For 45 years, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has offered seasonal produce, artisan goods, and appetizing street food to residents of Santa Clara County. Every Saturday morning, Saratoga-dwellers flood West Valley College, returning home with arms, baskets, and wagons full of fresh goods. The wide variety of fruits and vegetables are reflective of the diverse local demographics, and this extensive selection allows the community to thrive and cultivate new experiences. We decided to see the appeal for ourselves!

Avocado Crepe (9/10)
Near the entrance of the market, we couldn’t help but notice the vibrant crepe stand. V&V Delicious Crepes had a broad range of sweet and savory allergy-friendly crepes. The one that immediately caught my eye was the avocado crepe, but we were skeptical of the price. However, the avocado, tomatoes, vegan cheese, lemon-tahini, green onion, and spinach made the expensive meal completely worthwhile. We had our doubts about the vegan cheese, but upon the first bite we were pleasantly surprised by the creaminess it brought to the dish. It neutralized the acidity of the lemon-tahini and brought harmony to the flavors.

Challah (9/10)
As we ventured down the aisles, we had the opportunity to speak with Ruben Barrera at the Panorama Baking Company. He gave us some background about his life as a baker’s son: “So this is my dad’s bakery. We make bread and bake [it in] San Francisco and we sell at multiple farmers’ markets on the weekends. We sell bread, baguettes, and pastries. I’ve been involved since I was in third grade, helping my mom and dad out.” Before speaking with him, we hadn’t appreciated the family-oriented and artisanal nature of these small businesses. We were surprised to learn how directly involved the vendors are with the business process. Barrera had been involved with the sourcing, baking, distribution, and selling of the baked goods since he was seven. After speaking with him, we purchased Panorama’s golden-brown Challah bread. It was soft, rich, and pleasantly sweet. The story behind the bread only made it sweeter.

Nutella Banana Crepe (7/10)
The Nutella banana crepe is up against fierce competition from the Los Gatos Farmers’ Market crepe with the same name, which in Skye’s opinion is the best food of all time. With the V&V Delicious Crepes’s version at a higher price than the latter, Skye had high expectations for this thin pancake. The V&V crepe was neatly wrapped and dressed with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, precut into neat slices, and dusted with powdered sugar. However, the inside favored a banana-heavy filling, with Nutella complementing the diced fruit. With an extreme sweet tooth, our personal preference is to have much more Nutella than banana; for that reason only, the crepe fell short of our expectations and earned a 7/10.

Kettle Corn (8.5/10)
We also had the opportunity to speak with Laura, who was operating a Kettle Pop stand with fresh caramel, sea salt, and regular kettle corn all made from her hot-air popper at the back of the booth. Similar to the other vendors we spoke with, Laura’s involvement with Kettle Pop is part of a family initiative: “I’ve probably been helping [my dad] since I’ve been able to run around.” The Saratoga market is only one stop on the many farmers’ markets Kettle Pop attends across the bay. We tried the free kettle corn samples, which were sweet without being headache-inducing and perfectly golden brown.

Proteas
Proteas are one of Skye’s mom’s favorite flowers, so when we saw them at a charming booth near the back of the market, arranged next to bouquets of vibrant flowers, we had to purchase a bunch. As they were being gathered together, we spoke with the store owner. He described the tedious process of flower preparation—a practice he adopted from his dad—cutting, individually sorting, removing any “ugly produce,” and finally arranging the blooms into bouquets: “It’s like cleaning a house: it’s never done, there’s always something to do.” The shop, Fresh Blooms, grows its flowers in Del Ray Oaks before preparing them for transport throughout parts of the Bay Area farmers’ market circuit. Speaking with them helped us develop a greater appreciation for the love and effort that goes into creating such beautiful flower assortments, and Skye will be thinking about their story for the next few weeks while the proteas sit on her kitchen table.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market was a vibrant celebration of family-owned businesses and fresh food. Our only complaint was the limited seating available to enjoy all the produce. If you’re looking for a relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon, we’d encourage anyone to stop by! While you’re there, try getting to know your local vendors, as they’re almost always happy to share the history behind their stand.