Sunday, May 23rd: Head Cheese, Strawberries, Sea Beans & Maybe A Duck.

Head cheese from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I often rave about porkolicious, lambrific, beeftastic meat from Sea Breeze Farm, those crazy kids over on Vashon Island who drag their refer cases to Ballard every Sunday with all sorts of tasty animal parts in it. But these guys also rock the charcuterie, too. Each week, you will find any number of terrines, pates and other offal concoctions ready to slather on a nice slice of Tall Grass baguette with some mustard. Last week, Sea Breeze offered up this particularly lovely head cheese experiment from their kitchen. I ask you, why would anyone waste the perfectly good head of a pig when you can make some spectabulous dish like this out of it. In fact, while most Americans are turning their little puritanical noses up at the pig’s head, the guys working in the kitchen can’t wait to get their hands, and forks, on it. Oh, how much we entitled gringos with our steakhouse cuts of meat miss out on in this country.

A grain rolling mill in action at Nash's Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Nash’s has been doing a little equipment testing at your Ballard Farmers Market lately — grain rolling mills. These gadgets, like the one above, will roll out whatever whole grain you’ve got into flat, round pieces, like the rolled oats you get as oatmeal, or at least that’s the plan. Stop by and see what you think, though honestly, the one that Sequim Prairie Star let me play with when I visited their farm, just down the road a piece from Nash’s, worked much better than either of the two Nash’s tested last week. So if you must have one, ask the folks at Sequim Prairie today what kind theirs is. Then grab some grain from Nash’s or Bluebird and have some fun with it.

Dozens of empty milk bottles behind Golden Glen's table. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I love the fact that Golden Glen Creamery packages its milk and cream in reusable glass bottles. Besides the obvious environmental benefit, packing milk in glass protects its flavor as well. See, plastic milk bottles impart a slight plastic flavor into your milk. So if you haven’t tried milk out of glass, give it a shot this week. Once you go glass, you’ll never go back to plastic.

This first strawberries of 2010, from Tiny's. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, I’ve made you wait long enough. Yep, there are strawberries in the Market! Tiny’s is growing them in East Wenatchee, and lucky for them, they didn’t all get frozen out recently. Well, lucky for us, too. I did some quality control work on your behalf in a steady downpour on Wednesday at the Wallingford Farmers Market, and I can assure you, these are some sweet, delicious berries. But there aren’t many of them, and no one else has them yet, so they will go fast. Get ‘em first thing. The eggs can wait! Oh, and grab a pint of cream from Golden Glen to drizzle over them.

Duck eggs from Quilceda Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of eggs, have you ever tried duck eggs? They are just a little richer than chicken eggs — and a little bigger with a deeply yellow, almost orange yolk that stands up firmly in your skillet. I love duck eggs. And you can get yourself some of them from Quilceda Farm, along with some goat sausage, for one yummy breakfast.

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

And speaking of ducks, Stokesberry had these magnificent, whole, fresh ducks last week at your Ballard Farmers Market. And if we’re lucky, they will have a few more today. But if you miss out, they will have more in a month or so. Stop by and reserve one, and pick up some chicken while you’re there. Oh, and Stokesberry will be featured at Ray’s Boat House on Thursday, June 3rd, from 6-8 p.m., as part of Ray’s Year of Sustainable Stories dinner series. Check Ray’s or Stokesberry’s websites for more details.

Fresh mint from Mee Gardens. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s horse racing season, and you will be needing plenty of mint for your juleps. Lucky for you, Mee Gardens has it. This stuff is beautiful and fragrant, and waiting to be muddled. Enjoy!

Actually, I believe it is some of Children’s Garden’s mint that Tom uses in his mint-chocolate chip ice cream at Empire Ice Cream, and Theo chocolate. I know what you’re thinking. How come I don’t have a photo of some delicious choc-mint, as the Brits would call it? Simple. I ate it all. I mean, honestly, I hate mint-chocolate chip ice cream most of the time, because they all use mint oil. All, except Empire Ice Cream, that is. They use fresh mint leaves, and that makes all the difference in the world. But I am not gonna stand around taking pictures of it while it melts in front of me.

Sea beans from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sea bean season has begun. Sea beans grow, well, in the sea, ergo the name “sea bean.” These salty little rascals lend a wonderful flavor to many dishes, from salads to fish and meat, and more. Stop by Foraged & Found Edibles and pick some up, along with some preparation suggestions.

