Thursday, July 28th: Sweet Corn, Daikon Radishes, More Cherries, Heirloom Tomatoes, Local Raspberry Jam & More!

The sun shines on Interbay Farmers Market. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The summer(ish) sun shines brightly on your Interbay Farmers Market now, and we’ve filled the parking lot in front of Interbay Whole Foods Market with a wonderful variety of local farmers, ranchers and food artisans selling the finest quality, local foods, produced by their hands, direct to you. It doesn’t get any fresher or more delicious that this!

Sweet corn from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s official! It’s sweet corn season! This sweet corn from Alvarez Organic Farms is the stuff you’ve lived for, woe these many cool, wet months. I believe it was Garrison Keillor who once said, “Sex is good, but not as good as fresh sweet corn.” Kinda hard to argue with this logic. And better still, you can enjoy it all winter, too. Just cut it off the cob as soon as you get it home and pack the kernels into pint freezer bags. Put the pint bags in gallon bags, and then into the freezer, and it will keep frozen up to a year, until you are ready to enjoy it, say in January.

Daikon radishes from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Daikon radishes are versatile, refreshing radishes from Asia that can brighten up your meal, and One Leaf Farm has them now. Daikon’s are the radishes you find accompanying sashimi and other Japanese cuisine. Spice it up, pickle it or eat it raw.

Bing cherries from Razey Orchards. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Welcome Razey Orchards from Naches to your Interbay Farmers Market. They bring with them years of experience growing some of the finest cherries around, including these lovely bing cherries. Stop by for a taste, pickup some cherries, and give them a warm welcome!

Black zebra tomatoes from Billy's Gardens. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Billy’s Gardens grows many varieties of heirloom tomatoes that vary in appearance and color from the deliciously ugly to the downright spectacular. These black zebra tomatoes are among the most beautiful of all tomatoes. Just look at all the amazing colors and stripes in them. Oh, and they taste fabulous, too!

Raspberry jam with thyme from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Deluxe Foods makes the best jams you’ll ever taste from great local ingredients, like raspberries from Hayton Farms. Me, I’m not a big raspberry jam kinda guy, but this raspberry jam with thyme is nothing short of perfection. There’s just a hint of thyme that rounds out the sweet tang of the raspberries, without being overpowering. Come see what jam can be like when a great local chef dedicates herself to making it!

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

Firefly Kitchens ferments local vege to make amazing kimchi, salsa and sauerkraut. They have something to please every palate. My personal favorite is their classic sauerkraut, which is, indeed, classic. It is the perfect accompaniment to hot dogs or sausages. But this week, they reintroduce their wonderful caraway sauerkraut, which, with a good mustard and roll, completes any bratwurst. Caraway sauerkraut and bratwurst are literally (ask any German) made for each other.

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, see What’s Fresh Now!

Thursday, July 21st: Chef Branden Karow from Staple & Fancy, Blueberries, Blackberries, Cucumbers, Heirloom Tomatoes & Maybe Some Corn!

Blueberries from Sidhu Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Look! Blueberries! From Sidhu Farms. Blueberries are one of those things I live for in summer. And because they are so easy to freeze, I can live with them all winter, too! Just wash and dry them, then spread them out on a cookie sheet or baking dish and pop them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, slide them into a freezer bag. They will remain loose from each other for months, meaning you can use them as your wish. Looking for other great ideas for enjoying the bounty of great local food, direct from the farmers, at your Interbay Farmers Market? Then stop by for another great cooking demonstration at 4 p.m., today by Chef Branden Karow of Staple & Fancy in Ballard.

Blueberry-Mango Salsa from Whitehorse Meadows Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Welcome another blueberry farm, Whitehorse Meadows Farm, from Snohomish County, joining us today for the first time at your Interbay Farmers Market. They will start bringing fresh blueberries next week, but today you can enjoy their blueberry-mango salsa (above), or their blueberry-mango chutney. Delish!

