Sunday, January 26th: Stock Up This Week For Big Game Next Week!

Awarding-winning sheep cheese from Glendale Shepherd. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Our Seattle Seahawks aren’t the only local winners right now. In fact, while San Francisco’s 49ers were here last weekend, Glendale Shepherd was in San Francisco winning a Good Food Award for their Island Brebis aged sheep cheese. So it seems only poetic that you should stop by Glendale Shepherd today at your Ballard Farmers Market, and pick up a nice chunk of their winning cheese to enjoy while you watch the Seahawks win the Super Bowl next Sunday. And here are a few more ideas for game-changing deliciousness you should pick up this week to enjoy during the Big Game:

Bratwurst from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Some delicious bratwurst from Skagit River Ranch will be a perfect addition to your game time snacks. These delicious sausages would be the pride of any Packers tailgating party, if the Packers had actually made it to the Big Game. But since they didn’t, and since the Meadowlands in New Jersey kinda looks and feels like Green Bay right now, why not celebrate our own northern team with these classics.

Caraway sauerkraut from Firefly Kitchens. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of classic, nothing goes better with a good brat than some caraway sauerkraut, and no one around here makes caraway sauerkraut better than Firefly Kitchens! So stock up, good 12s of Ballard. Oh, and speaking of the 2014 Good Food Awards, Firefly’s kimchi also won one. Woohoo!

Chili sauce with garlic from Four Sisters. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey, it may not be Frank’s, but this hot red chili sauce with garlic from Four Sisters Gourmet Sauces will certainly make for some tasty game time wings. Maybe not what they’re serving at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, but hey, when’s the last time the Bills were in the Big Game? We come from a city full of wonderful Vietnamese culture, so we can eat our wings with Vietnamese hot sauce! (BTW, would someone from Buffalo please explain to The Stranger what a Buffalo Wing is, and where they came from?)

Rainbow carrots from Gaia’s Harmony Farm. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Now, I don’t want to hear any talk of ranch dressing. It’s go bleu or go home in my house! But whatever you’re using for dip, be it hummus or onion dip, you’ll need lots of carrots to dip in it. These young, sweet rainbow carrots from Gaia’s Harmony Farm are the perfect size for dippers, and they look and taste incredible. Plus, you don’t have to spend a ton of time cutting them down to size!

Asian pears from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, I am not exactly sure how Asian pears from Collins Family Orchards fit into the Big Game feasting, but when I walked past them last Sunday, they looked really good. And let’s face it — you have to eat the rest of the week, too, right? Why not pack some of these in your lunch bags?

Kale, zucchini & collard chips from House of the Sun. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Kale chips from House of the Sun, or just about anything else they make, will be perfect for game day. This crunchy, flavorful snack not only tastes great, but it’s good for you, it’s made from local ingredients, and it will satisfy your salty, crunchy snack needs well!

Collard greens from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Mmm. Collard greens. That sounds kinda good alongside those ribs or that brisket you smoked for the game. Stoney Plains Organic Farm has lots of sweet, tender collard greens right now, and you don’t even have to tell your guests that collard greens are one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables around. It’ll just be our little secret!

Olive fougasse loaves from Tall Grass Bakery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I can eat an entire loaf of this football-shaped Olive Fougasse bread from Tall Grass Bakery in one sitting. It’s that good. But it also holds up for a few days without drying out, or — and this is what you really should do — it freezes really well, so you can thaw it out and warm it up in the oven next Sunday just in time for the game!

Chicken pies from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And did you know that Deborah’s Homemade Pies makes savory pies, too? Like these chicken pies. You don’t see them on her tables because they are frozen. She keeps them in coolers in the back of her stall, waiting for you to take them home and pop them in your own oven. You see what I’m driving at here? You can pick up one or six of these chicken pies, or her equally delish pork pies, this week, then keep it in the freezer until next week, when you just pop it in the oven, so it’s hot and ready for game time! Could we make your lives any easier, or tastier?

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.

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.