Clockwise, from left, is red king salmon, rockfish, marbled king salmon and halibut, from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

At Wilson Fish, they say that if their fish was any fresher, it would be from the future. In fact, most Sundays, the fish they are selling at Ballard Farmers Market was still swimming on Saturday. That means the freshest, truly local — as in from Washington — king salmon, halibut, rockfish, ling cod and true cod you are likely ever to taste, and because they handle it so carefully, it is always in beautiful condition. It also means these guys don’t sleep a lot from May through September, which may explain why they surround themselves with bad humor-covered fluorescent signs.

Original and chocolate Josephines from Hot Cakes. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Autumn Martin’s Josephines at Hot Cakes are about as rich and decadent as any hedonist could hope for. Loaded with plenty of eggs and butter and Bluebird Grain Farms flour, these little cakes are amazing, but they’re not diet food. And amen to that! Now, Hot Cakes offers a chocolate version of its Josephine to accompany its original. These things are to die for, as long as they don’t kill you. But if you need the number for my cardiologist, just inquire at the Market Info Desk.

Beautiful bok choy from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, I thought I’d better finish off with some ruffage. Some gosh-darned delicious ruffage, that is. And gorgeous, too. Just check out this bok choy from Colinwood Farms. I had some of this alongside an incredible piece of Wilson’s king salmon last week, and boy-howdy, was that good. A little garlic, a little oyster sauce. Oh, yeah. That’s what I’m talkin’ about, baby.

And remember, your Ballard Farmers Market is chock full of all sorts of goodness for  your kitchen, from meat, seafood, poultry, cheese, to all sorts of fruits and veggies, baked goods, sauces, confections, fresh-cut flowers and fresh milled flours, plants for the garden, wild mushrooms, and on and on. For a fuller accounting of what you’ll find at the Market today, go to “What’s Fresh Now!” in the upper right-hand corner.

Sunday, May 2nd: Fresh, Troll-Caught Washington Coastal SALMON! Woo-hoo!!!

Fresh, wild, Washington king salmon from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s b-a-c-k!!! Yep, Fresh, wild, troll-caught, Washington coastal (not to be confused with “postal”) king salmon is back at Wilson Fish. The season opened yesterday, May 1st, and Steve Wilson went and caught some right off the bat, in spite of the cranky weather on the coast. In fact, the boys at Wilson Fish will have fresh king salmon, halibut, true cod and rockfish today, but not a lot, and it will go fast. Some forget that second cup of coffee this a.m. You’d better be in line when the market opens!

Spring pea shoots from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know, that salmon would be lovely with a nice side of sauteed pea shoots, eh? A little garlic, a little olive oil. Heaven. Colinwood Farms has a limited supply of pea shoots, so once you fight your way to your piece of salmon, run recklessly (well, not really) to Colinwood for your pea shoots.

Lemon grass starts from Billy's Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Billy’s Organic Produce is back, though it will be a while before they have fresh tomatoes. In the meantime, they have lots of plants, including something you might not expect — lemon grass. It is plenty hard to find fresh lemon grass in stores, so why not just grow your own, eh?

Cayenne powder from Pipitone Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I just love the fact that more and more dried local herbs and spices are becoming available from our market farmers, don’t you? And the farm that has truly blazed this trail is Pipitone Farms from Cashmere. Here is one of their latest additions: cayenne powder. You use it. Why not get it from a local farmer?

Culinary herb rub from Moosedreams Lavender Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I had the pleasure of visiting Moosedreams Lavender Farm recently. Not only do they grow lavender on their tiny farm in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains, in Port Angeles, but they produce all manner of products from it, from soap to pet products to bath salts to culinary herb rub, above. I love this stuff on steak. An half hour before you throw your steak on the grill, pull it out of the fridge, slather it with olive oil, and coat it with this rub. Then let it sit and warm up while you built your fire in your Weber. Oh, yeah. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

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

Deborah’s Homemade Pies returns today to your Ballard Farmers Market. Deborah was off running a marathon — Boston, I think — but she’s back, and amen for that. Gotta get me one of them chicken pies and a slice of chocolate decadence.

Salted caramel brownie from Pasteria Lucchese. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I don’t know if these new brownies from Pasteria Lucchese will cure what ails you, but they certainly will cause you to care less about it. These salted caramel brownies are intensely delicious without being overpowering, and yet, like all of the amazing dessert creations Pasteria Lucchese has produced, a little goes a long way, meaning you can enjoy it in multiple sittings, unless if what ails you is a complete lack of willpower, in which case get two of these, as the first won’t even survive the trip home.

And remember, your Ballard Farmers Market is chock full of all sorts of goodness for  your kitchen, from meat, seafood, poultry, cheese, to all sorts of fruits and veggies, baked goods, sauces, confections, fresh-cut flowers and fresh milled flours, plants for the garden, wild mushrooms, and on and on. For a fuller accounting of what you’ll find at the Market today, go to “What’s Fresh Now!” in the upper right-hand corner.

