Sunday, March 16th: Of Emperors, Saints, Confectioners, Fishers & Playwrights, Just For The Halibut!

Fresh halibut from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Holy Halibut, Batman! The Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife has opened the Washington Coast to a rare March halibut fishery. And Wilson Fish will have this prized local fish today at your Ballard Farmers Market, while it lasts! Normally, we don’t see fresh, local halibut until May. When asked why Fish & Wildlife opened this historically early halibut fishery, a spokesperson said, “Just for the halibut.” (And no, I’m not sorry!)

Daffodils from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

As we pass through the Ides of March this weekend, we begin to look forward to spring, which arrives at the end of the week. In this March of record rainfalls, let’s celebrate spring’s approach by bringing a little of this month’s rare but spectacular sunshine indoors in the form of these gorgeous daffodils from Children’s Garden. (And for those playing along with this week’s game of “pin the reference in the post title to its corresponding reference in the body of the post,” Ides of March is a reference to both an emperor and a playwright.)

Savoy cabbage from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Tomorrow is Saint Patrick’s Day, the day on which the 13% or so of Americans who do not have any Irish blood in them drink green beer, wear silly hats and act in a manor that, frankly, is unbecoming of the Irish people. Woohoo! And did you know that there were no actual snakes in Ireland? See, the snakes that Saint Patrick drove out were actually pagans. But hey, we Irish-Americans only seem to get this one day of the year to celebrate our heritage, so why not break out the corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes and rutabagas and get our soul-warming one pot dinner on?! Personally, my favorite cabbage for said purpose is this lovely Savoy cabbage from Nash’s Organic Produce. Because its leaves are less tightly packed than green cabbage, and it is full of nooks and crannies, it cooks faster and absorbs better all the delicious spices in the corned beef broth. Nummers!

Desiree potatoes from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I am a big fan of these Desiree potatoes from Olsen Farms for my corned beef feast. They, too, absorb the flavors of the pot well, and their waxy, yellow flesh mashes nicely with butter. However, if you boil your pot, instead of simmering it, they do have a tendency to break apart. Then again, your corned beef won’t be happy, either! Another great option from Olsen is their Red Lasoda potatoes.

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

For all those corned beef leftovers, it’ll be corned beef sandwich time, and for that, you’ll need plenty of classic sauerkraut from Firefly Kitchens. I love this stuff. It is naturally fermented and the perfect compliment to corned beef.

Fresh, local butter from Golden Glen Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

We Irish loves us some butter, the richer the better. And we’ll need plenty of it around for slathering onto our potatoes and our soda bread tomorrow night. Lucky for us, Golden Glen Creamery up in Bow makes great butter from the milk of their Jersey cows. Don’t forget to get a little extra for the Faeries.

An “Irish” marion berry pie from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I’m sure just how “Irish” a marion berry pie is, but hey, it’s got a shamrock on it, right? And since it is from Deborah’s Homemade Pies, you know it will be ridiculously good. So what the heck? Make dinner in one pot, and let Deborah make dessert!

Hard ciders from Eaglemount Wine & Cider. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, okay… alcohol in fact does have historical, if not hysterical, relevance to St. Paddy’s Day festivities. See, the Church let folks dispense with Lenten dietary restrictions on St. Patrick’s Day, and that meant eating and drinking. It is a day of feasting, after all! Why not celebrate with some great, local hard cider from Eaglemount Wine & Cider? Today, they will be sampling many of their cider flavors, so find the one(s) you like!

Truffles from Soulever Chocolates. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Meet the newest member of the vendor lineup at your Ballard Farmers Market: Soulever Chocolates. Their chocolates are predominantly organic, low glycemic, and dairy, gluten, and soy free, and they use local ingredients where they can. These are well-suited for folks with dietary restrictions (such as paleo, vegan or diabetic). Enjoy!

Beef rib chop from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sea Breeze Farm has some amazing, long dry-aged beef steaks and chops available right now. If you want to indulge yourself with one of the beefiest tasting steaks you’ll ever have, give one of these a try. Their cattle are raised on lush, natural pasture on Vashon Island, and long dry-aging evaporates much of the water weight while deepening the complex flavors. And keep this in mind: dry-aged beef costs more, but you are paying for less water. What you get at the Big Box stores is hardly aged at all and is loaded with water. If you removed the water weight from it, you’d find that you are actually paying a lot more per pound of beef than you realized!

