BALLARD FARMERS MARKET: ALWAYS DIFFERENT

MELT – INNOVATION

The MeltMac

It features goat milk from Left Foot Farm, delicious goat and sheep milk cheeses, and locally farmed dried tomatoes and spinach.

Melt. Now offering goat milk based macaroni & cheese dishes, inspired by mediterranean recipes, for those who want to avoid lactose

The delicious sun-drenched flavors of the Mediterranean are the inspiration for this “no moo” MeltMac. Made with real Greek Kasseri, Mizithra, a ‘ewe’-phoric Gouda, Kalamata olives, dried tomatoes and spinach; one bite will transport you to the beaches of the Greek Islands. Kali Orexi!  If some of these ingredients are new to you, stop by to ask for a taste and explanation of all of those wonderful names.

HAMA HAMA SPOT PRAWNS

Wild-harvested, and fresh as a Gift from Mother Nature can be. Photo courtesy Hama Hama Oysters.

NOW THIS NEEDS LITTLE EXPLAINING

Better get these wild-caught prawns while they are here at Ballard Farmers Market.  We never know when or how long they’ll be available. A delicate and unique flavor treat, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious.

EASY RECIPE FOR SPOT PRAWNS DINNER: Start a 2-4 quart pan of heavily salted water to boil.

Wash and trim off tough ends of one bunch Asparagus,

Smash Garlic cloves (as many as you think you’ll like),

Coat a pretty large pan with a good dash of olive oil, add smashed garlic and gradually bring heat up to medium-high.

Wash prawns in fresh, cold water as the fry pan gets hot, pat-dry prawns.

When water is boiling fast, add Pasteria Lucchese’s Tagliatelli, (or any favorite pasta). Stir pasta as water starts to show bubbles again.

Add spears of asparagus or bok choy into the water as the pasta finishes.

This is when you need to watch all the cooking pots because it takes only a short time for everything to be cooked perfectly.

Add prawns into garlic saute pan, stir until they turn red, it will be just a few minutes.

Use tongs to remove veggies from pasta, drain pasta by pouring through a colander.  Plate pasta, pour spot prawns over pasta, including the garlic-oil, add asparagus.  Serve and get rave reviews.

NOTE:  When eating everybody should use their fingers and tongues. Lick the prawns for a great flavor burst, then peel the prawns, bite, eat pasta, eat vegetables, enjoy.

ANNOUNCING BIKE RACKS

Cascade Bicycle Club has worked to develop a bike rack valet parking program for the community of Ballard Farmers Market.  It will be premiered this Sunday.  Come by the market and check it out.

Cascade Bicycle Club Valet Bike Rack in Gasworks Park

We are so excited to be able to offer a safe place at the market for all our biking friends to stash their bikes while they shop at the market. Thanks go to Cascade Bicycle Club for thinking of Ballard Farmers Market as the place for this and for their generous donation of time and efforts to make it happen.  And we want to give a shout out to Second Ascent for providing the storage of the bike rack during the week. The support from this neighborhood is so awesome.

Sunday, January 4th: Honor Your Eat Healthy Resolution At Your Ballard Farmers Market!

Organic Carrots from Kirsop Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, who here resolved to eat healthier in 2015? Come on. Get those hands up high in the air. Wait, keep them up. I’m still counting! Wow, that’s a lot. And I am assuming the rest of you, if you are reading this post, already think you eat healthy enough, or you don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions. Whatever the case, your Ballard Farmers Market is here to serve you! We’ve got plenty of fresh, locally-grown, and offered to you direct from the farm, nutritious produce, even this time of year. Like these gorgeous carrots from Kirsop Farm, our newest year-round farm at your Ballard Farmers Market.

Braising mix from Colinwood Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Starting off the new year with some roughage will make your body happy, and will please your palate in the process. Stop by Colinwood Farm for some of their lovely braising mix for said purpose!

