2nd Addition: March is National Soup Month: Now Use Fish for a Healthy and Sumptuous Basis for Great Chowders

When he’s not clowning around at Wilson Fish, Tim Davidson is an international disaster relief volunteer for the Red Cross. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

SO WHY NOT TRY A CHOWDER FOR SUNDAY DINNER?

Any variety of smoked salmon you chose will make a fine main ingredient in a chowder that will become one of your favorites with this recipe from bbcgoodfood.com.  We recommend it for the simple ingredients and fabulous flavor. You can click this link to see what you think. It may inspire you to try it.  You might even want to send us a photo or video of you cooking, or eating the soup, or clowning around.  We think it would be fun to see how you do and what you think.

Now, let’s talk Potatoes and Leeks.  Absolutely required, they can be found in abundance from most of our farmers.

First, Leeks:  Try Mee Garden, The Old Farmer, Colinwood Farm, Nash’s Organic Farm, Pa Garden, Ia’s Gardne, Growing Washington, Growing Things, and Stoney Plains.

Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

These shining and delicate flavored vegetables provide just the right touch.  But they always need to be washed thoroughly-they have a reputation for surprising people with globs of mud stuck between their layers of the top 2/3rds of the stalk.

HELPFUL TIP FOR CLEANING LEEKS:  Cut stalks into 2-3 inch pieces and remove the root end; place in a large bowl with cold water; and stir vigorously enough to see the beginnings of separation of the layers.  Allow to sit in the water long enough to begin to see the dirt come free from the layers, and give a good final rinse until you get the pieces clean.  Plan on using the bottom white portion up to the paler green pieces in your soup.  The greenest top parts can be placed in a bag & frozen to add terrific flavor to a clear vegetable broth made later, or you can compost them.

Now, the beloved Potato:  They too are available from your favorite farmer with little exception.  Pick the colors and textures you want.

Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Kirsop Potatoes are still looking good. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

The great news is Potatoes are so good for you.  Even without the skin, 1 medium potato will provide 70% of the Vitamin C you need in a day, 25% of the Potassium, 9% Iron and 8% Protein.  Add to that such nutrients as 30% of your daily need for Vitamin B-6, 18% of dietary fiber and 12% of Magnesium.  And I could go on, but out of courtesy to you, I’ll stop here.

Finally, this recipe calls for heavy cream (BBC calls it double cream), but if you substitute yogurt from Samish Bay Cheese, or sheep yogurt from Glendale Shepherd, you won’t regret it.

Sheep’s milk yogurt from Glendale Shepherd. Photo courtesy Glendale Shepherd.



Jersey cow yogurt from Samish Bay Cheese. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

We’d love to see your innovations and how you do.  We are always interested in your experience.

Until then Bon Appetite!

Wednesday, March 11th: Oysters, Holiday Hams and Spring Flowers! Yeah, Spring is Coming!!!

Oysters on the half-shell, on the beach at Hama Hama Oyster Company. Photo courtesy Hama Hama Oyster Company.

Did you miss oysters at your Ballard Farmers Market this past Sunday? Welcome back Hama Hama Oyster Company after their little hiatus last week.  This family business has been farming oysters since 1922, and they provide some of the finest, sweetest oysters you will find anywhere. Plus, they pickle them and they smoke them. Yes, today is a happy day indeed. Oysters are back, baby!

 

A holiday ham from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s time to order that ham for Easter Sunday. Can you believe that Easter will be here in only three weeks? Time does fly!  Stop by Skagit River Ranch, Olsen Farms, Sea Breeze Farm or Samish Bay Cheese to place your order.  They’ve got them on sale right now, and getting an order in to your favorite grower is the best way to assure you have one ready to go when April 4th comes around.  You know these are some of the best hams you can find anywhere, so don’t miss your chance.

KaYing, The Old Farmer, arranging one of her beautiful bouquets of flowers. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Now, it may be early but it sure looks like spring!  Alm Hill Garden tulips and all of our favorite Hmong farmers with their variety of spectacular flowers have returned to Ballard Farmers Market. Welcome them all back and pick out one of their fabulous bouquets to brighten your day, or the day of someone special.

There is much more waiting for you at your Ballard Farmers Market.   Plan on visiting the goodness this coming Sunday.

Super Bowl Sunday, February 1st: We’re Open! Go Hawks!

The 12th Sheep from Glendale Shepherd at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Few things have ever closed your Ballard Farmers Market. Well, only two things, actually: Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. So open we will be this most epic of Super Bowl Sundays. That means you can visit your favorite vendors today to pick up your weekly groceries and a few last minute goodies for your Big Game party before kickoff at 3:30 p.m. For instance, the 12th Sheep from Glendale Shepherd brings with it the first sheep’s milk yogurt of 2015. Woohoo! (And can I get a “Go Hawks!” whilst sounding like a sheep, good people of Ballard? Let it out, loud and proud!)

#12 Super Bowl Cheese Plate from Samish Bay Cheese. Photo courtesy Samish Bay Cheese.