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, January 19th: Cooking Oil, Cranberries, Leeks, Chickweed & Refillable Wine Bottles!

Camelina oil from Ole World Oils. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Happy Sunday! This is the first Sunday since December that your Ballard Farmers Market has had to share with the Seahawks, but fortunately, kickoff in the NFC Championship Game does not happen until 3:30 p.m., half an hour after we close. So you’ve got plenty of time to get down here, get your localiciousness on for the coming week, zip home to drop it off, and get back down here again to watch the Game with us and the gang in one of Ballard Ave’s 13,478 watering holes. And for the 13% of you who still don’t care about the Seahawks, we’re here for you, too!

Oh, hey. Ole World Oils returns today with their camelina oil. This cooking and finishing oil is made from cold-pressed camelina seeds (a mustard cousin) that are grown and processed by Ole World Oils on their farm just outside of Ritzville in Eastern Washington. This oil is fresh, delicious, high in beneficial omega-fatty acids, is great drizzled over salads and as a finishing oil, and has a very high 475 degree smoke point, making it perfect for any cooking application. And it is priced to easily replace all of your imported oils, be they from Italy, Canada or California.

Fresh Washington true cod from Wilson Fish. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wilson Fish may be best known for its fresh, frozen and smoked Washington salmon and its halibut, but this time of year, if you want fresh fish from them, this true cod and ling cod are what you are likely to find. I love pan-frying their true cod. I make a breading of grits, whole grain flour, rice flour, corn starch, salt, pepper, chile powder, garlic granules and some dried oregano, mixing it altogether in a bowl with a fork, to ensure everything is carefully blended. Then, I like to cut the fish into “nugget” sized pieces, which I give a quick dip in egg, then roll in the breading until fully coated. Then, I toss it in a hot BluSkillet iron pan that I’ve put a healthy amount of camelina oil into, and I fry it on each side until crispy. It doesn’t take long, and you can make up the breading in advance and save any leftover breading in the freezer. This breading works great with Hama Hama Oyster Company shucked oysters, too!

Chickweed from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hmm. Maybe a nice side of chickweed salad would be good with that pan-fried true cod. Stoney Plains Organic Farm has chickweed already, just for this purpose. Farms like Stoney Plains grow chickweed over the winter as a nitrogen-fixing crop that helps build nutrients back into their soil naturally. Smart farms like Stoney Plains choose varieties of chickweed at are good for human consumption, so they get an addition crop out of it, and we get an additional winter and early spring green. Make a simple chickweed salad by tossing it with some salt, pepper, some sheep feta from Glendale Shepherd, some sunflower seeds or pine nuts, a little lemon juice or local verjus, if you’ve got some, and some camelina oil.

Frozen organic cranberries from Starvation Alley Farms. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Look, kids! Starvation Alley Farms has frozen organic cranberries for you! Woohoo!!! Make pies, jams, sauces, muffins, cookies, whatever you love to do with cranberries. Make a nice dressing with them for that chickweed salad. Cranberries: they’re not just for Thanksgiving anymore!

Refillable bottles (left) from Wilridge Winery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Those big bottles on the left above? They are refillable! Seriously. Wilridge Winery, based in Madrona, worked it out with the Liquor Control Board so that they can reuse these magnum-size (1.5 liter) bottles. Why, you ask? Lots of reasons. First off, whether a new bottle is made from virgin or recycled glass, it still requires a lot of energy to make them. Not these. Next, when they reuse bottles, they do not have to buy new bottles for each new bottling, a cost they would normally pass onto you. And because the bottles are larger, you get twice the wine for the price of one bottle, not to mention that it cuts the cost of labor to fill that bottle in half, too! The result is that for $20 plus an $8 bottle deposit, you get an excellent, everyday, local table wine. Wilridge will be sampling their  wines today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Give them a try, and then grab one of these refillables for your Hawks party, or for the party you having not watching the Game.

Wool from Glendale Shepherd. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Glendale Shepherd makes great sheep’s milk cheeses. But something else their sheep produce is wool! This wool, in fact. Mind you, the wool usually isn’t this color of green whilst on the sheep, unless the sheep is acting out against its parents.

Leeks from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Mmm. Leekliciousness. Think sauces, soups, sautés, tortes… tarts for that matter. Winter leeks are wonderfully sweet for whatever application you have, and Alm Hill Gardens has these lovely young leeks for you now.

