In 1934 at the corner of 3^rd and Fairfax in Los Angeles, a dozen nearby farmers parked their trucks on Gilmore field to sell their fresh produce to local residents. The LA Farmers Market was born and quickly became THE place to meet up, people watch and eat tasty meals created with all that fresh food. Today, 30 million people a year visit the Farmers Market and tonight it felt like most of them returned to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of this LA Landmark with a tasting event.

I arrived at the taste celebration with an empty stomach and a desire to try something new. I’ve lived in the Fairfax area for nearly 5 years and have tried many of the shops at the Farmers Market.

While visiting the Farmers Market you can tour the entire world on your stomach – Japanese, Italian, French, Korean, Brazilian, Greece as well as the more divergent foods from our own country.

But, instead of trying to visit the world, I wanted to try re-creating the three meals of the day. Since this was a tasting menu, I figured 3 small meals might make 1 regular sized one. Right? Well, that’s my reasoning and I’m sticking to it!

Breakfast: Starting the Day off Right!

The yellow and green balloons in front of a shop indicated they were on the tasting menu. I started at the French Crepe Company which had so many people you almost couldn’t see the balloons. I had a savory Ham & Cheese crepe. It was light and tasty and a great way to start the morning…at 6 pm.

I followed the balloons to Farm Fresh Produce and had a selection of raspberries, grapes, strawberries and melons. It was perfect for the hot day—juicy, fresh and so flavorful compared to the local supermarket.

At e’ple I found my ‘something new’–Banana Spinach Juice. I know what you’re thinking, and I thought that too, and even more so once I saw it; a sort of light green, globby sludge in a cup. But the banana and the spinach balanced each other out perfectly and it was actually refreshing. There had to have been some kind of other base juice to make it as liquid as it was, but I couldn’t place it.

Lunch: It’s a little nuts

Breakfast complete and something new tried, it was off to find lunch. It was found at Bryan’s Pit Barbecue in the form of Brisket Sandwich and a side of potatoes. Nothing earth shattering, but a serviceable little sandwich made even better by the brisket smell wafting from the pits behind the counter.

A little afternoon snack was then in order. I came across long time merchant Phyllis Magee serving up an assortment of almonds, cashews and macadamias that hit the spot. Not too salty and very fresh! I plan on going back to buy peanut butter made on the spot. Phyllis’s family has been at the Farmer’s Market since 1934 and Magee’s Kitchen and Magee’s House of Nuts are the only shops dating back to the opening of the Market . Phyllis, a former employee, married into the family and has been running the operations since the early 80’s.

Dinner: Where’s that banana spinach juice?

Some food, though great for dinner, just seemed wildly inappropriate for July in Los Angeles, and I’m not sure why the shops chose them. For example, Du-Pars, at the Market since 1938 and recently renovated, was serving up Chicken Pot Pies. In July. In LA. On an 86 degree day.

For dinner I was fancying something a bit lighter, maybe a little surf & turf. I grabbed a Tuna Tartare from the Marmalade Café (not technically IN the Market, but on the same property) It had a spicy citrus sauce and followed it with Jerked Pork from Maronda’s Meats and a small Beef Short Rib with Korean Slaw from La Korea, which was good but being the third spicy dish in a row, just made me crave that banana spinach juice.

Dessert:

Finally it was desert time. Monsieur Marcel, at the Market for 15 years, was serving up Cheesecake Lollipops topped with a raspberry and 75 written in chocolate on the side. Dare I be cheeky and say it was as tasty as the chef? Why not, this is France! The land of lovers! The land of forbidden romance! And…. Apparently the land of really cheesy accordion playing that made me feel I was stuck in Ratatouille.

So, I strolled down the Market with my cheesecake on a stick leaving the Epcot Center-like France behind to travel to the 1950’s and catch The Do-Wop All Stars wrapping up in front of Bennet’s Ice Cream. By the time they were done I had made it to the front of the line. I sampled an assortment of ice creams, all homemade, chocolate overkill, coffee and cookie dough. They were mercifully small because they were extremely rich.

I took my ice cream and moved to another musical era, the 1930’s. The Hot Club Quartet with Janet Kelin (Gypsy Swing and Early Jazz) was cutting a rug at the Market Plaza beneath the clock tower. Everyone was having a great time. Couples that looked as if they probably were teenagers when the market opened were dancing along with the professionals.

And it wouldn’t be an outing in LA without a star sighting. Fran Kranz, Topher on Fox’s Dollhouse walked by sporting a decidedly shaggier look than his TV persona.

And so, as the sun set, I ended my culinary tour, where I began, at the French Crepe Company with a Nutella Crepe, reading the LA Original Farmers Market Cookbook and a smile of my face. Here’s to 75 more years!

For more information on the LA Farmer’s Market, visit: http://www.farmersmarketla.com.

Aaron T. Harvey is a freelance designer, foodie, new contributor to FoodieInDisguise and founder of GeekFilter.net.