Photo by Hoffmann.

I’ll admit it: despite an overwhelming desire to dabble in locavorism, I often find myself overwhelmed at the farmers market, a consequence of spending a life looking for ways to get in and out of the supermarket in the shortest amount of time possible. Which market’s the best? What’s in season? How do I pick this stuff, and what in the name of all things holy am I supposed to cook with it?

Luckily, Sarah Handel — who covers Washington’s farmers markets for Examiner.com — agreed to give the marketing-challenged among us some tips on getting the most out of the District’s abundance of locally-sourced collectives.

So…what’s good right now?

This is a great time of year — new kinds of produce seem to show up each week. I’ve been on a major rhubarb tear. I think I’ve tried four different recipes, using the red and white varieties. Strawberries are available in abundance right now, and I just found some tomatillos and cayenne peppers, which I turned into a mean salsa.

Speaking of rhubarb, I read your post on utilizing it and was fascinated that something so misunderstood (and poisonous, no less!) could be used so many different ways. Are there any other items, readily available at the market, that people should try, despite common misconceptions?

Absolutely! If a farmer’s selling it, there’s probably a good reason, so just ask and they’ll tell you what it is and how to prepare it. I consider it one of the best parts of this gig — trying foods I’ve never tried before, and preparing them in my own home. This week’s tomatillos are a first for me. They can be a bit intimidating, their husks and sour taste, but I’m munching that homemade salsa and chips right now and couldn’t be happier.

Perhaps an obvious question, but what’s your favorite market in the District? Is there any one that’s really head and shoulders above the rest?

I feel like it’s not quite fair for me to pick a favorite at this moment — while I’ve probably been to more than a dozen markets in and around D.C., there are tons I haven’t made it out to yet (though I’m trying!). The best market is the one that’s closest to you, probably. But in terms of what’s worth making a trip for, I have to hand it to Takoma Park. It’s a large market with a great variety of vendors, dynamic and busy without being frustratingly crowded — most of the time. It’s technically in Maryland, but barely, and the Metro stop is just down the hill from the market.