Sweet Farmers Market finds to look out for

Every Wednesday, I always find time in my schedule to go to McCarthy Quad to visit the weekly Farmers Market. The Farmers Market was started to make it more convenient for students to shop for groceries; it features local farmers selling their fresh produce. Now that it has expanded, it is teeming with vendors selling a range of products, from artisan jewelry to delicious hotdogs and falafel. I’m here to give you my top three picks from the Farmers Market for those with a sweet tooth!

1. Bee Green Honey

As I walked around the Farmers Market, one stall that stood out to me was “Bee Green Honey.” The stall was elegantly set up showcasing mouthwatering jars of golden honey. I talked to Louisa, who helps her parents run the Bee Green Honey business. She told me that their honey is locally pollinated and is 100 percent raw, unheated and unfiltered. This differs from the honey you buy in supermarkets, whose main ingredient is usually high fructose corn syrup.

Raw honey is packed with antioxidants and has multiple health benefits such as boosting your immune function and improving your digestive health. Raw honey can also be used for facials (time to have a honey facial sleepover), as a skin moisturizer and even as an acne remover! To top it all off, Bee Green Honey boasts three delicious, unique flavors — Raspberry Honey, Orange Blossom Honey and Alfalfa Honey. The Raspberry Honey is the sweetest among the bunch and the most popular among USC students, while the Orange Blossom Honey has more of a citrus tang.

My personal favorite is the Alfalfa Honey, which is lighter and milder in terms of sweetness, letting the honey flavor really shine through. Be sure to check out Bee Green Honey and to test free samples of these three flavors to see which is your favorite.

2. Sola Jams

Sola Jams sells a range of homemade jams with unique flavors. As you near their stall, you will definitely smell the sweet perfume of their jams. Their top two best sellers are Cheeky Jalapeno Kiwi and Irresistible Strawberry. All of their products are made by Chef Sola in her home kitchen in Irvine.

They are made in small batches with fresh fruits and cane sugar so you don’t ever have to worry about any preservatives or additives. Sola Jams pride themselves in using real fresh fruit and each jar contains approximately one pound of fruit. Stop by to try samples of their notable flavors and buy your favorite to go with a slice of bread for a scrumptious and healthy breakfast!

3. Honey Queen

Honey Queen is a must. It features a variety of drinks made with organic fruits and sweetened with honey. There are more than ten different flavors, ranging from sweet, milky flavors like Taro and Thai Tea to more refreshing, tropical flavors like Sunset Paradise and Strawberry & Kiwi. They also have interesting, unusual flavors like Spice Rice, which has a milky cinnamon taste. My personal favorite is the Milk Tea.

The person who mans the stall already recognizes me because I never fail to stop by every Wednesday to get me through the summer heat. He’s super friendly and always asks me how I’m doing!

His wife also has a stall in the Farmers Market right next to Honey Queen that sells fusion tacos if you want something savory to go with your drink. Free toppings like chia seeds and lychee jelly are also provided. The drink is $5 for a cup and if you keep your cup, you can get a refill for $4. Stop by to try out free samples and get free fortune cookies!

This coming Wednesday, be sure to make time in your schedule to head to USC’s Farmers Market and satisfy your sweet tooth. Take your time to look around, talk to the friendly vendors and to find some of your own Farmer’s Market favorites!