Rutabagas from Nash’s Organic Produce at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Nash’s Organic Produce is rocking the rutabagas right now. One of my favorite roots, I love them simply steamed and mashed with good Irish butter. But Patty sent along another great way to enjoy them, and here’s the recipe:

Golden Rutabaga Sunset

Yield: 5 to 6 servings

• 1 large rutabaga, coarsely shredded
• 1 medium yam, about coarsely shredded
• 1 medium onion, sliced vertically into half moons
• 1 large leaf kale, rib discarded, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Pinch cayenne, salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped green onions for garnish
• 1 sprig fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil) for garnish

Combine the rutabaga, yam, onion, and kale in a large, deep skillet. Add the water and cook, stirring over high heat for 4 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add 1 or more tablespoons of water as needed to cook the vegetables and prevent burning. Add the raisins and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the green onions and herbs. Recipe adapted from http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch4.html.

Whole pastured chicken from Growing Things Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Perhaps a nice, local pasture-raised chicken from Growing Things Farm will warm your soul and be a nice change of pace from heavier holiday foods. And hey… you could make some chicken soup with it, which is always a good boost to the old immune system, especially when you add…

Shiitake mushrooms from Sno-Valley Mushrooms at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Shiitake mushrooms from Sno-Valley Mushrooms. Considered both a culinary and a medicinal mushroom, these babies with cure what ails you while adding a big boost of flavor to any dish!

Siberian garlic from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And there is no such thing as too much garlic! This Siberian garlic from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm will ward off colds and vampires (and perhaps a few unworthy friends who don’t appreciate your garlic breath), and it packs some powerfully delicious flavor, too!

Local albacore tuna loins from Fishing Vessel St. Jude at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons..

Fishing Vessel St. Jude makes it’s monthly visit to your Ballard Farmers Market today. Come get some of their most excellent local albacore tuna, full of beneficial omega-fatty acids, which your doctor (or your PBS guru) will tell you is very, very good for you!

Sunchokes from Alm Hill Gardens (Growing Washington) at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Sunchokes are sometimes called Jerusalem artichokes, but sunchokes have no relation to artichokes whatsoever. They are, in fact, a tuberous vegetable produced by a member of the sunflower family, and they are native to North America. Sunchokes, like this from Alm Hill Gardens (Growing Washington) are loaded with nutrients, and while they can be prepared any way a potato is, they actually have the opposite effect on your blood sugar, which makes them great for diabetics!

Golden Russet apples from Booth Canyon Orchard at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And, of course, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? So stock up on apples from Booth Canyon Orchard, like these super yummy, if not super attractive, Golden Russet apples.

Freshly shucked oysters on the half shell from Hama Hama Oysters at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Lauren McCool.

Finally, as we welcome back Hama Hama Oysters from their holiday hiatus, let us not forget that oysters are loaded with zinc, which can help you ward off those winter colds. And rumor has it that oysters are good for other healthy things, too, but this is a family show.

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, December 21st: Happy Solstice! (And Chanukah, Christmas, Festivus, Kwanzaa, Yule, Zappadan & Any Other Holidays I Missed!)

Holiday wreath from Alm Hill Gardens at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

I’ve got the Andy Williams Christmas Album playing on the iTunes, and that can only mean it is time for our annual Winter Solstice, Chanukah, Festivus, Zappadan, Kwanzaa, Yule, and, of course, Christmas Ballard Farmers Market Blog Holiday Extravaganza! So deck the halls with one of these giant, natural wreaths from Alm Hill Gardens, and sing along with Andy, cuz it’s time to get our holidaze on, good people of Ballard!

Chef Jason Stoneburner of Bastille and Stoneburner during his 2013 Eat Local For The Holidays cooking demonstration at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“So hoopdeedoo, and dickory dock, and don’t forget to hang up your suck, cuz just exactly at 12-o’clock, he’ll be coming down the chimney, down!” And to get you further in the holiday spirit, our buddy, Chef Jason Stoneburner from Stoneburner and Bastille will perform an Eat Local For The Holidays cooking demonstration today at noon!