Many butter flavors from Golden Glen Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

A little butter with them thar leeks sounds pretty good, too. Or for cooking your eggs… which come to think of it, might make for a nice scramble with some leeks, eh? Or buttered toast with one of Golden Glen Creamery’s many sweet or savory flavored butters. Golden Glen’s farmstead butters are made up on their farm in Bow, and if you haven’t tried them, you likely don’t really know what truly fresh butter tastes like. Trust me.

Certified organic beef chuck roasts from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

When it is cold, dark and damp this time of year, it is the perfect time to warm up your whole home with a nice roast, don’t you think? Skagit River Ranch has these gorgeous, delicious, grass-fed and finished, certifed organic beef chuck roasts from their farm up in Sedro-Woolley, in the Skagit River Valley. Grab yourself some roots, and get roasting!

Curly leaf kale from Children’s Garden. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is also serious kale season, and Children’s Garden has lots of this green curly leaf kale right now for you. They’ve also got some nice collard greens now, too, as well as fresh herbs, and, of course, their beautiful flower bouquets, even this time of year.

Organic Pink Lady apples from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

ACMA Mission Orchards still has plenty of their certified-organic apples and pears from their fall harvest for you. Like these Pink Lady apples — sweet, crunchy and satisfying, they will help you keep the doctor away all winter long.

Whole grains, flour and dried legumes from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Nashs’ Organic Produce produces lots of grains and legumes in addition to the produce for which they are both named and loved. Right now, you can get lots of dried beans from them, from fava beans to kidney beans to black beans to field peas, as well as several types of grains, from hulless oats to triticale to rye to wheat. They even have several kinds of flours milled right on the farm and delivered fresh to you at your Ballard Farmers Market!

Sunflower sprouts from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finally, let’s get our sunflower sprouts on for winter, eh? Packed with nutrients and flavor, they make a great addition to salads and sandwiches, and a great garnish, too. Jarvis Family Garlic Farm has these fresh sprouts now, as well as wheatgrass, great for juicing.

Go Hawks!

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 24th: Everything You Need For An All-Local Thanksgiving & Chanukah, From Sweet Potatoes To Brisket To Sharpened Knives!

Chef Jason Stoneburner of Bastille & Stoneburner. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey kids! It’s time for Chanukgiving, or Thanksnukah, or whatever you call it in the extremely rare instance when Chanukah and Thanksgiving happen simultaneously. But whatever you choose to call it, one thing is certain, it is time to eat local, and eat lots of it! Woohoo!!! Of course, your Ballard Farmers Market has you covered from every angle, with the possible exception of fresh turkeys. (Let’s face it. If you still haven’t arranged for your pasture-raised, local turkey, you have no one to blame but the turkey looking back at you in the mirror. But I digress.) We do have everything else you’ll need, and I do mean everything. We even have cooking oil, butter and salt! (That’s right, boys and girls. This week, we’ve added San Juan Island Sea Salt to our vendor lineup, with local salt!) And today, we’ve even got an Eat Local For Thanksgiving cooking demonstration at noon with Chef Jason Stoneburner of Bastille and Stoneburner to give you great ideas for holiday side dishes. Jason’s menus are built around what he can get from the vendors at your Ballard Farmers Market. Indeed, each Sunday, you can watch dolly after dolly of localiciousness being transferred from our vendors to his kitchens. So he knows a little bit about eating local. Come get a tip or two from him today. (Last week, for instance, Chef Dustin Ronspies from Art of the Table taught us that that a pinch of sugar enhances the savory flavors in savory dishes, and a pinch of salt enhances the sweet flavors in sweet dishes.)

Sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, let’s get down to seriously delicious business here. There are over 20 photos this week, so I am going to make my descriptions briefer than usual, but really, the photos speak for themselves. They say, “we are stocked to the gills with great, local ingredients to make your holiday table complete, and render a visit to a Big Box story unnecessary.” Like these local sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms. Oh, and Lyall has apples and onions, too!

Fresh cranberries from Bloom Creek Cranberry Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Make your own cranberry sauce this year with fresh cranberries from Bloom Creek Cranberry Farm. Last Sunday, Chef Dustin made some in less than an hour, under a tent in the middle of Ballard Ave, with a strong, cold wind at his side, so you can do it at home. He cooked down the cranberries, then added some apple, a little sugar, some orange zest and orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Simple. Delicious.