Sunday, November 6th: Did You Set You Clocks Back An Hour? Booth Canyon Orchards & Red Barn Farm Return, Plus Much More!

D'Anjou pears from Booth Canyon Orchards. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I hope you set your clocks back overnight, lest you show up at your Ballard Farmers Market at 9 a.m., thinking it’s 10 a.m., at which point our staff will undoubtedly giggle at you. And hey, join us in welcoming back Booth Canyon Orchards this week. Stina Booth grows beautiful fruit over in the Methow Valley, including these d’anjou pears. These pears are something special, so if you haven’t tried them, do seek them out today. A perfect eating pear, they are also wonderful poached.

Yukon Gold potatoes from Red Barn Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Red Barn Farm also returns today to your Ballard Farmers Market with all kinds of great veggies from Enumclaw. Pick up some of these great Yukon gold potatoes and other deliciousness, from greens to garlic, and more.

Julie from Four Sisters Gourmet Sauces. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Four Sisters Gourmet Sauces produces excellent Vietnamese-style chili sauces from peppers grown by Alvarez Organic Farms. They’ve got five different varieties, as well as spring roll sauce and more. You know, I just got back from Louisiana, where I spent two weeks eating my way through New Orleans and Cajun Country. They know a thing or two about hot sauce down there, too, but what Four Sisters makes is an entirely different type of hot sauce from Louisiana hot sauces like Tabasco. Do give it a try. And if you find yourself in Louisiana, you can skip Tabasco’s “plant tour”, as it’s pretty lame. Spend your time elsewhere!

Fresh parsnips from Colinwood Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yay! It’s parsnip season at Colinwood Farm! Woohoo!!! I love parsnips. They are so sweet and versatile. Roast them. Steam and mash them with potatoes. Make soups with them. Add them to stews. It is fall. Enjoy the fall deliciousness!

Gala apples from Tiny's Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is the peak of apple season at Tiny’s Organic Produce now. And among their many varieties of sweet, crunchy apples are these gala apples, tree ripened and ready for adding to your kids’ lunches, or for a snack during the work day. And they still have some nectarines and pluots, too.

Pepper wreathes from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Alvarez Organic Farms has just a few more weeks left in their 2011 market season. Be sure to pick up one of these beautiful pepper wreathes today to decorate your home for the holidays. They also still have onions, garlic, dried beans, peanuts, winter squash and more.

Fresh chevre from Port Madison. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Always a treat is this fresh goat cheese from Port Madison Goat Farm & Dairy. It is great to add to your holiday platters. But enjoy it now, before Port Madison takes its annual winter hiatus, as their dairy goats switch from producing milk to producing baby goats.

Cans of albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude. Copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Fishing Vessel St. Jude returns today for their monthly visit to your Ballard Farmers Market with the finest albacore tuna products to be found anywhere. They catch their albacore tuna as juvenile fish off the coast of Washington, as they travel from their spawning grounds in the North Pacific to tropical waters. Because they are young and have been in cold waters, they are low in heavy metals and high in beneficial omega fatty acids, and they are just plain amazing — like buttuh.

Luv Potion #1 cupcakes from Cupcake Luv. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And for dessert, how about some Cupcake Luv. They make their cupcakes, like these Luv Potion #1 cupcakes, using local flours from Shepherd’s Grain or Bluebird Grain Farms. And for my money, they are the best cupcakes in Seattle.

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.

Sunday, March 20th: Farewell, Oh Winter Of Our Discontent!

Daffodils from Children's Garden. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Woohoo! It’s spring!!! Okay, that was not necessarily the snowiest winter ever, but it was one of the coldest. Heck, Seattle didn’t even have a high temperature in all of 2011 that was at or above normal until yesterday. Brrr. And we’ve noticed it on the produce tables at your Ballard Farmers Market, because cold, gray skies do not much food make. Ah, but it’s spring, and the sun (that’s that blinding fireball of an orb you’ve been trying to figure out) is out today in a bright blue sky (yes, that’s what the sky looks like without clouds), and Children’s Garden, as well as my own, has daffodils! And with that, we bid the winter of our discontent farewell, and wish it is not hit in the bum by the door on its way out.

