Sunday, April 7th: Asparagus, Local Tuna, Lettuce, Fresh Salmon, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cheddar & The Patty Pan Tamale Of The Month!

Leeks from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

All those teasers in the headline, and I start with leeks, you wonder? Yup! That’s because we celebrate the return today of One Leaf Farm to your Ballard Farmers Market, and these are their leeks! They will also have some rapini, arugula and other deliciousness. So come welcome them back, and celebrate the fact that here in King County, we’re adding new farms (One Leaf in 2011), while much of the country is still losing them.

Local albacore tuna loins from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is also the first Sunday of the month, and that means local albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude! They visit us once a month, so it is a great time to stock up on their incredible albacore, sold frozen in loins, canned, dried and more! This is the best tuna you will ever taste. It is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids, and low in heavy metals, as they catch only young tuna from cold northern waters. And the frozen tuna is sashimi grade, great served just barely seared, sliced and over a salad, as sushi, or whatever meets your pleasure.

Asparagus from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

April also means the first asparagus of the year, and this year, with our mild winter and early spring, it is earlier than ever! And again this year, the first farm to have asparagus is Lyall Farms. They grow asparagus on their acreage in Sunnywide, in an area that’s just a bit warmer than the rest of the state. And we get to enjoy early asparagus because of it. Woohoo!

Fresh red king salmon from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

What goes better with asparagus than fresh, local King salmon from Wilson Fish? That’s right! Salmon season has opened early this year, too, and today, Wilson Fish will have the first fresh salmon of 2013 at your Ballard Farmers Market. But odds are, it will sell out very fast, so get here early!!!

Delicious purple sprouting broccoli from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And the hits just keep on coming! Today, we also celebrate the return of Oxbow Farm! Wow. What a day! They will this amazing purple sprouted broccoli, as well as Rapini, Collard Greens, Arugula, Red Cabbage, Braising Mix, Parsley and Rhubarb. You know, I am just about beside myself with giddiness right now!

Cheese maker Heather Howell of Twin Oaks Creamery holds up a wheel of her curry cheddar. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I took this photo of cheese maker Heather Howell during our visit to Twin Oaks Creamery last month. She is standing in her aging cave, holding a wheel of one of her raw cows milk flavored cheddars, which they just began bringing to market last week, along with their Romano and plain cheddar. They are all great, and while the cheddar is still a bit young, it is fabulous and very creamy. I imagine, as some of it ages longer, it will just get better and better. As for their cave, what I love about it is that it is built into the back of an old coffee shop and greasy spoon that was sitting vacant in historic downtown Chehalis until they took it over late last year. They do much of their cheese making there, and, of course, the aging, while at the same time they are helping to revitalize one of the most economically depressed cities in the state. And when you buy their cheese, you are helping, too!

Red leaf lettuce from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wait. Now, I must be pulling your leg, right? I mean, lettuce? Yes, this is red leaf lettuce from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. And they’re not tiny baby lettuces, either. This is actual head lettuce with full-sized leaves, perfect for salads, topping sandwiches, or making lettuce wraps. You’ve been pining for local lettuce since last fall, haven’t you? Well, it’s back, baby!

April’s Tamale-of-the-Month from Patty Pan Grill. Photo courtesy Patty Pan Grill.

We finish this week’s epistle with the Tamale of the Month from Patty Pan Grill: Chorizo & Kale Raab. They are made with pork from Olsen Farms and kale raab from Nash’s Organic Produce. Get you some to warm up and fill your belly at the Market, and then get some frozen to take home with you to enjoy later! Oh, how I love April!

Please remember bring your own bags every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, March 3rd: Goat Yogurt, Winter Broccoli, Tasty Tamales, Pretty Pussy Willow & Sexy Spinach!

Baby spinach from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Last week, we featured hearty winter spinach from Nash’s. This week, we feature tender spring spinach, from the greenhouses of Colinwood Farms in Port Townsend. Jessie assured me that this beautiful, young spinach was due in this week at your Ballard Farmers Market, just waiting for you to turn into amazing salads, to toss into pasta dishes, to stuff into pastries, or to quickly wilt and put alongside your protein of choice. Yep, it’s time again to get your Popeye on and nutrient up with delicious, fresh spinach!

