Temescal Farmer's Market & Summer Corn Chowder

One of the pastimes I missed most over the last 6/7 months was leisurely lolling at the Temescal Farmer's Market. 
Every Sunday, the otherwise hellish DMV magically transforms into a lively, bountiful farmer's market full of beautiful seasonal produce, gorgeous bi-racial couples and their equally gorgeous offspring and one verrry long coffee line.
Long coffee lines are nothing new in the Bay Area (or LA, or NYC or wherever else there's coffee worth waiting for) but the Blue Bottle coffee cart never fails to disappoint. Why we are all willing to wait in Disneyland-in-July-like lines (for Disneyland-in-July-like prices no less)is another topic entirely.
Without fail though,DH loyally waits in the coffee line while I give the produce booths a quick once over and come up with a game plan. Where are the best tomatoes? Who has the best price on stone fruit?

Twenty minutes later, we meet up to sip on our long awaited coffees, snack on pretzel croissants (my favorite) or a Pizza Politana breakfast pizza (DH's favorite) and crack into the Sunday crossword.
It is, quite simply, the perfect start to a lazy Sunday.
I missed it so much we opted to cut our Mini-Moon a day short to get back and go to it.

We gathered all the fixin's for corn chowder, salad Nicoise and a ton of stone fruit...is it just me or has this season's stone fruit been particularly outstanding?!

Corn chowder may be our most loved summer soup and Deborah Madison's corn chowder recipe is king for two reasons: #1. It can be made vegan without sacrificing any flavor and #2. The cobs, basil stems and potato skins are used to make the quick stock (LOVE using all parts!).

DH prepared simple sardine & aioli on rye toasts and paired the chowder with a 2007 Pinot from the Ellenbach vineyard. Next time around, I might roast half the corn to add a little smoky flavor but its pretty perfect as is.