It was the salts at the market this time around that seduced me. How can I resist a touch of fleur de sel on chocolate?  I did a double take at the chocolatier, David Bacco from when I originally knew of him in Mad Town (Madison, Wisconsin). I couldn’t believe my eyes—this was going to be a great day at the market!

Our Saturday mornings remain sacred meandering around colorful temptations of the palette, however, this time we set out for an adventure a little further from our nest at the Hillcrest Farmers Market…and it did not disappoint.

First thing in my basket—chocolate! Not just any chocolate–artisan made and sans GMO. I have boycotted Hershey and many, many other products (most chocolates in the US) include GMO soy lecithin along with other genetically modified not so pleasant surprises. Genetically modifying seeds do not yield more bounty of the earth they only guarantee a crop that will require more pesticides (of course conveniently made by the same monsters who genetically splice seeds in the lab.) When you pair a genetic material with a bacterium or virus and insert it into a host plant, what transpires are many unpredictable and less desirable traits from the original. So unless you want to eat this unknown savorless outcome choose a more rewarding product from Mother Nature. Most offspring in nature are viable, so no need for lab work. (Remember survival of the fittest?) What farmer wants to grow an enigma? Time invested in a laborious responsibility should be rewarded with guaranteed tasty crops, not a tasteless food-like product.

Our morning ended when we stumbled upon the booth that sold little treasures of bottled Vital Salts. One taste of the Black Truffle Sesame Salt and it was love at first bit.  We purchased the salts along with sprouted fresh legumes, another great combination for my palette today. The first thing we made with our prized market selection when we arrived in our nest was a salad of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cilantro, and the amazing sprouted legumes which added the perfect crunch and heartiness to a simple afternoon meal. We dressed the salad with olive oil, lemon and the piece de resistance—Vital Salts. This salt is INCREDIBLE! The truffle flavor is subtle enough where it will enhance the taste of any meat or fish and what can I say about the vegetables—the salt transformed them into a meal in itself. The taste should not surprise me, after all these farmers of Vista California use organic, high quality ingredients and unprocessed natural salts with a high mineral content. 

It was a pleasant surprise to be reunited with David and his decadent sweets that morning. Everyone in my nest is thrilled that David takes the time to use quality ingredients to create his many chocolate masterpieces. It was also a pleasure to be acquainted with Vital Salts—I suggest becoming intimate with your Vital Salts and join them as an active member of the organic slow food movement. Is there a favorite product you enjoy in your nest? Please share…always looking for exciting non-GMO products to try.