Fresh Food

Almost a year old, the includes between 20 to 30 vendors selling a wide variety of food and other products. Every Friday from 2-6 p.m. you can find jewelry, tamales, crepes, photography, live music and much more.

All food is fresh and each of the vendor's below has been featured in our column.

Behneman Farms in Valley Center carries a variety of pesticide-free fruits and vegetables. The farm has been in business since 1971. In this video, Juanita Cuiaso goes over their selection and some quick ways to use them to complement your cooking.

Rebecca's Mexican Entrees makes soy chorizo and green chile tamales.  Owner Rebecca Overfield sells her special tamales at three farmers markets around Southern California but especially enjoys Fridays in Imperial Beach since it's one of the few markets right on the beach.

Deborah Chase's company Wire Wrapn makes jewelry out of copper, silver and other materials to sell at the Imperial Beach Farmers Market every Friday. The market will be closed New Year's Eve and will resume Jan. 7 in Portwood Pier Plaza.

Sage and Coral Bova run Bova Dosa.  Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, a Dosa is a sourdough crepe filed with sweet potato and seasoned potatoes along with chutney sauce. Avocado and Italian soy-free tapioca cheese is also available.  "It's just like mozzarella," Coral said. 

As Bhakti Yogis, they believe in preparing food that enriches the body and soul, and so they chant mantras and ring a bell to pray over the food before serving it to people at the Farmers Market. "So we call it soul food," Sage said.

Baba Foods in Chula Vista makes more than 20 different flavors of hummus and other Middle Eastern foods. Baba products can be found in Costco stores and Farmers Markets around southern California, including Imperial Beach.  They also offer pita chips, pitas, falafel, tabouli salad and walnut or pistachio baklava.

Located in Border Field State Park, Suzie's Organic Farm grows produce for farmers markets around San Diego and is a member of a Community Supported Agriculture program, which regularly supplies local residents.

Upon request, the farm will grow particular fruits and vegetables or make deliveries to local chefs.

Dozens of recipes detailing different ways to cook with food from the farm, such as Creamy, Garlicky Stinging Nettle Soup or Pumpkin Sage Cupcakes with Double Brown Buttercream, are published on the Farm's website.

The farm was named after a dog abandoned near the farm.