Fromage blanc & smoked salmon spread from Twin Oaks Creamery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Mmm. I enjoyed some of this amazing smoked salmon & fromage blanc spread from Twin Oaks Creamery this past week on a bagel or two, and it made my New York ex-pat heart swell! Why don’t you pick some up this week, along with some bagels from Grateful Bread Bakery, and you’ll be good to go for dinner tonight, breakfast Monday, or perhaps just a nice, post-Market snack. Heck, bring a spoon with you, and eat it here, while you walk around! Oh, and you know, that Colinwood spinach would absolutely rock dressed with some of Twin Oaks’ goat feta crumbled over it. But here’s the really big news: Twin Oaks has goat yogurt this week! Woohoo!

Broccoli from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

More exciting news! Alm Hill Gardens (a.k.a., Growing Washington) has some of their amazing over-wintered purple broccoli today, too! Yes, we have indeed turned the corner toward spring. It is March now, and we have months of constantly changing, local deliciousness ahead of us. Over-wintered broccoli, for instance, is especially wonderful. It is sweet and densely nutritious, having weathered the coldest months of the year. Treat yourself. You can thank me later.

Fresh-cut pussy willow from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I probably have the largest pussy willow tree on earth in my backyard. It is 30-40 feet tall, with a canopy that is a good 40-50 feet across, and every winter, I get to enjoy looking out my back window at it in spectacular bloom, as it is right now. But perhaps you are not so fortunate to have your own pussy willow in your yard — and hey, they ain’t easy to deal with either. Lucky for you, though, Children’s Garden has freshly-cut pussy willow blooms for you to take home and enjoy right now. And they dry beautifully, allowing you to enjoy them for months to come!

Daikon radish greens from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for something a little different? How’s about some daikon radish greens from Nash’s Organic Produce? They take to a nice sauté, or you can salad them, too. Nash’s has all manner of goodness for you now, from the tail end of Brussels sprouts season to arugula raab, to turnips, rutabagas and sunchokes. They are stocked to the gills with winter yummies!

Local albacore tuna loins from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is the first Sunday of the month, and that means we enjoy our monthly visit from Fishing Vessel St. Jude, with all things local albacore tuna, from frozen loins to canned tuna to smoked. This is adolescent albacore they intercept as it swims south out of its North Pacific spawning grounds toward tropical waters to spend adulthood. As a result, it is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids and low in mercury and other heavy metals, and it is, quite simply, the finest tuna you have ever tasted! Stock up today, cuz they won’t be back for five more weeks!

Honey crisp apples from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

There’s still time to enjoy some of these honey crisp apples from Collins Family Orchards. Harvested this past fall at the peak of flavor, they’ve kept them stored all winter in what the apple industry calls, “controlled atmosphere.” There’s a lot of science involved, but basically, they suck all the air out of the storage room, replace it with an inert gas, and lower the temperature, so the apples stay super fresh for months, allowing us to keep the doctor away all winter long!

Brokale from Gaia’s Natural Goods. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Brokale is a cross between broccoli and kale, favoring broccoli in flavor. Only one farm — Gaia’s Natural Goods — brings it to your Ballard Farmers Market, and generally, only this time of year, as it likes cool, damp weather. It is nutrient-dense, delicious and easy to work with. I just give it a quick sauté with garlic and olive oil. Or use it as you would normally broccoli.

Roasted root vegetable with queso fresco tamales from Patty Pan Grill. Photo courtesy Patty Pan Grill.

Patty Pan Grill introduces its newest “tamale of the month” this first Market of March. This month, they feature a roasted root vegetable with queso fresco tamale that features Nash’s veggies, and cheese from Samish Bay Cheese. Stop by for a hot one at the Market, or grab some to take home for later!

Please remember bring your own bags every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, September 30th: Hard Cider, Pearl Onions, Concord Grapes, Fresh Peanuts & One Adorable Child Eating Broccoli!

Hard ciders from Alpenfire Cider. Photo courtesy Alpenfire Cider.

It’s the last Sunday of the month, and that means Finnriver Cidery will let one of its fellow cider makers take over their spot at your Ballard Farmers Market today. Today’s special guest is Alpenfire Cider, from Port Townsend. Their cidery is nestled in the woods at the end of a street on the west side of PT, surrounded by orchards. They make great hard ciders with their own twist on them, and they also make amazing vinegars, too! Plus, they’re certified organic!