Hams for the holidays from Olsen Farms at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year (ding, dong, ding, dong).” And yule need a nice roast beast for your holiday table to help ring in the season. Perhaps one of these lovely, freshly smoked holiday hams from Olsen Farms will hit the spot. Or maybe a nice leg of lamb, or a beef rib roast, will do the job.

Sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And if you set some of these gorgeous Beauregard sweet potatoes from Lyall Farms on your holiday table, you will hit a high note with your guests that could very well send the kind of chills up and down their spines that we all get when Andy Williams hits those high notes when he sings, O Holy Night.

Cipollini onions from Colinwood Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“It’s Christmas time pretty baby, and the snow is falling down…” Sing it, Elvis! And what could be sweeter than listening to An Elvis Christmas while enjoying some caramelized cipollini onions from Colinwood Farm atop some of their delicata or blue hubbard winter squash, eh?

Kale from Kirsop Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“Uh-hubba-hubba, uh, here comes Santa Claus…” I think only Bruce Springsteen’s version of this song even comes close to Elvis’s. It’s that Delta Blues influence that makes it so much fun! And Santa will be quite please with you for setting out a nice plate of sautéed kale from Kirsop Farm with a nice glass of boozy eggnog. After all, we’re one of his last stops here in the Pacific Time Zone, and that means he’ll be all bound up on cookies and milk, and he’ll be ready for some fiber and a cocktail!

Pink Lady apples from Collins Family Orchards at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“And when those blue snowflakes start falling…” I think Elvis was missing his Pink Lady when he sang those words… his Pink Lady apples, that is, from Collins Family Orchards. And who wouldn’t? They’re at their peak right now, crisp and sweet. They are like candy, without the big bill from the dentist!

Organic cranberries from Starvation Alley Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Giles Clement.

“Don’t fill my sock with candy… no bright and shiny toys…” Santa, bring Elvis’s baby back to him already. And throw in some of these wonderful organic cranberries from Starvation Alley Farm, too, please!

Stöllen from Snohomish Bakery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“It doesn’t show signs of stopping, and I brought me some corn for popping…” Just something about the swagger with which Dean Martin signs these word. And let it snow right here on the blog for your Ballard Farmers Market! Oh, and to really crank up the spirit, grab a loaf of stöllen from Snohomish Bakery. This traditional German holiday loaf is as much fun to pronounce as it is to eat, and it comes with its own little coating of snow, in the form of lots of powdered sugar!

Drinking chocolate from Soulever Chocolates at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“But baby, it’s cold outside…” Dean had better break out some of this drinking chocolate from Soulever Chocolates, and the discussion would be over in a heartbeat.

Raw pet foods from Porter’s Pride at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“The snow is snowing, and the wind is blowing, but I can weather the storm. What do I care how it may storm? I’ve got my love to keep me warm.” I think Dean was talking about his dog and his cat in this song. Heck, they come with their own fur coats, after all. So why not treat your best friends with some locally-made with local ingredients raw pet food from Porter’s Pride?

Salish sea salt and madrona smoked sea salt from San Juan Island Sea Salt Company at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

“It’s the Little Saint Nick (oohoohoohooh)… Run, run, reindeer… (he don’t miss no one)…” Yes, the Beach Boys had it right. And you’ll have it right with this delicious stocking stuffer. These little sample bottles of sea salt and madrona-smoked sea salt from San Juan Island Sea Salt Company are just you need for those little extra gifts. Oh, and you can cook with it, too!

Rutabagas from Boistfort Valley Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, like Santa, I’ve got a lot of ground to cover here, so I will spare you additional quotes from my Joan Stafford, Liberace and two Chimpmunks Christmas albums. (Although Liberace’s Twas The Night Before Christmas is an absolute classic!) For me, it just ain’t the holidays without steaming up some rutabagas from Boistfort Valley Farm and mashing them with some really good better. Yeah, baby!

Wild black trumpet mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

This has been an epic fall for wild mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles. Treat yourself to some of these awesome black trumpet mushrooms, or maybe some yellowfoot chanterelles or hedgehog mushrooms during the holidays!

