While it’s exciting to see new autumn produce arrive at the Beverly Hills Farmers' Market, it’s also sad to say goodbye to many of my summer favorites.

There are a few farmers still carrying summer items such as corn, tomatoes and zucchini. Zucchini are rich in vitamins, fiber and flavor. They may be grilled, steamed and roasted, or eaten raw in a salad.

But one item that did make its final seasonal appearance at the market is a popular stone fruit from Tenerelli Orchards.

“This was the last week for peaches,” said Andrea Tenerelli, who owns the Littlerock orchard.

If you recall, the Tenerelli family lost more than 90 percent of its produce due to a devastating late spring frost that hit the Antelope Valley farm in May.

“We will return at the end of September when our autumn nectarines come into season,” Tenerelli said.

But with the departure of some produce comes the introduction of others. The McGrath Family Farms stand has Kabocha, a Japanese winter pumpkin. Is it really time to start talking about pumpkins? Kabocha is actually a squash variety, but everyone calls it a pumpkin because of its shape and bright orange flesh. It has a strong, sweet flavor and moist texture that is reminiscent of chestnuts. Autumn is in the air.

McGrath Family Farms also has “Tongue on Fire,” an Italian heirloom shelling bean that gets its name because of its pale green color that’s streaked with vibrant red stripes. Once shelled, the beans also have a red streak of color, but unfortunately the color fades in the cooking process. Tongue on Fire beans have a sweet, nutty flavor and may be braised, puréed into soups or serve chilled and tossed with fresh tomatoes and herbs in a summer salad. The farm also has haricot June beans, a French baby yellow bean with a crunchy, sweet, grassy flavor. These are also great to toss into a salad for color, texture and a flavor twist.

Now that August is coming to an end, the market shares one more recipe to celebrate corn month. This week it’s a delicious (and easy) salad made with fresh corn and zucchini.

Corn and Zucchini Salad

(Yields six servings)

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, diced into small cubes
4 ears of corn, shucked with kernels cut off the cob
1 tomato, diced
½ tablespoon fresh oregano
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
¼ tablespoon black ground pepper
½ tablespoon salt and (¼ tablespoon salt for the dressing)
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped

Dressing:

Whisk together vinegar, black pepper, ¼ tablespoon salt and chopped garlic.

Preparation:

In a large bowl, sprinkle diced zucchini with ½ tablespoon of salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Add corn, tomato, herbs and dressing to zucchini. Toss well and serve.

I invite you to join me each week as I explore the magical world of the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market. Please feel free to share stories and recipes of the items you find interesting at the market. If you see me strolling about, please say hello.

See you next week at the market!

Next Week at the Market: Kid Zone with Pony Rides and Petting Zoo will be available. Live entertainment will be provided by the Panache Orchestra in the cafe area.

The Beverly Hills Farmers' Market is held every Sunday (rain or shine) from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the 9300 block of Civic Center Drive. There are more than 60 farmers and vendors offering a wide variety of organic and conventional California-grown seasonal fruits and vegetables. There are also prepared food kitchens with menu items to take out or enjoy at the small on-site cafe.

Parking is available on the neighboring side streets or in the garage attached to the City Hall and library. The market supplies free shopping carts to use and they are located there. If you have any stories or recipes from the market that you wish to share, please contact the site editor at mariec@patch.com.

David De Bacco is a writer living and celebrating life in Los Angeles. He has worked for some of the world's most famous chefs and restaurateurs, and along the way he became a little savvy about food and wine. He has published articles and cookbooks for Shibata Publishing Co. in Tokyo and is a contributing writer for Edge Publications. He is also the creator of the Cookin with Mama blog, a meeting place to share recipes from our mothers.

Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and "Like" us on Facebook.