Winter squash from Growing Things Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How’s about some winter squash from Growing Things Farm? Yeah, baby. Of course, I am also having one of their pasture-raised chickens for my holiday feast. Because no law requires me to have a turkey. (Something to think about, if you haven’t gotten a turkey yet, and you don’t need to feed an army.)

Viking purple potatoes from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You’ll need spuds, and few potatoes are better for making perfect mashed potatoes than these Viking Purple potatoes from Olsen Farms. They are bright white inside, and they have an amazing texture that takes well to mashing. Pick up butter from Golden Glen Creamery (see below) and some milk from Twin Oaks Creamery or Sea Breeze Farm to round out your mashers, or add some parsnip and celery root for something really spectacular.

Purple Goddess pears from Jerzy Boyz. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These beauties are Purple Goddess pears from Jerzy Boyz Farm from Chelan. And who doesn’t need a beautiful pear, anytime of year?

Korean red garlic from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Garlic. You will need it for stuffing, for seasoning your bird, for adding to your greens, for lots of stuff. Jarvis Family Garlic Farm has you covered with this Korean red garlic, and several other varieties that vary in flavor and intensity.

Smoked, pickled & shucked oysters from Hama Hama Oyster Company. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I, for one, enjoys me some oyster stuffing, and Hama Hama Oyster Company makes it easy with their freshly-shucked oysters in a variety of sizes. And if you are looking for great appetizers, try their pickled and smoked oysters, too!

Brussels sprouts from Nash’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

If you aren’t a lover of Brussels sprouts from Nash’s Organic Produce, I can only assume you haven’t ever had them prepared properly. Try sautéing them with Alvarez shallots and Sea Breeze bacon. First, you brown the bacon whilst rendering out its fat, and you caramelize the shallots, and then you toss in the sprouts, cut in halves, or in quarters for the bigger ones, and cook them until they get bright green and just a bit tender. Then deglaze the pan with a nice white wine, cooking off the alcohol while the wine combines with the bacon and shallot bits in the pan, and then the sprouts absorb all that deliciousness as they get tender. Boom. You now love Brussels sprouts.

Black truffles from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These are wild black truffles from Washington, brought to you by Foraged & Found Edibles. Add some to your mashed potatoes, or toss them with some Pasteria Lucchese pappardelle and Golden Glen butter for a nice side dish! They also have yellowfoot chanterelle mushrooms and hedgehog mushrooms, which are a great addition to stuffing!

Seasoned croutons for stuffing from Grateful Bread Baking. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of stuffing, if you get here early enough, you might get some of these seasoned croutons from Grateful Bread Baking. They make for amazing stuffing. Just add some Sea Breeze stock, onions, garlic, celery, and whatever else suits your fancy, and bake. If you miss out on these croutons, you can easily make your own with one of their wonderful loaves of bread.

Fresh, local butter from Golden Glen Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And here is that aforementioned farmstead butter from Golden Glen Creamery in Bow. You can get it salted and unsalted, or with any of a number of sweet and savory flavorings. And let’s face it. You will need lots of butter. Why not make it local, too?!

Yellow onions from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sure, One Leaf Farm has lots of deliciousness right now, from parsnips to kale to cauliflower to winter squash, and even a little parsley root. But they also have these gorgeous onions, and you know you will need some onions this week!

Brent Charnley, winemaker at Lopez Island Vineyards, hold the new release of his Wave Crest White table wine. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And speaking of wine, Lopez Island Vineyards has a great selection of award-winning whites and reds, with one perfect for you. Best of all, they will be sampling their wines today, so you can try it before you buy it, and find the ones you like best!

Braising mix from Colinwood Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How about cooking up a nice mix of braising greens from Colinwood Farm? All you need to do is add oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and you are good to go! Talk about making life easier on Thursday.

D’Anjou pears from Booth Canyon Orchard. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This is the last week for Booth Canyon Orchard for 2013 at your Ballard Farmers Market. So grab yourself a box of these D’Anjou pears, store them in a nice, cool, dark place, and you can enjoy them for weeks to come.

George Vojkovich out standing in his field… with a bunch of cattle. Photo copyright 2007 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And for Chanukah, perhaps you’d like a nice beef brisket. Well, I don’t have a photo of Skagit River Ranch‘s brisket, but I guess, if you look real close, you can see the brisket on their cattle above, enjoying the good life on Skagit River Ranch’s lush pastures up in Sedro-Woolley. Oh, and that is Farmer George in the background, moooving the herd.

