Savory mushroom crepes. Pumpkin-stuffed Afghan flatbread. Sweet pink watermelon juice with boba. What is this place? Backstage at the Food Network? Heaven? Neither in fact. It’s the Malibu Farmers’ Market.
The Malibu community has the opportunity to enjoy this unique market experience every Sunday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Market is held in the library parking lot off of Civic Center Way and offers an abundance of fresh food and flowers for sale all in the name of an Earth-friendly cause.
“What makes our market so unique is I travel all over constantly looking at other markets and being very very selective about the vendors we bring in said Debra Bianco, the founding president of the Cornucopia Foundation, the organization that hosts the weekly market. She continued, You have to taste feel smell; there’s just nothing like it.”
The locally run Cornucopia Foundation manages an Environmental Education Center located behind Malibu High School. According to the Cornucopia Foundation website (www.malibufarmersmarket.net) the mission of the Environmental Center is “to develop programs for children and adults teaching sustainability through an understanding of the natural world.”
“The Cornucopia Foundation runs [the market] and we run it as a business so we can have a high-quality market Bianco said. The most important thing to us is that the Farmers’ Market and the Environmental Center are one [entity]. All our profits go there.”
The Farmers’ Market is a relatively new addition to the Malibu community. It just re-opened this April after five years of closure. According to Bianco this closure occurred due to city regulations; last year the regulation was amended and the market went up for bid giving other markets from other towns the opportunity to set up shop in Malibu. Outraged by the prospect of other markets taking over Malibu locals protested.
“Because of what we do behind the scenes with environmental education a hundred residents showed up— thirty of which were environmentally conscious Pepperdine students— all with signs and rallied. So we got our Farmers’ Market back. It’s been a big big thing for us Bianco said.
In addition to supporting the Foundation, this Sunday morning adventure still has plenty to offer the consumer. This market experience engages the senses in such a way that it feels more like an indulgence than grocery shopping.
Each of the 55 stands— offering prepared food, prepackaged food or agricultural products— has something beautiful and delicious to offer. Free samples are the abundant norm; one can taste everything from tortillas made with prickly pear cactus to goat cheese infused with lavender and lemon, to the appropriately named Yummy Baked” cupcakes which have a rich almost doughnut-like texture.
The eco-friendly mission of the Cornucopia Foundation echoes throughout the market as well. Nearly everything is produced locally and organically. Several of the products— such as goat’s milk soap olive oil and lavender— are grown or crafted right here in Malibu.
The vendors have incredible stories as well. While passing out bites of savory veggie-curry pie Marcus Salvemeni of Malibu Pies shared his.
“I lived in South Africa and grew up on meat pies; my mum made loads of them. I missed them when I came over here and decided to start a business because nobody really sells them here.”
The Sunday Farmers’ Market offers students a fun high-quality alternative to Ralph’s. Not only do market shoppers get to meet the people producing their food they have the opportunity to support small ethical farmers.
“For any student that’s trying to eat healthily and might have a kitchen [the market is] a great place to get artisan foods like the hummus… the olive oil… the chocolate…” said Cliff Champion a senior who came to the Farmers’ Market in search of organically-grown limes.
Even for Pepperdine students without kitchens the market boasts many reasonably priced prepackaged delicacies. Many of these such as the flavorful broad bean salad from Aliki’s Greek stand are hearty enough to serve as a straight-from-the-fridge meal.
In the past the Malibu Farmers’ Market has only been open during the spring and summer. However according to Bianco this year’s market will be open all year. This is fantastic news especially for Pepperdine students craving a fun delicious experience.
