The Whole Enchilada Produce Stand

I heard and heard how cheap produce is in California.

Unfortunately not in Monterey.

Commissary has much better prices overall, but freshness and selections could be better.

As we frequent Hwy 1 north, the billboard sign that says The Whole Enchilada always caught my eyes, but I never paid attention to it, thinking it was a restaurant advertisement.

And when a neighbor said she goes to 'whole enchilada' for her fruits and vegetables,

I got confused again. So, it's not a restaurant, but a grocery store??

As it turned out that actually it's a name of local Mexican restaurant and a produce stand  in the parking lot right next to the restaurant. 

This is how we began going to 'the whole enchilada' produce stand.

 A yardstick for produce price check here since we have moved to Monterey
has been the price of corn.

How many ears we get for a dollar?

7 for $1. It's a very good price.

The other day, 9 for $1. This is unheard of in this area.

 Sometimes we grill the corns weather permitted, but most of the times,
we boils them in a big pot to eat as our snack.

They were so sweet.

 Gilroy is a town nearby about 30 miles north. It's a garlic capital of the world.
Every summer the town hosts a garlic festival as well.
As you near this town, you will smell garlics.
That's why I see abundance of garlics every where, especially Gilroy garlics.

 Fall is here. So is at the whole enchilada veg and fruit stand,
The parking lot was beaming with radiance of fall pumpkin colors.

This is the scene from last Saturday.  

I have never seen so many different kinds of pumpkins at one place like here.

Parking lot is filled with most gorgeous harvest colors of the season.

Turk Turbine Squash

Long Island Cheese

 I never knew this is how brussel sprouts grow, from a stem.

 Another interesting item I saw there for the first time.
Fava beans.
I did buy some, and I am yet to cook them.

I'm in the process of looking for recipes.

You can roast the whole bean, and the pod becomes edible. 

Or, you can peel the beans from the pod and cook them in salted water for a minute or so,
and add to salad or pasta.
When you introduce something new for your family, you can't help wondering
how well it would go with their taste pallet.

 Another lovely sight of unusual vegetables.

Signs for heirloom tomatoes have been switched around.