We’ve asked chefs how they like to cook certain seasonal ingredients — peaches and tomatoes. This week, we decided to go to the source of those ingredients: farmers. We visited the White House FRESHFARM Market to ask farmers and their managers how they like to cook some of their favorite seasonal ingredients.

Melanie Dietrich Cochran, Keswick Creamery
Ingredient: Tomatoes/cheese
“We sell a pressed ricotta as a mozzarella substitute during tomato season, called Vachino bianca. It’s also really great with fruit, and has a lighter flavor.” (Note: Potomac Vegetable Farms does five plantings of tomatoes that will be at market until October.)

Joe Heishman, Spring Valley Farm & Orchard
Ingredient: Eggplant
“I like to peel the skin off and cut it up. (Be sure to peel the skin because it gets tough.) Then I dip it in a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper and fry them. Make sure to peel and cut them as you go, otherwise they go brown quickly.”