Cascadian Edible Landscapes will help you eat your yard. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Besides daffodils, I’ve got violets and crocuses blooming in my yard, and ornamental cherries are finally in bloom all over the city. Heck, as I walked through Ballard on Saturday, I was shocked to find that I still had neighbors — lots of them! Yes, we have been starved for some sun folks, and we all were out worshiping it yesterday. I saw a lot of folks tending to their yards, prepped garden beds and pruning trees. Good on you. And now is as good a time as any to start making your yard more edible. Well, Cascadian Edible Landscapes returns today with all sorts of wonderful native plants that will feed you for years to come, so let them help you eat your yard!

Fresh mizuna from Stoney Plains. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

No, this is not a file photo. This is fresh mizuna from Stoney Plains that I captured just two weeks ago. Yes, green things are back, baby. Woohoodillihoo!!! Hey, I like root veggies and cabbage as much as the next guy, but lordy, have I missed me some leafy greens.

Red radishes from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And how’s about some new red radishes from Colinwood Farms?! A-friggin-men! Let me hear it, people!!! Yes, we are indeed slowly climbing out of that deep, dark, cold, wet hole that was winter 2010-2011. Adios, La Nina. We’ll miss you… not! Oh, Colinwood has some righteous salad mix right now, too.

Beautiful braising mix from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Some braising mix from Full Circle Farm will cheer you about right about now, as well. Heck, anything leafy and green will, I’d say. Being the simplistic kinda guy I am, I like just lightly sauteing this stuff in olive oil with a bunch of garlic, but hey, maybe you’re into soup or quiche. Who am I to judge you?

Soft pretzels from Tall Grass Bakery. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I know you’ve got some mustard in your fridge that is just dying to get slathered all over one of these soft pretzels from Tall Grass Bakery when you get home. That is, unless you eat them all before you get home. It’s a tough call, I know. But as your physician and your attorney, I recommend that you convince yourself that you will in fact make it home with some, but that you hedge your bets by buying some extras, so you can, in essence, have your pretzels and eat them, with mustard, too.

Chili sauce, sans garlic, from Four Sisters Gourmet Sauces. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

For me, there is no such thing as too much garlic. But for some, garlic can be their nemesis. And then there are simply times when garlic is not indicated. Well, the ladies from Four Sisters Gourmet Sauces — the folks who make amazing Vietnamese chili sauces from Alvarez peppers — are now making a version of their red chili sauce without garlic. Yep. And if that weren’t enough, they are also now making a version of their green chili sauce without any sugar! Thank you, sisters, for your thoughtfulness… and your delicious sauces, too!

Coconut cream pie from Deborah's Homemade Pies. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, it’s time for dessert. So how about a nice coconut cream pie from Deborah’s Homemade Pies? Of course, it seems that every time I feature one of her pies on the blog, it is always the week she doesn’t actually have any of that kind. But never fear. All of her pies are awesome. If she’s out of coconut cream, just try one of her other pies. I’m telling you, these are the best pies in town. Had the Weekly considered Deborah’s pies when they belittled the so-called pie “trend” here, they’d have sung a different tune indeed. Her crust alone is worthy of a new religion. So, am I coming through on FM yet? Step away from your computer and get yourself down here right now and eat some pie!!!

There is much more waiting for you at your Ballard Farmers Market today. Just check the What’s Fresh Now! listings in the upper right-hand corner of this page for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now. But please note that due to our recent cold weather, some crops may not be available as anticipated.

 

 

 

Sunday, January 23rd: Fresh Duck, Smoked Salmon, Chocolate Croissants, Sunchokes & More!

Fresh ducks from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, duck fans. Here’s the tip of the day, but you’re gonna have to get to your Ballard Farmers Market early to score on this one. Stokesberry Sustainable Farm has about 15 fresh whole ducks at the Market today. Yeah, baby. Been craving some roast quack? Well, here’s your chance. And they are organic ducks at that. Plus, they will take your plastic if you don’t quite have the cash with you, though remember, cash is better, since the Big Bad Bank takes a hefty cut of every credit or debit card transaction.

