Farmers Markets

[little ms foodie]

Here's what we saw (didn't get to stay the whole time either). Chef Jimenez made a broth of red peppers. Also he braised some beef bones for a bit. He shucked some fresh oysters and sat one each on a bed of fresh zuccini ribbons. Then in small cups he placed a few fresh herbs (didn't catch which ones) and a pinch of salt in the bottom. He ladled in some of the pepper broth (I'm assuming it was a full vegtable broth but could only see the peppers in the pot). Then he dug the marrow out of the braised bones and dolloped it into the broth. The cups were served on a plate with the oyster. Gorgeous.

Chef Sundstrom was on a no cook kick. He made a gorgeous salad- his take on a nicoise, a fruit salad and a carpaccio of something but again I missed the main ingrediant. He talked a lot about presentation.

It was funny as we didn't know this was going on. I was buying my favorite tuna and all of a sudden there are these chefs at the booth. I said to my husband "he looks familiar" and he says "LARK!" we got very excited and followed them to the stage. Very cool but we couldn't stay long

Sorry I can't tell you more!

[LaurieA-B]

Thanks for that report. And it sounds like you recommend the tuna sold at the farmers market; I'll have to try it.

[skyflyer3]

I have add a hearty recommendation for St. Jude's Tuna, usually sold at Columbia City, Renton, Ballard, Bellevue and Redmond Farmer's Markets (I think they go to Edmonds as well). I've been buying his sashimi-grade tune fillets for over three years now, and we prepare them as sushi every week. His steaks are great for throwing on the grill, the canned tuna is fabulous in salads (mediterranean is my fave) , and my 10-year old loves the tuna jerky. Joe Malley, the ship's captain, is usually the one who's at the markets himself, and he'll tell you anything you want to know about fish. He was featured in the PI last week, and has done extensive testing on his catches for mercury, all of which have come out super low. His fish is featured at several restaurants and sushi bars, and lots of local chefs (Douglas, Atkinson to name a few) have used his stuff for private events. If you haven't tried his stuff, go for the fillets (but leave some for me, they sell out fast!).

[ScorchedPalate]

None in Capitol Hill? I seem to remember at the end of last season that there were plans to open one there, and I've been appropriately excited about it all year. Can it be that I've been living a lie?

←

Good news for 2005 from this week's edition of the Fresh Sheet (courtesy of the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets site):

Market organizers here at the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance are very excited to announce our newest Farmers Market scheduled for opening in Spring of 2005 in the Broadway/Capitol Hill neighborhood.  The Broadway Bank of America has generously agreed to provide their bank parking lot for the Market’s new home.  The Market will take place every Sunday from 11am- 3 pm and will continue through Halloween.

Edited September 9, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[kieran]

Good news for 2005 from this week's edition of the Fresh Sheet (courtesy of the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets site):

←

Awesome! You have made my day. I'm seriously pumped.

[laurel]

Good news for 2005 from this week's edition of the Fresh Sheet (courtesy of the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets site):

←

Not only that, but supposedly there is a separate effort from the Ballard/Fremont market people:

Capital Hill's New Farmers Market opens

Tuesday September 21

The new Thursday evening market begins at peak harvest and may run

year round. Organizers have experienced huge positive changes in

neighborhoods where their markets have blossomed.

Finally, Capital Hill will get to share the abundance that just about

every other neighborhood has enjoyed as the Farmers Market movement

has swept through Seattle and the rest of the country in the past 15

years. In every case, these Outdoor Markets have had a transformative

effect on the neighborhoods where they've sprouted, stimulating

community interaction as well as increased customer traffic, and

local business vitalization as a whole.

WHERE & WHEN

The Capitol Hill Farmers Market will be located on the highly visible

Key Park lot at 1620 Broadway at the lot across from Seattle Central

Community College. The lot will be split between the vendor area and

30 parking spaces for drive-in customers.

The Fall Market will start at 4 and finish at 7:30pm during the fall.

WHO

Veteran organizer and community activist Jon Hegeman and Market

master Judy Kirkhuff bring 15 years of experience having founded and

run two successful community-building markets in Seattle: Fremont's

Sunday and Ballard Farmers Market.