Polish hardness garlic from Jarvis Family Garlic Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Not only is there no such thing as too much garlic, but you’ll need it for all sorts of holiday dishes. Plus, garlic makes a great stocking stuffer, too. Seriously! Garlic is known as the stinking rose, and who doesn’t like roses? Am I right, people? Think of the gourmand on your list for whom you need that little surprise gift. Then visit Jarvis Family Garlic Farm today at your Ballard Farmers Market, and let them introduce you to their wonderful selection of heirloom garlic varieties that will please you, and the recipient of your garlicky gift.

Bartlett pears from Martin Family Orchards at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Whether you are poaching them, baking them, saucing them, adding them to salads, or just eating them right off the core, you can’t go wrong at the holidays with a bunch of these great Bartlett pears from Martin Family Orchards.

Chanukah pecan pie from Deborah’s Homemade Pies at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Lest anyone think this post is too Christmas heavy (and really, it’s just Christmas music heavy!), check out these special Chanukah-themed pies from Deborah’s Homemade Pies. She’s got them in peach, pecan and several other flavors, as well as some with snowmen on them, and others with reindeer! Save yourself some work in the kitchen this week, and bring home the best pies in town!

Spirited Apple Wine from Finnriver Farm & Cidery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

You’ll really get in the holiday spirit with some of this Spirited Apple Wine from Finnriver Farm & Cidery. This is their cider taken in a wine cordial direction, then they add a bit of extra bunch that’ll make you smile. Just don’t plan on driving for a while. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the day!

Beautiful, unique necklaces from Gypsy Beaded Creations at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Let’s take one more crack at that holiday gift list of yours. Remember, you will find truly unique gift items, direct from the local artists who created them, right here at your Ballard Farmers Market. Like these stunning necklaces from Gypsy Beaded Creations. Heck, you can actually watch Corrine make some of her pieces right in front of you at the Market! So give a gift with a real person behind it.

Beautiful, hand-turned wooden tableware from Vern Tator at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And Vern Tator, Woodturner, joins us today for his only pre-holiday visit of the 2014 season. Vern makes these magnificent works of functional art using wood from his own property. He turns, sands and polishes them by hand. And you get to give someone very special a spectacular set of wooden salt and pepper mills, a fantastic wooden salad bowl, a gorgeous wooden rolling pin, heirloom-quality wooden pens, and more!

Shucked oysters from Hama Hama Oysters at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Finally, we look a week ahead to New Year’s Eve. While your Ballard Farmers Market will be open next Sunday, December 28th, for you to stock up to celebrate the coming of a near year, Hama Hama Oysters will be absent. Why not stock up on shucked oysters today? They’ll have a freshness date that will carry through the changing of the calendar, and you’ll be all set for the big party!

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, December 7th: Ballard-Made Cookware, Seattle’s Oldest Winery, Beautifully Bound Journals, The Best Canned Tuna Ever & Crepes!

Forged iron cookware from BluSkillet at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

What do local food, local art and your Ballard Farmers Market all have in common with this photo? Only the best gift ever for the cook in your life! These hand-forged iron skillets made by Blu Skillet Ironware are beautiful, cook foods perfectly, can go from stovetop to oven to grill to campfire, and are made right here in Ballard! And while they will go toe-to-toe with the finest cookware available anywhere, and they are so special that they were recently featured in the Wall Street Journal, they are made for you, the good people of Ballard, because that’s just how they roll. I’ve used one of these every day for over a year, and I love it. And so will you and yours!

Refillable bottles (left) from Wilridge Winery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

How do you keep the good times rolling this holiday season while minding your impact on the environment, saving money, and supporting the oldest winery in Seattle? Why, with these refillable 1.5 liter bottles of wine from Wilridge Winery, that’s how! Available in three different varietals, these are good, sturdy table wines that will keep you and your guests happy, and you can get them right here today at your Ballard Farmers Market!