Prairie Spy apples from Booth Canyon Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Booth Canyon Orchards is located in the beautiful Methow Valley in Okanogan County. They grow amazing tree fruit — many wonderful heirloom varieties. Like these beautiful Prairie Spy apples. Stop by and learn all about their many amazing apples and pears, and take some home to try!

Fresh green peanuts from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Look, kids! It’s fresh peanut season at Alvarez Organic Farms! Take them home and boil them in a big pot of heavily salted water for a great Southern-style treat. Eat them freshly boiled, or drain them, let them dry a little, and then put them on a baking sheet in the oven for a while for fresh-roasted salted peanuts. Or for unsalted, you can just put them straight in the oven and roast them without boiling them.

Flavor Grenade pluots from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, there are so many kinds of pluots, and they come in so many sizes and colors, but one of the coolest looking pluots, and the one I think has the most macho name, is the Flavor Grenade pluot, like these, above, from Collins Family Orchards. And hey, just like their name suggests, they explode with flavor!

Pea vines from Gaia’s Natural Goods. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Here’s a little rebirth of spring for you! Gaia’s Natural Goods has a fresh crop of pea vines! I love these just sauteed with a little garlic in some olive oil, and imagine serving some local halibut from Wilson Fish, if you get here early enough to get any, or a nice grilled pork chop from Olsen Farms, over a bed of sauteed pea vines, eh? Yummers! They’ve also got carrots, berries and more today, too.

Concord grapes from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

There are lots of grapes coming through your Ballard Farmers Market now, ready for making jelly, wine, sauces, raisins or just eating fresh off the vine. These are Concord grapes from Lyall Farms. They grow on the slopes along the east side of the Columbia River in Mattawa. They’re sweet, juicy and delicious!

Tomatoes from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And how’s about early fall, farm-fresh tomatoes? Just look at these beauties from Alm Hill Gardens. Big ones. Little ones. Slicers, poachers. Sweeter ones, more acidic ones. And in all sorts of great colors to liven up your meal! Enjoy them right now. You will miss local, farm-fresh tomatoes come winter!

A dizzying variety of flower bulbs from Choice Bulb Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D Lyons.

It’s getting into bulb planting season again, and now’s a great time to stop by Choice Bulb Farms to check out the dozens of varieties of flower bulbs they have to offer. Remember, the bulbs you plant this fall will provide beautiful flowers next spring and summer!

Red Bartlett pears from Tiny’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is peak season for fall tree fruit at your Ballard Farmers Market, so revel in it.  Looks like a record year! Try out these red Bartlett pears from Tiny’s Organic Produce, for instance. And they’ve got lots of apples and pluots now, too!

Radicchio from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ah, radicchio! The stunningly beautiful, bitter chicory favored by Italians everywhere. Grill it. Add it to salads. Heck, top a sandwich with it. It’ll add color and a nice bite to many a dish. I love the stuff. Find these lovely heads of radicchio at Growing Things Farm.

Little Marina loves her some Oxbow Farm broccoli! Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

If there was ever a poster child for eating right, I think little Marina here would be it. Her mom had just purchased this lovely head of broccoli from Oxbow Farm last week, and Marina just had to hold it for mom. Mom soon found out why, as Marina began devouring it on the spot. I loved it when mom calmly asked Marina, “Please don’t eat all of it before we get home. We won’t have any for dinner.”

Red pearl onions from Boistfort Valley Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let’s finish this week’s epistle with one of my favorite things – pearl onions. These little jewels are very hard to grow, so not many farms around here grow them. And yet, they are so amazing caramelized whole with some Sea Breeze bacon and then tossed with some hericot vert beans from Stoney Plains Organic Farm — a true treat! Well, lucky us, Boistfort Valley Farm has some of these cured red pearl onions right now! But they won’t last long!

Finally, another reminder to please bring your own bags today, and every Sunday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Ballard Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, June 17th: Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

The first raspberries of 2012 from Sidhu Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I must admit to a bit of excitement today, as I get to spend Father’s Day with my dad for the first time in many years. Living on opposite coasts for a long time, I appreciate being able to hang with him for dinner this Father’s Day. So, what are you making for your dad for dinner tonight? Whatever it is, we’ve got it fresh and local for you at your Ballard Farmers Market today! In fact, as a special treat just for dads everywhere, we’ve got the first raspberries of the 2012 season from Sidhu Farms today. Woohoo! But get here early, before they sell out, because they will sell out!