WHAT

Initially the market, a non-profit organization, will support just

fresh farm produce, which now includes natural meats, poultry, eggs,

Washington state wines, fresh fish, shellfish, cheeses, honeys and

bakery goods as well as all the traditional garden vegetables and

fruits. Next spring it remains to be seen whether the market will

open to a few select original crafts people as well, or a "European-

Style market" as the organizers call it.

BACKGROUNDER

The organizers bring a wealth of experience to the table to make this

project a success. Kirkhuff brings plenty of natural savvy and

professionalism as an urban farmer in her own right with her

own "farmlet" in Ballard. Kirkhuff "speaks the language" and

understands the growers needs from personal experience. She has run

the Fremont and Ballard farmers markets now for 7 years.  Hegeman

founded of the Fremont Sunday Market in 1990, which was the first of

Seattle's neighborhood farmers markets.

It is now a thriving block-long festive weekly celebration of

antiques, collectibles, world imports, artisans, food, flowers and

produce: a little of everything. But four seasons ago, together with

Kirkhuff, the main contingent of farmers was shifted to Ballard

Avenue in search of more space and its own identity as a farmers

market.

There, the sister Ballard Farmers Market has grown and flourished

into a year-round farmers market that brings up to 5000 shoppers each

Sunday during peak season making

Sundays consistently the biggest day of the week for Ballard Avenue

merchants.

What has evolved in both Fremont and Ballard is a European-style

market place which reflects a more inclusive vendor philosophy—such

as allowing local artisans and original crafts along side produce.

Such diversity makes the event more colorful and interesting.

Organizers maintain that inclusively makes the experience more about

the celebration of community than events which are strictly a table

and lifestyle gathering.

SPECIAL

Whether the Capital Hill market blossoms into a more diverse European-

style farmers market in the same way as Ballard has will depend on

space that becomes available and what the community wants to have.

Year-round operation is a possibility too; some of the growers

maintain hothouse gardens that have kept fresh greens on tables all

winter long. So all options are open.

PUBLIC INFO & CONTACT

Online: CapitalHillFarmersMarket.com

Jon@CapitalHillFarmersMarket.com

Judy@CapitalHillFarmersMarket.com

The website doesn't work though...

[laurel]

The email this week includes this line:

LIVE MUSCOVY DUCKS: Drakes and hens at Columbia City.

I hope there will be an option to take them home in a non-live format...

[MsRamsey]

I hope it happens, and I hope they find someone else to write their press releases.

[laurel]

I hope it happens, and I hope they find someone else to write their press releases.

←

Like someone who knows that is Capitol and not Capital?

[LaurieA-B]

Capitol Hill Farmers Market today, 5:00-7:30. We went for the first day last week, bought some green salsa, short ribs, and parsnips. Today we're after apples and pears. Just north of Broadway and Pine, we'll be there with baby.

[ScorchedPalate]

Stopped by yesterday on my way home from work. It's small -- maybe 20 vendors in all -- and not a ton of variety, but a nice place to go for impulse buys. (You can't "shop" for specific items there the way you could at, say, the University District or other larger farmers' markets.) I did buy a couple of pork chops from a Whidbey farmer that I am looking forward to trying.

It'll be interesting to see how it grows, and also how the other CapHill market does next spring.

[mamster]

Let's see, this week we got leeks, bell peppers, and a nectarine for Iris. The bell peppers ended up as fajitas with some on-sale QFC flank steak. Iris ate the nectarine. The leeks are going into some braised duck legs.

Iris on the way to the market

Elite wares

As ScorchedPalate said, it's not quite a full-service market; you may be in the mood for kohlrabi and there will be none, but that's part of what makes it fun. That and the fact that it's just down the street from us.

Oh, I'm too lazy to start a new thread about his, but Iris and I checked out the grand reopening of the Harvard Market QFC this morning and were delighted to see that (a) they're slicing deli meats to order, including prosciutto di parma, and (b) they have a good selection of Belgian beers.

Actually, I've never been in the mood for kohlrabi.

[LEdlund]

Actually, I've never been in the mood for kohlrabi.

←

I'm shocked Kohlrabi is one of my favorite things in the world.

Seriously, Iris is adorable. Love those big blue eyes!

[mamster]

LEdlund, I should also admit that I've never had kohlrabi. It's just one of those things I haven't gotten around to. How do you prepare it?

[tighe]

LEdlund, I should also admit that I've never had kohlrabi. It's just one of those things I haven't gotten around to. How do you prepare it?

←

Peel, slice, eat.....

