Fresh from Our Farmers: Shave ice at the Forestville Farmers Market

This week, a new vendor joined the Forestville Farmers Market. Pink Elephant Concessions, owned and operated by Elizabeth Clough, is offering shave ice, welcome news in mid-summer’s heat and the current uncharacteristic humidity. Stand in a breeze, take a mouthful and pretend you’re in Hawaii. It might just be the extra incentive you need to restock your fresh fruits and vegetables on a hot day.

Seven produce vendors make up the core of the market, which is in the parking lot of Russian River Vineyards and its restaurant, Corks.

There’s a farm on the property, with a current harvest that includes honeydew melons, cantaloupe and crane melons, along with Romanesco zucchini and new potatoes.

Ortiz Brothers Farm of Santa Rosa currently has cucumbers, radishes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, leeks, lettuce, cabbage, fresh herbs and bouquets. Any minute now they’ll have poblanos, jalapeños and tomatoes.

Three Forestville farms attend this market. RLR Vineyards Farm has pastured eggs, heirloom tomatoes, Romano beans, arugula and Swiss chard, along with sorrel, which can be hard to find.

Creek Song Farm has leafy greens, heirloom tomatoes and root crops and Sunrise Ranch has fresh basil, carrots, Elephant Heart plums, Satsuma plums and Gravenstein apples, now coming on strong.

Schmidt Road Ranch of Sebastopol also has Gravenstein apples, along with a selection of berries and other fruit.

Rojas Family Farm travels up from the Central Valley with Meyer lemons, berries and a selection of stone fruit, including plums, peaches and nectarines.

Revolution Bread of Petaluma is here, with a rotating selection of rustic breads made with freshly milled organic whole grains.

You’ll find true rye and sprouted grain, whole-wheat pretzels, toasted corn flour and millet baguettes, whole grain sourdough and more. Snapdragon Bakery attends with cookies, cupcakes and cobblers.

California Balsamic sells their products at this market; you’ll find such novelties as sweet onion olive oil, lemon peach maple syrup, sour cherry jam, white blackberry balsamic vinegar and Electric Lemon vinaigrette.

There is plenty to eat and drink on the spot, too. Tim Conger of Sebastopol’s A Guy and His Grill offers slow-smoked meats, grilled vegetables and smoked portobello mushrooms seasoned with his own rubs, along with side dishes, including smoky beans, potato salad, grilled cabbage, grilled corn, watermelon and Jackson’s Lemonade, his son’s concoction. Red Horse Pizza, also based in Sebastopol, attends on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.

Russian River Vineyards wines are available by the glass and the evening always includes live music, along with a selection of local arts and crafts.

If you need chocolate, you’ll find handcrafted bonbons from Clicky School Girls Chocolatiers, operated by Mary Goff and Angie Kwong.

The Forestville Certified Farmers Market, founded in 2013 and currently managed by Mary Rand, takes place at Corks Restaurant at Russian River Vineyards (5700 Gravenstein Highway North, Forestville) on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. through the end of October.

For more information, email info@forestvillefarmersmarket.com or call 766-4597.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 24 books to date, including the new “Good Cook’s” series. Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.