Sunday, November 22nd: Bastille’s Chef Shannon Galusha Cooks Local For Thanksgiving!

A beautiful pastured chicken from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Celebrated an intimate Thanksgiving dinner this week with just a few family members and/or friends? Don’t need a huge turkey, or just don’t want turkey? Do what I’ve done on more than a few Thanksgivings: roast a local chicken from Growing Things Farm. These happy, pastured chickens are better tasting than any chicken I’ve ever gotten from a grocery store, and they are just the right size for a smaller dinner.

Speaking of local (like I am ever not speaking of local, right?), Chef Shannon Galusha, from neighboring Bastille restaurant, will be performing a cooking demonstration today at noon in the middle of the Market as part of the Eat Local For Thanksgiving campaign. Come get some great recipe ideas for your Thanksgiving table, and click on “chef recipes” in the right-hand menu for some simple Thanksgiving recipe ideas from local chefs.

Three kinds of mustard greens from Red Barn Farm. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You’ll want some nice greens as a lovely side on your table this Thursday.  How about some of these gorgeous mustard greens from Red Barn Farm? Mustard greens vary in flavor and spiciness depending on the variety. Ask Julie about them. She’s a wealth of information.

Oh, and Nash’s Organic Produce is bringing freshly milled hard red wheat flour for the first time today, just in time of all those holiday baking needs. From a variety of wheat called “Hank,” it makes a flour that weighs in at 14% protein that is high in gluten for excellent rising.

Butter from Golden Glen Creamery. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Everything is better with butter, especially on Thanksgiving. Be sure to stock up on it at Golden Glen Creamery, our only local butter maker.

Viking purple potatoes from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Viking purple potatoes from Olsen Farms are the perfect mashing potato for Ballardites. They have a creamery white flesh that mashes wonderfully and takes well to butter, and they are named “Viking” and are grown by people named Olsen. (Or course, Olsen grows more than 20 varieties of potatoes, so ask them about their other kinds, too.)

Black trumpet mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Whether it is stuffing, a nice dish with grain, or gravy, you’ll need mushrooms. Foraged & Found Edibles always has great, local wild mushrooms, like these black trumpet mushrooms. And they should have fresh cranberries this week, too.

Beautiful November bouquets from The Old Farmer. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The flower bouquets that our local Hmong farmers bring to the Market every week never cease to amaze me. Just look at these magnificent November arrangements from The Old Farmer. No matter the season, they always present us with spectacular foliage that surprises and delights us. Brighten up your holiday table with one of their creations this week.

Monogrammed sour dough bread from Tall Grass Bakery. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

An excellent vehicle for that Golden Glen butter, for sopping up gravy, or for making turkey sandwiches is this sour dough bread from Tall Grass Bakery. But there remains some debate over whether the monogrammed “TG” on the loaf stands for “Tall Grass” or Thanksgiving.”

Sausage from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

What? You don’t get what sausage has to do with Thanksgiving dinner?!? Oh, pity you! Think sausage stuffing. Or sausage gravy. Or sausage with kale or collard greens. Heck, sausage should really start with a “b”, so it can fall into the “everything’s better with” category of b’s, which includes, or course, butter, bacon, bourbon and beer. In any case, Skagit River Ranch is your sausage connection. A frustrated ex-pat New Yorker, when it comes to Italian sausage out here, I am a particular fan of their sweet Italian sausage.

Deborah, and her pies. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Pie. You’ll need pie! Thankfully, Deborah’s Homemade Pies has a great selection of pies, from classic pecan or the best chocolate decadence I’ve ever tasted (and it’s gluten-free!), to various fruit pies made from local ingredients, let Deborah take a little pressure off of you.

Samish Bay Cheese makes a variety of delicious farmstead cheeses. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How do you keep your guests out of your way in the kitchen while you are putting the perfect finishing touches on a spectacular Thanksgiving feast? Easy. Lay out a spread of fresh, delicious local cheeses on some platters, like these from Samish Bay Cheese, and plunk them down in the general proximity of the Lions/Packers football game, maybe with a little Loki Fish Company’s smoked halibut on the side.

Smoked halibut from Loki Fish Company. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And while you are stocking up on all these Market delicacies for the coming week’s trough, don’t forget that the gift-giving holidays are just around the corner. Take Black Friday off and go for a walk or relax with family. Instead, pick up handcrafted local gifts from the artists who created them, today or next Sunday, right here at Ballard Farmers Market. For example, Lizanne Fisk, of Edith & Wallis, makes lovely felt bowls, boxes, acorn, pumpkins and more to liven up your home or brighten a dear friend’s day.