Blackberries from Hayton Berry Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hayton Berry Farms has first-of-the-season blackberries today, too! These are not the same blackberries that grow wild in Discovery Park. These are domesticated, and they’re bred for flavor. And they’re certified organic!

Cucumbers from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

More summer deliciousness: cucumbers from One Leaf Farm. Yay! Of course, One Leaf has all manner of wonderful stuff on their tables right now, and if you get there early enough, you might even find some cherry tomatoes.

Paul Robeson heirloom tomatoes. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of tomatoes, at Billy’s Gardens, they are so well-known for their heirloom tomatoes, the tomatoes themselves are on a first-name basis with you. Meet Paul Robeson, the tomato. Beauty, eh? Awesome, too. And if you are looking for value, and for sauce or juice tomatoes, Billy’s offers their “too ripe” tomatoes at a great price! You won’t find tomatoes this good in an Big Box Store.

Apricots from Martin Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Another new farm to join the vendor ranks at your Interbay Farmers Market is Martin Family Orchards, from Orondo, just north of Wenatchee. They produce all manner of great orchard fruits. Right now, you’ll find bing and Rainier cherries, as well as these juicy and sweet apricots.

Sweet corm from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Alvarez Organic Farms had this sweet corn at our sister Wallingford Farmers Market yesterday, the first harvest of the season. Hopefully, they will have more of it today, as well as maybe some watermelons and pickling cukes, too!

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, see What’s Fresh Now!

Thursday, July 13th: Chef Dan Osser of Interbay Whole Foods Market Brings His Own Personal Sunshine!

Chef Dan Osser of Interbay Whole Foods Market on June 16, 2011. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Chef Dan Osser of Interbay Whole Foods Market’s Meat Department, returns today for another cooking demonstration at 4 p.m. Dan brings with him all the sunshine you will need today, as well as a lot of great information and ideas. You ever wonder what the science is behind why you need to let meat rest after you remove it from the heat when cooking? Last month, Dan explained it to us in detail. And his long history of working with some of Seattle’s best chefs and farmers makes him an expert on working with what’s local, in season, and at your Interbay Farmers Market today!

Yugoslavian red lettuce from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Meet Yugoslavian red lettuce from One Leaf Farm. Paul asserts, and I find it impossible to argue with him, that this lettuce is the most beautiful lettuce on earth. Just look at it! It is, in a word, spectacular. It is delicious, too. And you won’t find it in any grocery store. Take a break from mundane romaine, green leaf and red leaf lettuce. There are dozens more lettuces to life than these common varieties. Mix it up with some of One Leaf’s 15 heirloom lettuce varieties today!

Ribeye steaks from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Cloudy or not, it is still grilling weather. As your physician and your attorney, I advise you to head straight to your Interbay Farmers Market right now, and pick up some of these ribeye steaks, or other local, meaty deliciousness, from Olsen Farms. Cut out the middle man. Get your meat directly from the farm at your Interbay Farmers Market!

Sunburst summer squash from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And toss some summer squash on the grill, while you’re at it. You know, Alvarez Organic Farms is harvesting 10 different kinds of summer squash right now. One of my favorites is this sunburst squash. It is lovely, isn’t it? Easy on the eyes. Pleasure on the palate!

Baguettes from Tall Grass Bakery. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ballard’s own Tall Grass Bakery has joined the ranks of the many great farmers, ranchers and food artisans at your Interbay Farmers Market. Did you know that they got their start with our original farmers market in Fremont? Yup. Stop by and grab one of their wonderful baguettes this afternoon. Okay, maybe get two, since you’ll be gnawing on the first one before you even leave the Market.

Big Beef Tomatoes from Billy's Gardens. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Tomatoes are here! Billy’s Gardens has begun to harvest their big beef tomatoes, and many more varieties are soon to follow. These are the ultimate slicer for sandwiches and topping burgers, yet they cook down nicely, too. Woohoo! Local tomatoes!!!

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, see What’s Fresh Now!

Thursday, July 7th: Chef Tara Ayers of Ocho, Cherries, Green Beans, Raspberries, Farm-Fresh Milk & More!

