Shallots from Paul's Produce, which sells at the Sonoma Valley Farmers Market.

Because I had to be in Sonoma this morning anyway, I stopped by the farmers market, in part to see how the season is unfolding and in part to search for shallots.

I was in luck. Paul’s Produce has plenty of large shallots, beautiful ones that I’ve cooked with several times in the last few months. Other vendors–Armstrong Valley Farm, Middleton Farm–are sold out. If you want shallots, this is the place. They also still have plenty of their delicious artichokes, both small and large ones.

Oak Hill Farm's Squash blossoms

Oak Hill Farm has its first squash blossoms, too, along with young zucchini. Country Rhodes Farm is selling their early tomatoes here, too.

This market is the only one I know of in Sonoma County will a full line of dairy products. Straus Family Farm sells its outstanding milk, half & half, cream and butter, its new sour cream, its ice creams and its yogurts. I snagged a quart of whole milk yogurt and headed back to Sebastopol, with stops at both the Red Barn, which you can read about in a new post soon, and Green String Farm.

The Sonoma Valley Farmers Market, founded in 1985 and managed by Hilda Swartz, takes place on Friday mornings from 9 am. to noon in the parking lot of Depot Park on First St. West, just north of the Sonoma town plaza.