Thursday, September 9th: Chef Craig Hetherington of TASTE Helps Wrap Up Our Inaugural Season!

The sun sets over Puget Sound and the Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

As the sun sets on the inaugural season of your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market, let’s take time to celebrate and reflect upon an exciting first year of Belltown’s new, weekly grocery store. We enjoyed access to an incredible array of fresh, local food direct from the producers that would be the envy of people in most other parts of our country. We were entertained by music, dancing and cooking demonstrations by some of Seattle’s best chefs. We sampled Washington wines and enjoyed Market-inspired seasonal cocktails. And we did it all in one of the most beautiful places on earth — the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park — surrounded by world-class art, the skyline of Seattle, Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier. Honestly, I could not think of a more pleasant way to spend a Thursday afternoon in summer in Seattle.

Chef Craig Hetherington of TASTE Restaurant. Photo courtesy TASTE Restaurant & Events.

Our final cooking demonstration of the 2010 season features Chef Craig Hetherington of TASTE Restaurant at 5:30 p.m. today. I have had the pleasure of working with Craig for many years, and I can attest that there are few chefs as committed to using local ingredients on their menus in Seattle today as he has been to it for the nine years I’ve known him. Add to that his tremendous talent in the kitchen, and you have consistently delicious, guilt-free food. Stop by today for some great ideas for cooking local yourself, and if you haven’t treated yourself to TASTE Restaurant in the Seattle Art Museum on 1st Avenue, do it soon. You’ll thank me later!

New Moon cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Celebrate your access this summer to award-winning, local food. Like this New Moon cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend. It won First In Class in the Jack category two weeks ago at the 2010 American Cheese Society Convention & Competition held right here in Seattle.

Sausages from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Reflect on all the recalls of contaminated factory-farmed meat and eggs lately, and that you are lucky enough to be among the few Americans who has access to meat, seafood, poultry and eggs from local family farmers and fishers — people who care deeply about the animals they work with and the people who eat them. Like Skagit River Ranch, which produces healthy, pastured beef, pork, lamb, chicken and eggs in Sedro-Woolley.

Rainbow chard from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Tired of produce that is shipped an average of 1,500 miles to get to your local Big Box grocery store? Fed up with it turning to mush in your fridge in just a few days, because it was harvested so long ago? We’ve answered that problem, too, with the freshest local produce direct from the farmers who grew it, usually within 24 hours of harvest. Good luck finding rainbow chard, like this from Oxbow Farm, any fresher anywhere else. Just look at the cuts on those stems. They cannot be more than a few hours old, and they have not even begun to brown.

Cherry tomatoes from Summer Run. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ain’t it great to have access to tomatoes that taste like, well, tomatoes? In heirloom varieties developed over centuries to serve many functions in your kitchen? Of course it is! Just check out these beautiful cherry tomatoes from Summer Run Farm. A-friggin-men!!!

Dinosaur Egg pluots from Tiny's. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And fruit. Fresh, juicy, delicious, tree-ripened and brought to us by local family farmers at its peak. Washington enjoys almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to tree fruit, which begs the question, why the heck would we be eating stuff imported by ship from Chile and New Zealand — taking weeks to get here and traveling thousands of miles — when you can enjoy this amazing array of fruit from right here? Like these locally-developed Dinosaur Egg pluots from Tiny’s. I mean, seriously, think about it. You never even heard of a pluot in a Big Box store until recently, because they finally realized what we’ve been enjoying for years at farmers markets. Farmers markets are where the innovation happens, and where the heirloom crops are preserved!

Gluten-free breads from Platypus Breads. Photo courtesy Platypus Breads.

And where else are you going to find this incredible gluten-free artisan bread from Platypus Breads? Maybe at another one of our farmers markets, but nowhere else. This stuff is moist and full of flavor, terms rarely associated with gluten-free bread. And don’t forget Grateful Bread Bakery, which offers artisan bread, cookies, croissants, bagels and more!

Saffron from Phocas Farms. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

How about local saffron? Seriously. This saffron is grown in Port Angeles by Phocas Farms. It is fresh and brilliantly flavored, and it is only traveling a few miles to get to you, not thousands of miles from Iran, from where over 70% of the world’s saffron comes.

Dante's Inferno Dogs. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for a quick snack? We have that covered, too. Grab a dog or a local, Cascioppo Brothers sausage from Dante’s Inferno Dogs. They’ll dress it the way you like it to stave off that hunger until you can get home with your Market goodies to make a fabulous dinner for yourself.

Keith from Finnriver. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hard cider and local grain. We’ve got that, too! Finnriver Farm from Chimacum brings it to us every week. And they’ve got freshly milled flours, too. Did you know that flour is really only good for about two months after milling before it begins to break down nutritionally and eventually go rancid? I recommend you toss that old flour in your cupboard, and come down to your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market today to get some fresh, local flour.