Tieton cherries from Billy's. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Things are finally heating up in the Northwet, meaning more crops are coming into season, even though we’re enjoying nature’s air conditioning today. Billy’s has these lovely, organic Tieton cherries today, for instance. So do visit your Interbay Farmers Market for local deliciousness this afternoon, and you will get the added bonus of a 4 p.m. cooking demonstration by Chef Tara Ayers of Ballard’s Ocho tapas bar.

Rainbow chard from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Few vegetables are as beautiful as rainbow chard, and it’s pretty darned delicious, too. You’ll find this particularly spectacular chard at One Leaf Farm today at your Interbay Farmers Market, along with kale, turnips, kohlrabi, about a dozen kinds of heirloom lettuces and more!

Farm-fresh goat milk from Silver Springs Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Goat milk is a wonderful alternative to cow milk for many, and Silver Springs Creamery bottles some of the best goat milk around, fresh from the goats on their farm in Lynden, just south of the Canadian border in Whatcom County. Try some today, and try their award-winning cheese and yogurt, too!

Raspberries & strawberries from Hayton Berry Farms. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Berry season keeps rolling along. Hayton Berry Farms now has gorgeous raspberries, in addition to their strawberries. And Hayton uses only organic practices, as they are in transition to organic certification on their farm!

Green beans from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And things are really heating up over in the Yakima Valley, where Alvarez Organic Farms works the land in the little town of Mabton, near Sunnyside. Right now, they’ve got 10 kinds of summer squash in season, first-of-the-season cured garlic, cucumbers and these refreshing green beans!

Jeweled strawberry preserves from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Are you a strawberry preserves purist like me? Then try Deluxe Foods’ jeweled strawberry preserves, made with fresh strawberries from Hayton Berry Farms, and little else. Of course, if you like to mix it up a bit, Deluxe still has their strawberry balsamic preserves, too.

Fresh challah from Grateful Bread Bakery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

If you are looking for some lovely challah for Friday sabbath, or just a great egg bread to use as a base for French toast, stop by Grateful Bread Bakery today for one of their great challah loaves. Of course, they also have artisan breads, cookies, pastries, muffins, bagels and more.

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, see What’s Fresh Now!

Thursday, June 30th: Local Independence, Award-Winning Yogurt, Squash Blossoms, Basil, Strawberry Tarts, Burgers & Sausages for the 4th & More Marimba!!!

This Jersey Cow Yogurt from Silver Springs won best yogurt at the 2010 American Cheese Society Awards. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Are you one of those folks that values local farmers markets for the access they give you to great local food? Are you committed to supporting the local food economy, to help ensure it is always here for you in the future? Is how and where your food is produced, and how the farmers, workers, animals and land is treated as important to you as trying the latest, coolest food trend? Do you appreciate that local food, direct from the farm, tends to be fresher, more nutritious, better tasting, and even a better value? If you answered yes to any one of these questions, then you are just the person to help us. (Above: award-winning  jersey yogurt from Silver Springs Creamery.)

Squash blossoms from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

See, this is a tough year for local farmers. It has been cold and wet, and while that means you are bummed by the lateness and sparsity of many crops, for the farmers, it means they are losing out on the sales of crops they just don’t have. So when you come to your Interbay Farmers Market today, we ask that you think beyond what you wish you could have and instead focus one what the farmers have today. This is a unique year, and it will pass. The question is, will we support our farmers this year, when they need us, over our Americanized concept of eating whatever we want, regardless of season and annual growing conditions, but at the expense of local farmers. If your answer is yes, then please also help educate your neighbors, friends and family. Bring them to the Market. Tell them about this blog. “Like” us on Facebook. Maybe even pickup some extra lettuce for them, or teach them how to eat escarole. You will be helping to ensure that your local farmers continue to endure. (Above: squash blossoms from Alvarez Organic Farms.)

