Market Report: In San Diego, subtropical fruits are stars of the show

Flowers and avocadoes are the most valuable cash crops in sunny San Diego County, which shares a long border with Mexico. Subtropical fruits aren't produced in sufficient volume to register in the annual tally of agricultural production compiled by the county agriculture department. But they're a highlight of any visit to a San Diego County farmers market. My purchases on my Jan. 15 visit to the market in the Hillcrest neighborhood include sapotes, a Buddha's Hand citron, passion fruit, longan, and, of course, cherimoyas. I buy two varieties, the nobby-skinned Dr. White, one of the earliest of the cherimoya varieties, and the other variety, whose name I did not jot down.

Recipes: Eight great ways to use arugula

This pungent Mediterranean green was virtually unknown in the United States a couple of decades ago. It is now widely available in farmers markets, though you still won't find it in a typical American supermarket.

It is excellent in salads mixed with fruit or tossed with a sweet, fruity vinaigrette, offsetting the peppery bite of the greens. It also makes good pesto. If you're not familiar with the green, these eight recipes featuring arugula -- ranging from arugula and pear salad to arugula and olive pesto -- are sure to turn you into a devotee.

Market Report: Satsumas, Fremont tangerines and Page tangors square off in taste test

The farmers market in the heart of the Hollywood district in Los Angeles has a lively street scene with music, prepared foods and a large section for arts and crafts. But there's a serious farmers here amidst the hoopla, with dozens of farm stands filling two long blocks. I buy some broccoli and Chinese greens, some apples (including an Australian variety known as the Lady Williams) and a cherimoya, some Asian pears and lemons, and three colors of cauliflower.

I also buy four varieties of tangerines and mandarins, intending to submit them to a taste and "peelability" test. For "best of the bunch," it was a three-way tie.

Read more about the tangerine comparison, and my visit to the Hollywood farmers market.

Recipe: Duck Breast with Carrots, Cabbage and Grapes

Victor Scargle, head chef at Julia's Kitchen, in California's Napa Valley, recently talked to Victoria Slind-Flor about what he's cooking these days. Think citrus and kohlrabi, which he purees or deep-fries or carmelizes in butter or dices them and crisps them in a skillet like hash browns. He also offered a recipe for Liberty Duck Breast with Carrots, Cabbage and Grapes.

Seasonal Chef: Napa restaurant's garden keeps Victor Scargle stocked with superb ingredients

It's not easy being head chef at a high-end restaurant, particularly one named after the high priestess of American cooking Julia Child. Victor Scargle, of Julia's Kitchen, a restaurant at the nonprofit center in the Napa Valley called Copia: The American Center for Food Wine and the Arts, has thrived in just that situation thanks in part to the superb ingredients at his disposal. About 60 percent of what he grows -- more in summer -- comes from the 3.5 acre farm on the grounds of the restaurant. Here's more about Scargle.