Eat, Drink, Savor: The Hollister Farmers’ Market is a foodie’s delight

Wednesdays in Hollister have become a foodie’s dream again, with the return of the Hollister Certified Farmers’ Market, bringing a cornucopia of fresh produce, a diverse range of food trucks, and a selection of high-quality prepared foods from independent vendors.

After having to cancel the event in 2020 and then relocating to Sixth Street for the last two years, restoring it to San Benito Street has given the market a chance to spread out a bit, allowing for a little more elbow room as people do their shopping. And, as an added bonus, it moves everything closer to the restaurants and watering holes that provide so much energy to the downtown area.

It is also a great opportunity for BenitoLink to explore possibilities for the Eat, Drink, Savor series, and in the near future, you will see the results, with upcoming articles planned for several of the businesses, including the Klamaronzitos truck, T and T’s Kitchen, and Place of Crepes.

We checked in with some of the food trucks to see what new items they had to offer and visited a few of the prepared food vendors that people might have overlooked in their rush to get Swank Farms peas, Pinnacle Farms kale, or Bertuccio Market walnuts. But it only touches the surface of what the market has to offer, with almost 70 food vendors, businesses and community organizations registered to participate this year. While not all of them are from San Benito County, year after year, their loyal participation has made the market a must-attend event.

The Farmers’ Market is located on San Benito Street between Fifth and Seventh streets and is open from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Wednesdays through Oct. 11. The event is co-sponsored by the San Benito Health Foundation and Hollister Downtown Association. A list of attending vendors is published each week on the Farmers’ Market Facebook page.

Selected Food Trucks

Hapa Bros. – While the truck only opened last August, Hapa Bros. chicken sandwiches are already the stuff of legends. Having already developed a gluten-free mochi waffle, offered on the menu as a dessert topped with strawberries and fresh whipped cream, it was only a matter of time before they created their own take on chicken and waffles. “It was kind of an accident,” said co-owner Aaron Ricketts. “You get the flavor profiles of the sandwich and the sweetness of the waffle, along with all the sauces from the sandwich. It is really popular and is the second best selling item on the menu.” Unlike the sandwich, the waffle does not have coleslaw but, Ricketts said, “If someone asks me for it, I’ll never say ‘No.’” If you have not tried the chicken sandwich, start there—but, down the line, you are going to want to try this one as well. 

El Guapo – Chef Alejandro Ceja wanted to put his spin on a traditional bao bun, so he took the pure white puffy dough, flattened it into a pancake shape, and then steamed it. Slapping a generous portion of braised pork belly, cucumber, and kale in the middle and folding it into a taco, all that was left to complete the dish was a drizzle of red chili based gochujang sauce. The flavor of the pork belly, which has been braised for 14 hours in vinegar and citrus, is rich and decadent, and the bao “taco” is just flat out fun to eat. For me, this is a must-try.

Steak Stop – In 2021, Joseph Elmhorst became the first food truck operator in Hollister to be permitted to operate at a fixed location within the city. He has kept to a menu of customer favorites, regularly rotating in specials and appetizers. The latest addition to his menu are crispy mushrooms, which are battered and fried, given a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and served with a garlic aioli. Elmhorst says he slow-cooks the garlic for three hours to mellow and deepen the flavor, purees it, and emulsifies it with oil. The result is amazing: the mushrooms are juicy, the coating is thin and crisp, and the aioli is tart and creamy. Elmhorst says that he goes through five cases of mushrooms a day on this treat and still sells out before the end of the event, so get to Steak Stop early on your visit to the farmers’ market.

T and T’s Kitchen – The star of the menu is the chili slaw dog, an eight inch hotdog topped with homemade chili and coleslaw. Hollister resident Toney Canty, owner of T and T’s Kitchen, said that people usually add mustard and ketchup, but the seasoning of the chili alone is enough to make this hearty and flavorful. There are no beans in the chili, just 80/20 ground beef, chili powder, garlic, and a few other secret ingredients. The heat level is manageable—maybe a six out of 10—and there is just enough spice to season it without losing the beef flavor. It is a bit messy, so grab extra napkins.

Selected Street Vendors 

Hummus Heaven – Participating in 90 farmers’ markets a week and carrying up to 30 kinds of hummus, Hummus Heaven has been a participant in the Hollister Farmers’ Market since the beginning. Omen Hussein, who has worked for the company for 14 years, said that the secret to their hummus is that it is made with all natural ingredients and no preservatives and processed to the smoothest texture possible. The variety is a bit staggering and even people who are unsure about hummus will most likely find something they will love. The best sellers, according to Hussein, are the artichoke and the black bean harissa. My two favorites—garlic and sun-dried tomato—are pretty mundane compared to the rest of the selections, which includes spicy black bean with chipotle, spinach and feta, and Thai hummus with red curry and coconut.

What’s Popp’n Popcorn – Popping all their popcorn themselves and packaging it in five different flavors, Yesenia and Steven Fraide started selling at the market last year. “We’re shooting for a premium snack,” Yesenia said. “We use quality ingredients that are good for you, and we keep it simple with no preservatives or synthetic oils. We really take pride in that.” All of the corn is popped using coconut oil and some of it is sweetened with organic cane sugar. The basic flavor is called Beyond Butter-less, which has no additives or flavorings beyond the coconut oil and a little salt. It is my favorite—fluffy as a cloud with all the rich flavor of movie house popcorn without the greasy aftertaste. Other flavors include Popp’n Churro (made with Ceylon cinnamon), Kettle Corn, Sweet White Cheddar (which would not be out of place on a charcuterie board), and Creep’n Jalapeno. 

That Garlic Stuff – This versatile sauce still only comes in original and spicy versions, but with COVID restrictions lifted, owner (and Hollister resident) Michelle Doty is once again able to give out samples. She maintains that once people try it, they are hooked, and I know I certainly was when I first had it at a farmers’ market after they started bottling it eight years ago. It can be used straight out of the bottle on salads and on pasta and is perfect for instant garlic bread. I use it for sauteing and as a dipping sauce for celery and carrots. Give both a try, and I know you will start coming up with your own uses instantly. 

Eco-Family Farm – If you are looking for amazing almonds, this is the place. The Garcia family has been growing almonds in Coachella since 2010 and started selling at the market last year, offering a line of roasted, spicy, candied, salted, and unsalted almonds as well as almond butter. I like the toffee almonds, which have a light and crunchy coating that does not disguise the almond flavor with too much sweetness. The spicy roasted almonds are my favorite, though. Coated with paprika, garlic, toasted onion, and red pepper, there is less heat than it sounds like, keeping to just a bit of a warmth that stays at the back of the throat. Perfect for an afternoon snack with a cold bottle of pinot gris.

Market Participants

Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.

BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.