Fresh basil from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Of course, slowly but surely, many of our favorite summer crops are coming in. Like this basil from One Leaf Farm. Just keep in mind that, as much as you’ve been craving you some fresh, local basil, you still need lettuce, and One Leaf has it, in abundance, on the very same table, in a great selection of delicious, heirloom varieties. And truth be told: because their lettuce, and most of their crops, were literally harvested this morning, they are days, and sometimes weeks, fresher than what you find in most Big Box grocery stores. So when you think about value, don’t just look at price. Think about the fact that the fresher something is, the more nutritious it is… the better tasting it is… and the longer it will last in your fridge, unless, of course, you eat it quickly, which you will want to do.

Gluten-free strawberry tarts and English toffee tarts from Dolce Lou. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Our local food artisans understand the difference between sourcing their ingredients from a nameless, faceless warehouses and getting them direct from local farmers. The difference is quality. That’s why Dolce Lou uses Hayton Berry Farms strawberries in its gluten-free strawberry tarts (above). And just to dispel another fallacy, in numerous surveys of produce prices in Seattle carried out by the business school at Seattle University, prices at farmers markets were, overall, lower than those for similar produce at all local grocery stores — all of them.  If you want convenience and savings, do all of your produce shopping direct from the farmers at your local farmers market, because while price comparisons may vary from crop to crop, overall our prices average out to be lower.

Strawberry-balsamic preserves from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Heck, Deluxe Foods just made this beautiful batch of strawberry-balsamic preserves using Hayton strawberries as well. Indeed, they are dedicated to using local ingredients in all of their jams and jellies.

Kiss The Pig, the BLT of cupcakes from Cupcake Luv. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And don’t think that local ends with produce. In fact, Cupcake Luv, which makes amazing cupcakes and other goodies offered at your Interbay Farmers Market, uses Washington-grown flours from Shepherd’s Grain in it’s products, as well as many other local ingredients, from berries to bacon to smoked salmon!

The grill at Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And with July 4th weekend coming up, well, tomorrow, why not celebrate American independence with local meat for the grill, like these sausages and hamburgers from Skagit River Ranch. Farms like this one actually helped pioneer the first-ever USDA inspected mobile processing unit, based in Skagit County, in 2001 in order to unchain themselves from factory farms and processors. The independence this rig provided local ranchers allows them now to sell their meats directly to the public at farmers markets. Better yet, because it can roll right onto the farm, it lowers the stress on the animals. Better for them. Better for us. The result is delicious, pasture-raised meats that are lower in saturated fats and higher in beneficial omega-fatty acids. Remember, George Washington helped found a farmers market in Richmond, Virginia in the last 1700s in order to free Virginia farmers from the shackles of selling their products to Europe, only to end up in debt to the French and English. Today, Farmer George from Skagit River Ranch practices similarly revolutionary acts. Celebrate this 4th with some of his revolutionarily tasting meats!

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, see What’s Fresh Now!

Thursday, June 23rd: Bastille’s Chef Jason Stoneburner, Eggs, Ham, Cannoli, Shunkyo Radishes, Green Tomato Jam & More!

Chef Jason Stoneburner from Bastille. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey kids! Look who’s doing a cooking demonstration today at 4 p.m. at your Interbay Farmers Market? It’s Chef Jason Stoneburner from Bastille in Ballard! And anyone who knows Jason and his cooking knows he loves working with great, local ingredients. So come learn a trick or two from him today!

Organic eggs from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for great, local, farm-fresh, organic eggs? Then check out Skagit River Ranch at your Interbay Farmers Market. And besides eggs, they also have great chicken, beef and pork, too, plus delicious sausages and bacon!

Shunkyo radishes from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: One Leaf Farm grows spectacular produce! And one of my personal favorites is these shunkyo radishes. Besides being wicked-cool looking, these Asian beauties are also delish. Hey, they also have a new crop of purple kohlrabi now, too, long before anyone else.

