Markets are springing up at a rapid rate and, says author Dianne Stewart, each with its own character. She and her daughters, Jessica Cairns and Lissa Stewart, all dedicated foodies, felt it was time to commit to print the best on offer at local markets - the vendors, their stories and some of their most scrumptious recipes.They have done so with gusto in their newly released book Market Foods. From the Jozi Real Food Market to the Tea in the Trees Market, in the little village of Cintsa, on the Wild Coast, the three tasted their way around the country, discovering original, delicious creations and their entrepreneurial inventors."We were impressed by the expertise and determination of the people who bring their wares to market and we wanted to capture something of that," said Stewart."Vendors have to be competitive and a lot of research goes into what they offer. Some use the markets as a test kitchen."Take food activist Kate Schrire, for example. Her organic citrus farmer in Citrusdal sent her a couple of kilos of naartjies as a gift, which led to a naartjie choc-chip ice cream that was so popular it became a seasonal staple. You can find Kate in Cape Town at the Old Biscuit Mill, in Woodstock, and at the Earth Fair Food Market, in St George's Mall. You can find the recipe on page 146 of the book.Or try your hand at Steff Aufschneider's fougasse, a French bread he discovered when backpacking around the Mediterranean. This and other examples of French cooking - his home-smoked salmon, foie gras and crayfish bisque - are available at the Outeniqua Farmers' Market, in George every Saturday.The colourful book, jam-packed with Lissa Stewart's photos of places, people and products, might get you cooking but is more likely to get you out and eating.Market Food is published by Bookstorm..