Samish Bay Cheese is offering a special Super Bowl Cheese Plate for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market: #12 Fresh Cheese Plate, $12: (Choose two of the cheeses listed below), or Double Your Pleasure 
Family Size Fresh Cheese Plate, $24
(Larger portions than the #12 plate: 
Choose three of the following, while supplies last): Ladysmith, Aged Ladysmith, Chive Ladysmith, Arugula Ladysmith, Queso Jalapeño, Queso Diablo, or Queso Seco.

Whole smoked side of King salmon from Wilson Fish at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some of the biggest 12s amongst our Seahawks crazy vendors are the folks from Wilson Fish. There is no place they’d rather be on Sunday than watching the Hawks play… well, except right here at your Ballard Farmers Market, where they hook you up with fish while listening to the game on the radio. Why not honor their commitment and sacrifice by serving your Big Game party guests one of their sides of smoked King salmon!

Eaglemount Red Wine defies gravityat Ballard Farmers Market! Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some local wine and cider from Eaglemount Wine & Cider will certainly endear you to your hosts when you show up to their house to watch Seattle pummel New England today.

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

How’s about some yummy sweet potato chips from Lyall Farms? What a delicious, healthy and local way to par-tay today, wouldn’t you say?

Baba ghanoush from Uncle Eyal’s. Photo courtesy Uncle Eyal’s.

Uncle Eyal’s has stocked up on all of their great dips and sauces today at your Ballard Farmers Market. So grab some mint sauce, some hummus or some baba ghanoush for an awesome game day spread!

Olive fougasse from Tall Grass Bakeryat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some of this olive fougasse or fougasse loaf from Ballard’s own Tall Grass Bakery will go quite nicely with any of those spreads, though I could eat one on my own all by itself! (So you’d better get three.)

Spicy fermented pickles from Britt’s Pickles. Photo courtesy Britt’s.

Some naturally-barrel fermented pickles from Britt’s Pickles are also great additions to your party spread. And you can’t rock sausage much harder than with their various krauts.

Fresh sausages from Sea Breeze Farmat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And if you need those sausages still, Sea Breeze Farm will have a healthy supply of their farm-fresh links today in a wonderful variety of flavors.

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

For the kids, an alternative to booze and a mixer for cocktails, grab a growler or three of fresh soda from Soda Jerk Soda.

The 12th Brownie from Nuflours Gluten-Free Bakeryat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for gluten-free goodies? Stop by Nuflours Gluten-free Bakery for these gluten-free 12th brownies!

Blooming succulents from Phocas Farmsat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And last, but by no means least, we welcome back Phocas Farms to your Ballard Farmers Market for 2015. Jimmy returns with a great variety of succulents at a perfect time of year to get them in the ground, so they will thrive all summer. And if we’re lucky, he may also have a few packets of local saffron, too!

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.

Midweek Update for Thursday, January 29th: Seahawks Eat St. Jude Tuna, Too!

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

Did you know that, not only do our beloved Seahawks eat eggs from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm, but they also eat albacore tuna from Fishing Vessel St. Jude, and they are even making a special dish for the Hawks using both ingredients! “We have been selling [tuna] to the Seattle Seahawks this past year,” said Joyce Malley, who owns F/V St Jude with her husband, Joe. “They make a deviled egg (3 halves) with our tuna that contain 19 grams of protein,” which is a perfect protein portion for any Super Bowl champ!

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

This recipe is our Market Master’s version of the Tuna Salad with a Kick developed by F/V St. Jude’s owner.  The ingredients below are those used by the Seahawks’ team chef. Super Bowl Party Devil’d Eggs with Albacore Serves 4-6 Hard boil eggs by placing eggs in pan of cold water. Place the pan on high heat and boil for 3 minutes. Turn heat off, and leave eggs sitting in hot water for 5-8 minutes, depending on size of eggs used (the larger the eggs, the longer the time). Then immediately rinse with cold water to stop cooking, and place in refrigerator until ready to peel and use.

• 4 eggs (2 per person) from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm
• 1 – 6 oz can albacore tuna of Fishing Vessel St. Jude
• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Terrapin Ridge Wasabi Lime Mustard (or substitute your favorite mustard)
• 1/4 cup Coarsely chopped water chestnuts
• 1 Tbsp. cracked Black Pepper (or to taste)

Flake albacore into a medium to large bowl. Mix in mayo, water chestnuts, mustard and pepper. until ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Serve with rice crackers, or roll in rice paper to form spring rolls and slice into serving sizes.

What the tuna infused deviled eggs look like on our undercover camera at the Seahawk’s VMAC training facility in Renton. Photo courtesy Fishing Vessel St. Jude.

Stop by your Ballard Farmers Market this Sunday before the big game and pick up tuna and eggs to make this dish. Heck, you can even get mustard seeds from Nash’s Organic Produce and make your own mustard for this dish in time for the Big Game. Go Hawks!