Fresh bunch carrots from Stoney Plains. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Stoney Plains is still pulling some carrots out of the ground, and this time of year, carrots are super sweet. Indeed, I had some last week, and they were fantabulous! (Hey, spellcheck actually accepted that as a word!) See, when it drops below freezing, plants actually produce more sugars as a means of protection, as sugar is a kind of antifreeze for them. That means that what survives freezing weather is always sweeter. Pretty sweet, huh?

Calvin Collins of Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s been a while since our buddy, Calvin Collins, patriarch of Collins Family Orchards, has graced us with his presence at your Ballard Farmers Market. See, he’s been busy tending the orchards over in Selah. And they are amazing orchards. I got a personal tour of them from Calvin a while back. He has a dizzying number of fruit varieties growing on his land. And that fruit is awesome. Well, Selah is frozen and snow-covered this time of year, so Calvin has come a callin’ on Ballard. Here he is two weeks ago, standing proudly behind a big bin of his Pink Lady apples. Stop by and say ‘hi’ today, and grab some apples and pears while you are at it.

Cape Cleare bicycles attracting attention. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You have heard me talk about Cape Cleare Fishery and that they ride their bicycles to market with their fish every week, but have you actually seen those bikes? Well, now that they are stationed up at the end of the Market, by 22nd Avenue, it is easier for them to leave their bikes hitched to the fish trailers. And they are wicked cool bikes. Plus, they have this amazing little smoker built onto one of their trailers with which they cook up samples of their delicious, frozen-at-sea salmon. If you haven’t tried their salmon before, stop by for a taste, and check out their bikes. You’ll be hooked… if you’ll pardon the expression.

Chocolate croissants from Grateful Bread Bakery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Oh, sweet temptress! Chocolate croissants from Grateful Bread Bakery. You know, I lived off of these all summer at our other four markets. And now, Grateful Bread is right here at your Ballard Farmers Market. Yep. But I must forewarn you that these suckers are addictive.

Winter squash from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Mmm. Winter squash. From Full Circle Farm. It’s sweet. It’s pretty. It’s delicious. It’s not a root, and that makes it pretty special right now. Not that there’s anything wrong with roots, mind you, but we cannot live on roots alone. (Okay, maybe we can, but work with me here.) The point is, there is still a decent supply of winter squash around, kids, so roast it, saute it, soup and stew it. Enjoy it now. You’ll miss it soon enough.

Sunchokes from Nash's. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I hope I haven’t offended all the roots now. Heck, I love roots, too, don’t get me wrong. In fact, have you ever tried sunchokes (a.k.a., Jerusalem artichokes), like these from Nash’s? They are actually the tuberous root of a member of the sunflower family, and they are native to North America. They make amazing soups and dips, are great mixed into your root roasts, and you can use them like potatoes in many applications, like home fries, for instance. Just cut them up in 1/2″ to 1″ cubes and boil them until just fork tender. Then brown them in a hot pan with melted butter, browning one side fully, then tossing them about with salt, pepper and thyme until lightly golden on the other sides, and serve as a great side dish. They are a nutritional powerhouse that sustained the earliest European settlers to this continent, thanks to a generous education from its prior inhabitants. So, fear not these gnarled little mysterious jewels, and learn to embrace, and eat, them

Chili sauce with garlic from Four Sisters. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Four Sisters Chili Sauce is made from a recipe that four Vietnamese sisters brought over with them from Vietnam when they left as children 30 years ago. And now they are sharing it with us. Concerned about getting chili sauces in stores made from who knows what from who knows where? Then visit Four Sisters today at your Ballard Farmers Market for a taste of some of the local stuff.

There is much more waiting for you at your Ballard Farmers Market today. Just check the What’s Fresh Now! listings in the upper right-hand corner of this page for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now. But please note that due to our recent cold weather, some crops may not be available as anticipated.