Farmstead cheeses from Silver Springs Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Good news! Silver Springs Creamery has worked out the little kinks in their system that have been delaying their arrival at your Interbay Farmers Market. They start today! Come check out their fresh from the farm milk, yogurt and cheese. In fact, they won first place awards in two categories at the 2010 American Cheese Society Awards in Seattle last August. Woohoo!

Honey from Billy's. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Look, ma! Honey! Yep, Billy’s Gardens from Tonasket is now bringing honey to your Interbay Farmers Market. It’s from the hives Stephanie tends on the farm. The bees help pollinate their farm, and then they share their sweet work with us!

Fresh shallots from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Fresh shallots! No tedious peeling required! Plus, they are just a bit sweeter than the cured ones you get later in the year. I bet you’ve never had fresh shallots before, eh? Try some today from Alvarez Organic Farms. Oh, and they’ve got shelling peas today, too!

Hams from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Olsen Farms is best known for their many varieties of heirloom potatoes they grow in the northeastern corner of Washington. But they also produce delicious pork, beef and lamb, too! They also offer sausages and salamis, jerky, and even these lovely hams. Yummers!

Spiced green tomato preserves from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Deluxe Foods has added this lovely spiced green tomato preserves to its lineup of jams, jellies and fruit butters they make with many local ingredients. And today, they introduce strawberry balsamic preserves made with strawberries from Hayton Berry Farm!

Chocolate croissants from Grateful Bread. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Okay, I am about to put your sweet tooth into overdrive. Have you tried Grateful Bread Bakeries’s chocolate croissants? They are a little bite of heaven. I am addicted to them, myself. And they have all sorts of other bakery deliciousness, too, from artisan breads to muffins to bagels to cookies, and more!

Fresh cannoli from Pasteria Lucchese. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And speaking of the sweetness of the gods, how about fresh cannoli from Pasteria Lucchese. From their handmade pastas to their savory sauces to their luscious desserts, Pasteria Lucchese is as close as you are going to get to Italy without actually going there.

Ride your bike to Interbay Farmers Market. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Your Interbay Farmers Market is conveniently located between two major bike routes between Ballard and Downtown. And we offer access to several bike racks placed around Interbay Urban Center to secure your ride while you shop. Be one less car. Ride your bike to Market.

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, see What’s Fresh Now!

Thursday, June 16th: Chef Dan Osser, Edible Flowers, Kimchi, Asparagus, Semi-Freddo, Escarole & One Sweet, Local Burger, Bun And All!

Opening day at your Interbay Farmers Market last week. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Here’s your Interbay Farmers Market on opening day last week. In case you were simply driving by, riding your bike, or on the bus, heading to Ballard or Downtown on 15th Avenue W, and you saw all these flags and tents out front of Interbay Whole Foods Market, it was your Interbay Farmers Market you were seein’. We’ll be back again today, 3-7 p.m., and we’ll plan on bringing more sunshine with us this week, too!

Chef Dan Osser of Interbay Whole Foods Market Meat Dept. Photo courtesy Dan Osser.

Speaking of sunshine, Chef Dan Osser, from Interbay Whole Foods Market’s Meat Department, will be performing a cooking demonstration for us today at 4 p.m. Dan will give us great tips on working with local deliciousness from the Market. And Dan has a lot of experience with local deliciousness, too, having worked in the kitchens of such local favorite restaurants as Stumbling Goat, Joule and Spring Hill. In fact, he even appeared on Iron Chef during his stint at Joule!

Edible flowers from Colinwood Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Sometimes, you just have to stop and eat the roses. Am I right, people?!? Lucky for us, when it comes to edible flowers, Colinwood Farms has these lovely bouquets, ready for your salads or garnishes. Hey, if you’ve never eaten a nasturtium, you must try one. They are sweet, and a little spicy, and I love ‘em!

Fermented goodness from Firefly Kitchens. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Are you eating your fermented vegetables? You should be. They are loaded with probiotic goodness that will make your body and your palate happy. Firefly Kitchens makes award-winning krauts and kimchi. Stop by for a sample or three, and then grab a couple of jars to hold you over until, well, next Thursday!

