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UCSB Goes to Market New Farmers Market Hits Campus
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by George Yatchisin
vercast skies didn’t put a damper on the soft-opening kickoff of the Gaucho Certified Farmers Market (GCFM) on October 23. Indeed, 20 minutes into the event, which opened at 11 a.m., a pretty even mix of students and faculty/staff (that is, older-looking folks) ambled about buying up produce and products. And Adam Rondepierre, working the Ellwood Canyon Farms booth, admitted,“I’m almost sold out of tomatoes and carrots.” Roane Akchurin, one of the event’s organizers, estimated over a thousand people attended; 600 filled in free raffle tickets, so that’s the bottom-line figure. “It was extremely successful,” Akchurin said in a phone interview after the event.“We heard a lot of buzz FRESH VEG, ON CAMPUS: The freshman 15? Not likely, now that UCSB has on the street about it. All the farmers were in launched a brand-new farmers’ market, where students can stock up on shock it did so well the first week.” goodies from vendors including Friend’s Ranch Ojai Citrus (left) and Sweet A farmers market at UCSB has been a long Lady Cook (right). time coming. According to Akchurin, her group is the fourth or fifth to try to get one on campus. She by the Brengrass Band were on hand for the official grand says this effort “grew out of a Gaucho U [a professional devel- opening on October 30, as well, both of which will likely opment program on campus] course a group of staff was become a monthly occurrence. taking. Part of that was to create a project that would improve The new market is also taking its place on a university the campus environment, and we thought a farmers market campus seriously, hoping to maintain education programs would do that.” too. Some weeks it might be UCSB Health & Wellness with Planning in earnest started last April; Akchurin is co-chair their blender bike making smoothies; for Thanksgiving, it with Hazel Ando, leading what she calls a “committee of might be a live turkey on-site so the I.V. School students dedicated staff and two student interns.” The GCFM is indecan make a field trip.“We want to help build up excitement pendent from the Santa Barbara Farmers Markets, so they for places on campus and chefs like those at the Faculty developed everything from scratch.“It took a heck of a lot of Club,” Akchurin insists.“We really want to welcome the convincing people it would be a great idea,” Akchurin said, community.” They’re even trying to work out a deal with “but we’ve designed it so the farmers will keep coming and parking (hint: for now the best spots are in the nearby Lot we can show them we’re in it for the long haul.” structure). The sellers come from a 150-mile radius, from Friend’s Akchurin sums up it by saying,“This community of Ranch Ojai Citrus to Pepper Creek Family Farms in Arroyo 25,000 people is ready for the market.” Grande. And while the size of the market will increase slightly — 15 vendors were on hand for the second week — Akchurin Join the latest local food community also explained a clever plan to keep those people happy. “We at the Gaucho Certified Farmers Marwanted one of everything: one strawberry farmer, one citrus, ket on Wednesdays, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lot 23 (by the etc.,” she said. “That way there’s only one bread person or jam Faculty Club), UC Santa Barbara, facebook.com/ person or citrus person, and there aren’t competing interests.” gauchocertifiedfarmersmarket. Food trucks such as Georgia’s Smokehouse and live music
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FUN GUY: You know your dinner’s about to get even more delicious when white truffles are just waiting to be shaved on top of it.
A Fungus Among Us W
hen the air turns chilly, foodies with a bit of cash to burn think one thing: truffles. White truffles, in particular, found in the hills of Italy during the fall months (and usually with the help of trained pigs dubbed truffle hogs), are worth their weight in gold — okay, not quite, but this year’s crop is expected to fetch around $2,500 a pound. (Yes, you read that right!) These earthy, pungent tubers are so valuable — and so decadent and delicious — that the preferred way to appreciate the distinctive musky flavor (in, it must be said, an affordable serving size) is when the truffles are not cooked at all, but shaved in thin slices, atop something creamy, gooey, and mild in flavor — the better to allow an oh-so-slight serving of the truffles to take the starring role. (Generally, this is done tableside with great drama … and charged by the gram.) So, where can you score a taste of these gems of the dirt? Well, El Encanto chef Patrice Martineau currently has in his possession a cache of white truffles fresh from Alba, Italy, and is offering a menu that works as a perfect backdrop for that priceless flavor. Try them — shaved tableside, natch — on mushroom risotto with asparagus and fontina, eggs cocotte with mushrooms, poached chicken and parmesan, or over fresh tagliatelle with Ellie’s cheese. And remember: Eat slowly, and savor every bite! — Shannon Kelley
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El Encanto will offer the white truffles for the next two months. Call 845-5800 for a reservation.
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