Farmers' Market Valentine

Friday I was going out to lunch with the girls. After a two-minute run through Trader Joe's, I left with my basket looking like this, and off I went to lunch; rose champagne x2, tulips, Belgian chocies; doesn't the basket dress up the whole package?~~

It was great to have Valentine's Day on Sunday this year; we had good traffic at both markets despite the holiday weekend; I had a handful of last-minute shoppers want my prepared baskets; lots of pretty little pink baskets sold this weekend with these puffy hearts:

and of course there were tons of pretty flowers; not as many roses as I thought, but lots of pink; look at these gerbera daisies from Hector at CdM:

Pink flowers look great, of course, in a pink basket and with your chocolate lab on the other arm:

My neighbor lately at Pacific Palisades has been Ann of Ann's Candyworks; I was thinking today about why I am such a proponent of the markets and the vendors there. I think it's because this is the ultimate small business: the farmer, the florist, the baker, the fish monger, the egg farmer & jam maker, the soap and candle maker. I hear the in's and out's of their days and their lives. It's not always easy, but they are committed to providing a top quality organic product. It's the ultimate small business.
Ann works so hard to not only bake all of this, but to make it look simply pretty; cute little packaging. Lots of Belgian chocolate brownies, toffee, various breads and fudge; she has a great following; Jennifer Garner is one of her regulars. Ann's Candyworks: Venice CA 310 463 2106. Ann is one of the nicest ladies you'll meet; is she southern? I will have to ask. All I can say is YUM!

and of course it's all shown in baskets: