheese that Kate always propped up on a paper plate at markets to showcase our food. And to avoid the inevitable, "What do you guys sell?" question.
We traded with Matt for some Poke bowls (before he sold out) & enjoyed some great live music by "Pan Diego," a quartet with guitars & a steel drum that played tropical, Caribbean music. I liked the atmosphere out there.