Broccoli from Summer Run Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yes, I know this is the third week in a row I’ve featured broccoli, but it’s just that it is soooo good this time of year! This gorgeous broccoli is from Summer Run Farm, one of the finest growers and purveyors of broccoli this side of the Rockies, for my money. I enjoyed some for dinner last night, lightly steamed and then sautéed with some Sea Breeze bacon, some Colinwood green garlic, and a little Pipitone crushed red pepper flakes for good measure. Yeah, baby! And hey, broccoli grills nicely, too — perfect for Dad’s Day dinner.

Sausage from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of grilling for dad, how’s about some delicious sausages from Skagit River Ranch? I mean, what dad wouldn’t be happy being treated to fresh, hot sausages right off the grill? Simple, delicious, and because it’s Father’s Day, doctors be damned! Being an ex-pat New Yorker myself, I am particularly fond of their sweet Italian sausages. They are as close to what I grew up with back East as any I’ve found here. But truth be told, I have yet to have any sausage from Skagit River Ranch I haven’t enjoyed.

Red Russian kale from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know, you can take kale, like this red Russian kale from Growing Things Farm, toss it with olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill it, too. It gives it a nice smoky flavor, and it makes cooking and cleanup easy. It’s been pretty gosh-darned wet over at Growing Things this spring, so their first crop harvest has been a while in coming, but here it is – dino kale, collard greens, curly kale and more!

Apriums from Tiny’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Say what?!? Apriums? Already? Cereal. I mean, how crazy a spring is this that the Westside greens are slow in coming, but the Eastside cherries and apriums are early? Go figure. But why spend a lot of time pondering this. Instead, let’s just enjoy an early start to what by all accounts is going to be a record year for stone fruit in Washington. Oh, and apriums are one more thing you can grill for dad! Just cut ‘em in half and on the grill they go! These apriums from Tiny’s Organic Produce are genetically about 70% apricot and 30% plum, thus favoring apricots in flavor and appearance. Enjoy!

Green garlic from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I love the fact that our farmers have figured out how to have each of their green garlic harvests come in at different times this spring. The result is that we get to enjoy this true spring treat for many more weeks. I forego cured garlic cloves this time of year for  green garlic, like this from Children’s Garden. I use the whole thing, including the greens. It is milder than mature garlic, and sweeter, with a bit of grassiness, and it cooks up tender and full of wonderful garlic flavor. Just cut it up like you would a scallion and toss it in with your greens, asparagus, broccoli, what have you!

Strawberries from Jessie’s Berries. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Jessie’s Berries in the house! Yes, today marks the triumphant return for the 2012 berry season of Jessie’s Berries from Fir Island. They will have a healthy supply of their famous strawberries for your enjoyment. Time to load up on shortcake and cream and eat strawberries until you pop, yo!

Deer tongue lettuce from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey, that lettuce is sticking its tongue out at you! And that’s because it is deer tongue lettuce from Full Circle Farm. We missed Full Circle for several weeks as they shifted from their winter to their spring crop rotations, but they are back with a vengeance now, with heirloom lettuces, Japanese wax turnips, mizuna, radishes and more!

Rainier cherries from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s cherry season at Collins Family Orchards in Selah. They’ve got lots of these beautiful Rainier cherries, as well as some nice Chelan cherries, available right now, as well as the last of their 2011 harvest of pink lady apples. Won’t be long until they’ve got every kind of stone fruit imaginable, and a few you’ve never even dreamt of!

English shelling peas from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Alvarez Organic Farms is rocking the peas right now. They’ve got sugar snap peas, snow peas and these first-of-the-season English shelling peas. Grab a bag for dad to shell and eat on the deck this afternoon while he watches you mow the lawn and cook him dinner!

Frisee from Stoney Plains Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Let’s end this week’s epistle on a slightly bitter note with some lovely frisee from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Want a nice, simple, elegant salad? Put some frisee in a bowl and toss it with some fresh crumbled bleu cheese. Chunk up some thick bacon and render it out in a hot skillet. Pour the bacon and some of its fat while still hot over the frisee and bleu cheese and toss to coat. The frisee will wilt and the cheese will break down into a nice, pungent dressing with the bacon grease. You can thank me later!

Hey, there is plenty of local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.