Lizanne Fisk and the lovely felt creations of her Edith & Wallis. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sorry I am posting this puppy so late, or more accurately, so early. My keyboard, WordPress and my internet connection all went on strike during much of the day Saturday. But heck, you kids weren’t gonna read it until morning anyway, right? But please forgive me if I am stupid with fatigue (stupider than usual, that is) during the cooking demonstration today.

And remember, really, everything you need for the most extraordinary Thanksgiving dinner you and your guests have ever had, save, perhaps, the salt and pepper, you will find today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Eating local for Thanksgiving couldn’t be simpler. For a fuller accounting of everything you’ll find today, click on “What’s Fresh Now!” in the right-hand menu, and we’ll see you today at your Ballard Farmers Market! (I’m going to bed now, for a couple of hours.)

August 2nd: Familiar Faces, Great Food, Our Favorite Market!

Janelle Stokesberry holding a chicken and a dozen eggs from Stokesberry Sustainable Farms in Olympia. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Stokesberry Sustainable Farms is just one of the many farms represented at Ballard Farmers Market. Janelle Stokesberry, above, holds some of their eggs and chicken that you will find on the menus of many of Seattle’s best restaurants. It is local family farmers and food artisans like Janelle that make Ballard Farmers Market, and the products we find here, so special. It is my favorite farmers market. Is it yours? If so, vote for it now in American Farmland Trust’s America’s Favorite Farmers Market campaign. You have until August 8th to vote, so vote now, and spread the word. Click the link above. Then enter “Ballard” in the search field and click “vote”.

Hey Jose! Nice melons! (Alvarez grows many varieties of melons.) Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Here is Jose from Alvarez Organic Farms holding three different varieties of melons the farm grows. These smaller melons are referred to as “icebox melons,” and many of them are being tried and researched by Dr. Carol Miles of Washington State University.

Hey, by the way, Happy National Farmers Market Week! Yep, August 2-8, 2009 is National Farmers Market Week. Woohoo!

Behind every package of Pete's Perfect Toffee is, well, this guy. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ballard Farmers Market offers many great products from many great personalities. Take Pete and his Pete’s Perfect Butter Toffee, for instance. If you are one of the few folks who has never tried his toffee, swing by his tent today, and he’ll give you a taste. Mind you, there is no turning back. You will have to buy some. You know, Pete’s is just one small cottage business that has been incubated by Ballard Farmers Market over the years. Many of our vendors have gone from startup to legendary with the Market’s help. Others include Tall Grass Bakery, Veraci Pizza and Anita’s Crepes.

Sam holding some of Zane & Zack's award winning hot sauces. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

One of our true rock star vendors is Sam from Zane & Zack’s World Famous Honey Company. Some people call their businesses “world famous,” though few have heard of them outside of their own neighborhoods. But Zane & Zack’s is, in fact, world famous, having won awards for their sauces and honeys far and wild. Above, Sam holds just three of their award winning products — winning top honors at the Scovie Awards and the Fiery Foods Festival. Another one of our award-winning vendors is Estrella Family Creamery, which has won awards at every major cheese competition on earth.

Gene Panida of Wilson Fish proudly showing of his "Bag-O-Fish." Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wilson Fish brings to Market big personalities with its salmon and halibut. Why, you ask? Just for the halibut, but you already knew that if you have ever interacted with these guys. Ask them why it takes so long for them to smoke salmon. Ask them how fresh their fish is. Ask them just about anything. Then get ready for a great answer. Oh, and don’t forget to get your fish while you are there.

Communi-Tea Kombucha man, Chris Joyner, riding off from the Ballard Farmers Market with a bicycle trailer full of his display, and... is that a porta-potty? Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Of course, Ballard Farmers Market is full of industrious, eco-minded folks like Communi-Tea Kombucha’s Chris Joyner, who often comes to Market with his full display on his bicycle. But what I love about this photo is that it truly shows just how much he can fit in a small bicycle trailer. Is that a porta-potty? Well, that oughta shame those other vendors with their big trucks, eh?

Ramon Ayala of Ayala Farms in Outlook examined the blossoms on one of his cherry trees in April, 2009. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ramon Ayala mostly grows asparagus. Lots of asparagus. He has 120 acres of it in Outlook, Washington in the Yakima Valley that he has been wholesaling. But this year, he decided to try his hand at farmers markets, and he started with us right here in Ballard. Above, he is inspecting the flowers on one of his cherry trees during my April visit to his farm.

That is just a small sampling of the many characters of the Ballard Farmers Market. How about you make your way down to the Market today to make the acquaintance of these folks yourself.