Camelina oil from Ole World Oils. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Did I not say we even have cooking oil for you? This is camelina oil from Ole World Oils of Ritzville. Camelina is an ancient member of the mustard family, and its seeds make for great oil. It holds up to high heat, it is non-GMO, and it is high in beneficial omega-fatty acids! So now, you can say your cooking oil is farm fresh, too.

Marie Makovicka of Little Prague European Bakery piping fresh cannoli. Photo copyright 2013 by Ben Chandler.

Looking for something sweet to finish off your meal, or perhaps something to start your day? Stop by Little Prague European Bakery, say hi to Marie, and pick up some of her delicious pastries. Thinking you want them on Thursday morning to enjoy while you watch the parade, but think they won’t keep? Ask Marie about how to properly store them until them, and how to refresh them when you are ready to eat them. Then, the only worry you’ll have is keeping yourself from eating them all before Thursday morning. Hmm. On second thought, you’d better buy extras!

Red Sunchokes from Stoney Plains Organic Farm. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

These red sunchokes from Stoney Plains Organic Farm were introduced to the earliest European colonists by East Coast Indians. A member of the sunflower family, they are native to North America, and a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving, as we remember that those Indians welcomed and fed those colonists, in spite of what they ultimately represented. Sunchokes are great roasted,  you can make soup with them, you can mash them like potatoes, and one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is by steaming 1/4″ to 1/2″ chunks until just fork tender, then browning them in butter and seasoning them with salt and pepper, and perhaps a little thyme, like good home fries.

Pumpkin Pie from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You’ve got enough to do to prepare for the big feast this week. Why not leave the pie baking to Deborah’s Homemade Pies? She has these amazing pumpkin pies, as well as a great selection of apple, berry and even pecan pies, and let’s face it… most of us cannot bake a pie like Deborah can, so why not cut ourselves a break and have better pie this year?

Cranberry-tangerine, lemon-lavender, and apple pie fresh sodas from Soda Jerk Sodas. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Soda Jerk Sodas has new flavors for the season, like Cranberry-Tangerine (left) and Apple Pie (right). Why not pick up a growler or two for this week? And while you’re at it, if you loves you so fresh sodas from Soda Jerk Sodas, consider supporting their Kickstarter campaign today. It ends Monday (tomorrow), and they just have a little ways left to go to meet their goal, so click over now and contribute to the cause of their Mobile Soda Truck.

Andrew, Your Knife Sharpening Guy, sharpening knives at Wallingford Farmers Market this past summer. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And last, but most assuredly not least, now is a great time to get your knives sharpened, so that dull carving knife doesn’t bounce off of your turkey on Thursday, resulting in either humiliation or serious injury, or both! Remember, sharp knives save fingers. Well, Andrew, Your Knife Sharpening Guy, will be here all day, sharpening your dullest slicing equipment, so bring your knives down, drop them off before you start shopping, and pick them up when you’re done! Or, if you’re in a rush, leave them with Andrew, and pick them up from him in Green Lake during the week, or arrange for delivery.

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, October 6th: Local Tuna, Heirloom Pears, Celery Root, Award-Winning Wines, Smoked Salmon Bellies & Other Tastes Of Fall!

Conference pears from Booth Canyon Orchard. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s all sunshine and puppy dogs at your Ballard Farmers Market today, as we celebrate the first sunny and warm Sunday of fall. The leaves are falling from the trees lining Ballard Avenue, the mornings are crisp, and the fall crops are pouring into the Market. Everyone has broken out their finest fall layers — yes, we get to dress again! Let’s celebrate with the deliciousness of the season. Like these heirloom Conference pears from Booth Canyon Orchard! Booth Canyon grows amazing fruit, but they don’t have a lot this year, courtesy of late summer hail storms, so don’t dillydally!

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

It’s the first Sunday of the month, and that means is local albacore tuna day! Woohoo! Yup, our friends from Fishing Vessel St. Jude are back with their sashimi-grade tuna today. They catch adolescent albacore as it is swimming south to tropical waters after spending its formative years in the icy cold waters of the North Pacific. That means it is high in beneficial (and delicious) omega-fatty acids and low in heavy metals. They have it canned, smoked, frozen raw, jerkied and more! Stock up though, as it’ll be another month before we see them again.