Dogs of all sizes at Interbay Farmers Market on opening day. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Dogs of all sizes love farmers markets, and Seattle Farmers Market Association, which operates your Interbay Farmers Market, welcomes your four-legged friends at all of our markets. But please, keep them on a short leash, for their safety, yours, and everyone else’s.

Asparagus from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Asparagus is a true spring treat, and Washington produces some of the best asparagus in the world! With our late spring this year, we are benefiting from an asparagus season that is running later into the year than normal, and producing sweeter than normal asparagus. However, it is beginning to heat up over in the Yakima Valley, where Alvarez Organic Farms grows its asparagus, and that means we won’t have it for long. So enjoy it while you can!

Bagels, baguettes & challah from Grateful Bread. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Grateful Bread Bakery, based in Wedgewood, makes great artisan breads, toothsome bagels, challah for great French toast or a proper sabbath, delicious cookies, muffins and pastries, and much more. But perhaps the single most addictive thing on their tables is their chocolate croissants. You just must try one. And when you realize you have just finished your hundredth one, drop me a line, and I will let you know where we hold the meetings.

Semi-Freddo to die for from Pasteria Lucchese. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Pasteria Lucchese’s semi-freddo is quite simply the dessert of the gods. Trust me on this one! You can thank me later. Nuff said.

Escarole from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Escarole is one of those wonderful, slightly bitter summer greens that just makes you feel good all over as you eat it. And One Leaf Farm is one of those farms at Interbay Farmers Market that also just makes you feel good all over, too. Everything they grow is spectacular… including this escarole.

Fresh grilled hamburger from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Need a snack while you’re at your Interbay Farmers Market today? Try a freshly grilled hamburger from Skagit River Ranch, made from the beef of their own cattle that they raise on beautiful pastureland in Skagit County, and served on a roll made by Ballard’s own Tall Grass Bakery. The lettuce is from One Leaf Farm, and the tomatoes are from Kittitas Valley Greenhouses. Local deliciousness, indeed!

Barbecue Chicken pizza from Zaw. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Or maybe you just want to go home and have a quick dinner. In that case, stop by Zaw Pizza when you first arrive at your Interbay Farmers Market today, and order one of their awesome take-n-bake pizzas made with lots of local goodness. They’ll assemble it for you while you get the rest of your shopping done at the Market, and then, when you get home, just pop it in the oven, or on the grill, and by the time you put all the rest of your groceries for the weekend into the fridge and the pantry, your dinner will be ready!

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, click on “What’s Fresh Now!” in the upper right-hand corner.

Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble

Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble performing at Interbay Farmers Market on June 9, 2011. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

For more information on Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble, see their website.

If you would like to perform at your Interbay Farmers Market, please check in with the Market Information tent during Market hours.

Thursday, June 9th: Opening Day! Sugar Snap Peas, Strawberries, Hard Cider, Local Beef, Pea Vines, Milk, Artisan Breads & Chef Brandon Kirksey of Tavolata! But Wait, There’s More!!!

Chef Brandon Kirksey performing a cooking demonstration last August at Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Woohoo! It’s time! Time for your new and improved Interbay Farmers Market, hosted by Interbay Urban Center at 2001 15th Avenue W, just north of the Magnolia Bridge, in front of the Interbay Whole Foods Market. We’ll miss the spectacular sunsets and the beautiful views of the Seattle skyline and waterfront at the Olympic Sculpture Park we enjoyed last year, but alas, a second season there just did not work out. So we’ve moved a little north.

Visit us this, and every Thursday, from 3-7 p.m., through the end of September, to stock up mid-week on fresh, local deliciousness from great local farmers, ranchers and food artisans. And enjoy cooking demonstrations at 4 p.m. most weeks, kicking off with a demo by Chef Brandon Kirksey from Tavolata in North Belltown. Brandon is always a delight, and he will offer you great ideas of what to do with the local bounty at the Market. Hey, if he can do it under a tent in a parking lot on two butane burners, you can do it at home!