[LEdlund]

Peel, slice, eat.....

←

Yeah, what tighe said!

[mamster]

Will do, then. Hey, remember those Bartles & Jaymes ads where they said their product goes with everything except kohlrabi and candy corn? I'll remember not to drink wine coolers with the kohlrabi.

[tighe]

Will do, then. Hey, remember those Bartles & Jaymes ads where they said their product goes with everything except kohlrabi and candy corn? I'll remember not to drink wine coolers with the kohlrabi.

←

I think sauvignon blanc would be a better choice....

[little ms foodie]

The email this week includes this line:

LIVE MUSCOVY DUCKS:  Drakes and hens at Columbia City.

I hope there will be an option to take them home in a non-live format...

←

Has anyone purchased a duck? Just curious!!

[ScorchedPalate]

I did buy a couple of pork chops from a Whidbey farmer that I am looking forward to trying.

←

Followup: We cooked these chops earlier this week (using the deeelicious Smothered Pork Chops recipe from Staff Meals at Chanterelle) and they were heavenly -- flavorful, tender -- you even wanted to eat the little grisly pieces that normally get fed to the dogs.

I'm going back next week and getting some more; gonna try grilling them to see if they fare as well under rapid heat. After that, I can see some carnitas in my future, and maybe a skin-on loin roast ala St. John.

Edit: Just got confirmation that these chops did indeed hail from Island Natural Meats. The owner, Beth Kearney, wrote to say...

I am low on pork chops but have other cuts available. I will be in full pork production again at the end of October.

Edited October 7, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[mamster]

That's great to know about the chops, S.P. We'll be sure to get some of whatever they have this week. Last week we got some spareribs, which I cut into chunks, browned, and braised in tomato sauce for a couple hours. Shredded the meat and put it back in the sauce, and it was great.

[little ms foodie]

just a head's up, Columbia City –This Wednesday, October13th

University District: This Saturday, October 16th and November 13th.

West Seattle: This Sunday, October 17th and November 14th.

Kitchen Song Knife Sharpening will be open at the start of each Market and

will stop taking knives one hour before the Market ends to ensure everyone’s

knives are done by closing time. Prices range from $2 to $4.50 per knife.

IMPORTANT: To bring your knives to market, wrap them in a thick layer of

newspaper. Do NOT wrap them in plastic bags or in cloth towels.

[LaurieA-B]

Iris and I visited the Capitol Hill "Winter Farmers Market" on Saturday. It moved to a new location, on 10th between Pike and Pine. There were more vendors than the last time I was there, but few farmers. That said, it was nice and didn't have that flea-market vibe, though there were several craft sellers there. I think there were a couple of stands selling apples etc., and one person selling bags of frozen berries. Several bakers (including Little Prague, the strudel lady). Most notably, several cheesemakers. I tasted some really good goat cheese and bought some delicious sheep cheese from a man whose sign said Les Fromages d'Anne-Marie. He had many regular customers picking up their favorites.

Edit to add it's 11-3 on Saturdays, and continuing at that location at least through the end of March.

Edited March 7, 2005 by LaurieA-B (log)

[kiliki]

That sounds exactly like the Ballard Farmers Market right now.

I saw the man at the Les Fromages booth cut a cheese sample for a man, another for a woman with him, and without hesitating, one for their golden retriever. Nice.

[laurel]

Iris and I visited the Capitol Hill "Winter Farmers Market" on Saturday. It moved to a new location, on 10th between Pike and Pine. There were more vendors than the last time I was there, but few farmers. That said, it was nice and didn't have that flea-market vibe, though there were several craft sellers there. I think there were a couple of stands selling apples etc., and one person selling bags of frozen berries. Several bakers (including Little Prague, the strudel lady). Most notably, several cheesemakers. I tasted some really good goat cheese and bought some delicious sheep cheese from a man whose sign said Les Fromages d'Anne-Marie. He had many regular customers picking up their favorites.

Edit to add it's 11-3 on Saturdays, and continuing at that location at least through the end of March.

←

We were there too, to find some small apples for my apple tasting menu project. Not many vegetables (full circle farm only really had greens, which I don't need right now because apparently kale and chard don't die in the winter here), but there were a few vendors with animal products: eggs, salmon, pork, beef, lamb. I need to get a bigger freezer.. I'm using the work freezer as auxilary storage space :)