Winter squash from Summer Run Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is winter squash season throughout your Ballard Farmers Market! These beautiful and tasty edible gourds are from Summer Run Farm in Carnation. They are long keepers, so you can stock up now, and enjoy them all fall and winter. Just protect those stems, and store them in a dark, cool, dry place. They are great roasted, souped, sautéed, and more, and you can eat the skins on most of them!

Brent Charnley, winemaker at Lopez Island Vineyards, hold the new release of his Wave Crest White table wine. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Brent Charnley makes some amazing wines at Lopez Island Vineyards. Indeed, many of them are award winners. From big reds made with Eastern Washington grapes, to unique whites made from German varieties of grapes grown organically on their farm that only grow in Puget Sound in this state, because they like cool, foggy nights, you are certain to find a bottle or two that is just right for you. But you don’t have to take my word for it, or even that of some snooty panel of wine judges. You can sample their wines today right here at your Ballard Farmers Market to find the one that best suits your tastes.

Celery root from Boistfort Valley Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It was just last week when someone walked up to me at your Ballard Farmers Market and asked, “hey, does anyone have celery root yet?” Well, guess what? Boistfort Valley Farm has a fresh crop of it, just waiting for all of your favorite fall recipes, from soups to mashes to roasts to stews. Yippee!

Siberian Red garlic from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Another fall cooking essential is garlic. (Okay, it’s a year-round essential, but I think a lot of us forgot how to cook over a hot summer full of salads, barbecues and dining out al fresco.) Our friends at Jarvis Family Garlic Farm, over in the Dungeness Valley of Clallam County on the North Olympic Peninsula, grow a wonderful variety of heirloom garlics perfect for every cooking application and every preference. Whether you want just a hint of garlic, or so much that you will be offending people with your breath two days from now, they’ve got you covered!

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

I know that many may think that gardening season has passed, but now is a great time of year to get certain perennial flowers in the ground in their bulbous and tuberous forms. Choice Bulb Farm has an extraordinary selection of different kinds of bulbs and such that would impress the most prolific Dutch flower breeders. Pop them in the ground now, and watch the magic happen next spring!

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

Samish Bay Cheese from Bow produces a lovely variety of fresh, farmstead, cows milk cheeses unlike anything you likely have tasted before. Several varieties have placed first, second or third at the American Cheese Society awards in recent years. Samish Bay is perhaps best known for its signature Ladysmith cheese, which has been described as a cross between Queso Fresco and Ricotta Salata. It won first place at the 2010 American Cheese Society awards competition for the category of unripened cow’s milk cheeses. Stop by for a tasting tour of their cheeses today, and grab some to take home with you!

Smoked king salmon bellies from Loki Fish. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Did you know that there are people who don’t want the bellies of their king salmon because they think it is “too fatty”?!? For my money, the belly is the best part of the fish! I mean, what’s the point of getting the best of something if you are just going to diminish it? That fat is full of beneficial omega-fatty acids in their natural state — the kind your doctor keeps begging you to add to your diet it. And it is absolutely delicious! But I guess our friends at Loki Fish get enough requests for fillets trimmed of their belly fat that they are able to offer these smoked king salmon bellies right here at your Ballard Farmers Market. See, they know their value. And if you love them, too, stop by today to pick up a package, because they likely won’t last very long.

Bagels from Grateful Bread Baking. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hmm. Ladysmith cheese. Check. Smoked salmon. Check. Bagels! Check! Grab yourself some wonderfully chewy bagels in a variety of flavors from Grateful Bread Baking today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Now, if we could just get someone to produce capers around here…

Fresh, local butter from Golden Glen Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

But if you like your bagels toasted with butter instead of fresh and chewy with a fresh cheese and some salmon, Golden Glen Creamery has you covered. Their farmstead butters come plain, with and without salt, as well as in enough different sweet and savory flavors that you will be able to toast the same plain bagel every morning for a week and never use the same flavor of buttery spread on it twice!

Brussels sprouts tops from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

For a short time each fall, before Brussels sprouts season hits, we are sometimes treated to Brussels sprouts tops by folks like Oxbow Farm. See, they trim the tops off of the stalks so that the stalks put their energy into producing those lovely, round sprouts we will all be swooning over in just a few short weeks. But the tops are tasty, too, and very quick and easy to prepare! Just this past week, I sautéed a bunch of them with some Oxbow shallots, and then I added a little white wine, to deglaze the pan of all the delicious caramelized flavor of the shallots, and to add a little sweetness. Finish off with a nice salt and some fresh ground pepper, and you’re done!

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.