Canned local albacore tuna in a variety of flavors from Fishing Vessel St. Jude at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

As colorful as any holiday lights, these cans of albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude are quite simply the best canned tuna you will ever taste. They come in many different flavors, but more importantly, they contain the young, North Pacific albacore caught by St. Jude — low in heavy metals and high is beneficial omega-fatty acids. Don’t pour off the liquid in the can, like you do with that corporate canned tuna from the Big Box stores. St. Jude doesn’t add any water. That liquid is the natural juices of the tuna itself, or in other words, it’s pure flavor. Oh, and canned tuna from St. Jude makes for great stocking stuffers!

A savory breakfast crepe from La Crespella at Ballard Farmers Market. Photo courtesy La Crespella.

Our buddies Samuele & Sara Lucchese, the culinary geniuses behind Pasteria Lucchese, are branching out! Starting today, they will be offering fresh sweet and savory crepes at your Ballard Farmers Market. Look for La Crespella for fresh, delicious, creative crepes made with Market-fresh ingredients!

Handmade leather bound journals from No Boundaries at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

These beautiful, handmade, leather-bound journals from No Boundaries Books are each unique. They are made in Seattle, feature hand-stitched domestic leathers and 100 sheets of recycled cotton paper sourced from India. The leathers, their colors, and the paper itself varies from book to book, so no two are the same. Some come with gorgeous stone clasps, and they are available in a variety of sizes. They will allow you and yours to preserve memories in a wonderfully memorable package!

Ozette potatoes from Alvarez Organic Farms at your Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

This could be the last week for our friends from Alvarez Organic Farms at your Ballard Farmers Market until the asparagus starts popping out of the ground next spring. So load up on onions, garlic, dried peppers and beans, pepper wreaths and these Ozette potatoes today, while you can. And remember, garlic, onions and potatoes make great stocking stuffers, too!

Seasonal gluten-free deliciousness from nuflours at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

‘Tis the season for gluten-free holiday treats from nuflours gluten-free bakery. Flavors from peppermint to cranberries, to delightful cookies and festive cakes and brownies, nuflours will make your holidays that much more bright, especially if your diet requires you to avoid wheat products.

Reishi mushroom concentrate from Ascended Grounds at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Ascended Grounds makes a lovely variety of concoctions out of medicinal mushrooms, from teas to coffee infusions to chocolates, and more. They will boost your immune system during the cold, dark, wet months. And what better gift can you give than the gift of good health?

One-ounce recycled gold coin from Itali Lambertini at Ballard Farmers Market. Photo courtesy Itali Lambertini.

Itali Lambertini makes stunning gold jewelry in Port Townsend using recycled gold. That means no war, no corrupt mining rights and no sooner-or-later environmental catastrophe is necessary. But maybe you are just looking for a gift for a youngster that they can hold onto as an investment or an heirloom. Consider one of these one-ounce recycled gold coins. They are individually minted by Itali Lambertini, and they are pure gold without any government bank involved. Save the salmon in Bristol Bay. Save your drinking water. Save a mountain in North Central Washington. And invest in the future of our youth, both in coin form and by treading lightly on the planet they will also inherit from us.

Growlers and growler coolers from Soda Jerk Fresh Soda at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget to make provisions for the designated drivers and the kiddos attending your holiday parties. Pick up a couple of growlers of fresh sodas from Soda Jerk Soda right here at your Ballard Farmers Market! And right now, when you purchase a growler, they will throw in an insulated shoulder bag for a special price! These bags allow you to carry your growler in comfort, keeping your hands free for additional shopping and to carry other bags. And don’t forget their soda syrups! Both the syrups and the sodas make for great mixers!

Carolina models a beautiful garlic braid from Kirsop Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Beautiful and delicious. Well, I was talking about the garlic braids, but I guess that statement covers Kirsop Farm’s Carolina, too! But back to the braids… they make for a nice, natural decoration for your home from which you will be able to harvest heads of garlic for months to come. And, as if it really needs saying… they make a great gift!

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.