Sugar snap peas from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It has been a long, cold, wet winter, and many crops have been delayed this year, but now that spring has finally actually arrived, crop growth is beginning to accelerate. Alvarez Organic Farms, for instance, has the first sugar snap peas (above) of the season, as well as snow peas, asparagus, green garlic and onions and more!

Skagit River Ranch brings local meat, poultry, eggs, and grilled-to-order burgers. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Skagit River Ranch is renowned for their great, grass-finished beef, pastured pork, organic chickens and eggs. And this year, they’ll also be slinging freshly grilled hamburgers made with their own beef, served on Tall Grass Bakery buns! You can grab your groceries, and a delicious local snack to tide you over until dinner, too!

First of the season strawberries from Billy's. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yes! Strawberries!!! Oh, happy day! But these strawberries from Billy’s will likely sell out fast, so get here early. Of course, Billy’s will have some amazing rustic arugula, tomato plants and more… but strawberries…

Pea vines from Lee's Fresh Produce. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Lee’s Fresh Produce is a 30-acre vegetable farm just east of the end of SR 520, on Avondale Road in Redmond. You’ve probably driven past it many times and not even noticed it. Lee’s grows spectacular produce. These pea vines (above) are tender and sweet, perfect tossed quickly in some warm olive oil until wilted, or added to a salad or some soup. They’ve also got baby bok choy, dill, cilantro, green onions, kale and much more!

Bread and pastries from Grateful Bread Bakery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Grateful Bread Bakery in Wedgewood makes some wonderful artisan breads, pastries, muffins, cookies, and great bagels. Personally, I’m addicted to their chocolate croissants!

Pink Beauty radishes from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Meet King County’s newest farm, One Leaf Farm, from Carnation. For a first-year farm, their produce easily can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any farm in the state. It’s beautiful, fresh and delicious. They offer many interesting heirloom varieties, like these pink beauty radishes, and almost a dozen kinds of lettuce, and they’ve got some of the best salad mix I’ve ever had!

Bottle-fermented, sparkling hard ciders from Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finnriver Farm & Cidery makes bottle-fermented, sparkling hard ciders the old-fashioned French way, and the payoff is it the first sip you take. Do you love traditional ciders? Now, you can get it made locally!

Jessie Hopkins from Colinwood Farm on his antique potato planter. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of old-fashioned, check out Jessie Hopkins of Colinwood Farm on his antique potato planter. Colinwood Farm is located in, and I do mean “in”, Port Townsend. The farm is right smack in the middle of town, surrounded by neighborhoods. And yet their farm sports some of the richest, darkest, most fertile soil I have ever seen anywhere. And being located in the “Banana Belt”, that warmer, drier, sunnier swath of the Olympic Peninsula that is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, they have mastered the use of greenhouses and row covers to be able to have crops year-round at our Ballard Farmers Market, and to be the first to offer summer squash, carrots, tomatoes and more! Of course, these things will likely sell out fast today, but they’ve got plenty of gorgeous greens, salad and braising mix, storage spuds and more. So come meet one of the best, old-school farms in the state coming into Seattle to serve us you may never have heard of. After today, you will never forget them!

Gingered rhubarb jam from Deluxe Foods. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How about jams, jellies and fruit butters made from local ingredients? Deluxe Foods has got you covered. They offer a wonderful variety of great flavors. Your toast will never be the same!

Milk and light cream from Silver Springs Creamery. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Lastly, for today anyway, and certainly not least, meet Silver Springs Creamery from Lynden. They milk jersey cows and goat. Then they bottle some of the best milk and cream, including old-fashioned chocolate milk, you will find anywhere. And that’s not all! They also make goat yogurt, as well as jersey cow yogurt that won “Best Yogurt” at the 2010 American Cheese Society Awards in Seattle last August. And they make great aged and fresh goat and jersey cow cheeses, too!

Of course, this is just a highlighting of what you will find today. There is still plenty of other stuff just waiting for you at your Interbay Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, click on “What’s Fresh Now!” in the upper right-hand corner.

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