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, January 10th: Tulips, Wool Yarn, Pizza, Wild Mushrooms, Fresh Lamb & Sunchokes. January is Still a Month of Plenty!

Alm Hill is already harvesting fresh tulips for your table. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you, and this is not a file photo. This past Sunday, Alm Hill Gardens brought their first fresh-cut tulips of the new season to your Ballard Farmers Market. They “force” them in their greenhouses, so we can enjoy them in the darkest, coldest time of year. Thank you, Alm Hill Gardens, for providing us a ray of hope that spring is just around the corner.

Arwen Morgan returns to Ballard Farmers Market after far too long an absence. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Just as refreshing this past week was the return of fiddle player, Arwen Morgan, a member of the very musical Morgan family which performs as a group under the name The Cutters, though many of them play individually at Ballard Farmers Market. But Arwen’s return, after an absence of almost a year, is particularly uplifting. You see, she suffered a terrible accident early in 2009 in which she broke her back, and until a month ago, it still hurt her too much to stand out and play for us. But play for us again she is now doing, so if you see her, welcome her back, and toss something in her fiddle case to make sure she covers the spread on medical bills, and maybe someday, our artists and farmers won’t have to worry about getting hurt, because we’ll all be covered by insurance, kinda like they do in Sweden and Brazil.

'Zaw Artisan Pizza In The Raw's Brussels Sprouts & Bacon pizza. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Have you stopped by to welcome our newest Ballard Farmers Market vendor, ‘Zaw Artisan Pizza In The Raw? These guys are making pizzas fresh at the Market, using Market ingredients and organic dough and sauce, for you to take home and bake. Take their Brussels Sprouts & Bacon pizza (above), for instance. The sprouts are from Nash’s, and the bacon is from Skagit River Ranch. And hey, we all knew that bacon makes Brussels sprouts taste good to anyone. So why not take it a step further and make a pizza out of it, right?

Beautiful wool yarns from Brookfield Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Not all the farm products you’ll find at Ballard Farmers Market are edible, but they are farm products nevertheless, so if you’re gonna buy them somewhere, won’t you feel better buying them directly from the farmer? Take these beautiful hand-dyed and spun wool yarns from Brookfield Farm, from up in Whatcom County. All of this wool comes from their own sheep. Plus, they produce wooden furniture from their own trees. If you’re gonna sit down and knit a sweater, might as well do it on one of their chairs with some of their yarn, eh?

Wild black trumpet mushrooms from Foraged & Found Edibles. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Our local forests and mountains are still producing tasty fungi, and the good folks from Foraged & Found Edibles bring them to us every week at Ballard Farmers Market. Wild black trumpet mushrooms (above) are in season right now, and they often have other varieties we don’t report on here, as they are too unpredictable or in too small quantities. They may even still have some Washington truffles today. But check with them early, as anything unusual will sell out quickly.

Gorgeous Asian pears from Martin Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The Market is still loaded with fruit, from apples to pluots to these gorgeous Asian pears from Martin Family Orchards. You’ll find great fruit from ACMA, Collins, Jerzey Boyz, Lyall, Rockridge and Tiny’s this week as well.

Ravioli and plin from Pasteria Lucchese. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Pasteria Lucchese makes some wonderful fresh pastas by hand. They have a perfect elasticity and bite to them, besides being just plain delicious, and their ravioli and plin are simply inspired. They use many Market ingredients for their fillings, too. So treat yourself to some tonight, and let Sam give you tips on how to dress them.

Fresh cuts of lamb from Sea Breeze Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sea Breeze Farm treated us to fresh lamb again this past week. Of course, their refer-case display varies from week to week, depending of what they have slaughtered and butchered on the farm that week, but you can always count on whatever they have in their case to be fresh and magnificent. So if it’s full of lamb, get lamb. If it’s full of pork, get pork. It’s all good.

Red sunchokes from Full Circle Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is that time of year to celebrate sunchokes, that most North American of tubers that kept many a Native American and colonist alive through the harsh winter months way back in the day. Sunchokes, a.k.a, Jerusalem artichokes, like these from Full Circle Farm (above) can be used much like potatoes (which are South American). I like them in root roasts and soups. Try puréeing them with parsnips, or you can steam cubes of them until just fork tender — about ten minutes — then brown them in butter and fresh thyme like home fries.

And remember, your Ballard Farmers Market is chock full of all sorts of goodness for your kitchen. 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.