Our own (well, not really) Farmers blimp. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

So come celebrate and reflect upon your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market today, and stock up while you can. And if we’re lucky, we’ll get another visit from our very own (well, not really) Farmers blimp that flew over us last week. (I guess they got the dates wrong.)

Remember, this blog is your source for all things Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. You will learn about what’s in season; the people and businesses that produce it; what chefs will be performing cooking demonstrations from week-to-week; recipes from those demos and our vendors; and so much more. Each week during the Market season, one or more articles will be posted here, and each week the What’s Fresh Now!pages in the upper right-hand margin will be updated to let you know what all you can expect to find this week at the Market. So check back often, subscribe to the RSS feed, and then come visit us at your new Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market.

Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market: Feeding the Body & the Soul!

Thursday, September 2nd: Chefs Brian McCracken & Dana Tough of Spür Gastropub, Finnriver Hard Cider & Flour @ TASTE & A Beautiful, Warm, Sunny Afternoon!

Chefs Dana Tough (left) and Brian McCracken of Spür Gastropub. Photo by Kristin Zwiers, courtesy Spür & The Spellman Group.

The inaugural season of your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market is winding down. After today, we’ve got just one more week. And these two last weeks are going to rock, just like the first seven did. For instance, today, we feature a cooking demonstration at 5:30 p.m. by Belltown’s own Chefs Brian McCracken & Dana Tough from Spür Gastropub. Come watch and learn as these rising stars of the kitchen have some fun with what’s fresh today at the Market.

Sparkling hard cider from Finnriver Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Today, in TASTE Restaurant & Events‘ Liquid Lounge, you will have a chance to taste some of the amazing hard cider produced in the old world way by Finnriver Farm. Finnriver is one of the many great Washington farms who sell each week at your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. Also today in the Liquid Lounge:

• Wine Tasting: Terra Blanc Sauvignon Blanc, 2007; Milbrandt Vineyards “Traditions” Chardonnay, 2007; Buried Cane Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007; Tranche Cellars Barbara, 2005.
• Tiffany’s Farm-to-Glass Cocktail: Roasted Heirloom Bloody Mary.

Finnriver whole grains & flours. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finnriver Farm will also be featured at TASTE Restaurant & Events’ food booth today. Finnriver produces grain, which they mill into fresh flour that TASTE will use in today’s menu:

• Grilled Panini with Summer Run heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto. Served with a potato and corn salad.
• Lucy’s Farm-inspired Doughnut - S’more doughnuts – honey red wheat doughnut filled with chocolate marshmallow, featuring Finnriver flour and Skagit River Ranch eggs.

Seastack from Mt. Townsend Creamery. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Mt Townsend Creamery, from Port Townsend, which sells its cheese right here at your Olympic Sculpture Park, won First in Class for its Seastack cheese in the Soft Ripened category at the 2010 American Cheese Society conference & competition held here in Seattle this past week. Come sample it today, and bring home what the rest of the world is raving about!

Fresh Frasier River sockeye from Loki Fish. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The boys at the helm of the boats of Loki Fish have returned now to Washington waters after a successful summer of fishing in Alaska. The are currently fishing for Frasier River sockeye just south of the Canadian border, and some of that fish may be available to us fresh today!

Red Zebra & Black Zebra tomatoes from Billy's. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Billy’s has entered into its second big wave of great heirloom tomatoes. Check out these gorgeous Red Zebra & Black Zebra tomatoes, and they have many others, as well. We may even get to taste a few of them during the cooking demonstration today!

Catalina Plums from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And how about these beautiful Catalina plums from Collins Family Orchards. Collins has a number of plums, apples, peaches and other orchard goodness now, great for that waning taste of summer!

Remember, this blog is your source for all things Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. You will learn about what’s in season; the people and businesses that produce it; what chefs will be performing cooking demonstrations from week-to-week; recipes from those demos and our vendors; and so much more. Each week during the Market season, one or more articles will be posted here, and each week the What’s Fresh Now! pages in the upper right-hand margin will be updated to let you know what all you can expect to find this week at the Market. So check back often, subscribe to the RSS feed, and then come visit us at your new Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market.

Emmer Berry Salad with Market Fresh Vegetables

Chef Ba Culbert from Tilikum Place Cafe at her cooking demonstration on August 19, 2010. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

By Chef Ba Culbert from Tilikum Place Cafe , as prepared for her cooking demonstration at the Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market on August 19, 2010.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Emmer (also know as Farro)
• 4 cups hard cider (optional)
• 1 small Walla Walla onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves finely chopped
• 3-4 leaves Rainbow chard, stems and leaves separated
• 1 large ripe peach
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 1 medium carrot
• 3 tablespoons chopped herbs like dill, mint, parsley and marjoram.  Whatever is on hand will work.
• a light bright vinegar like sherry or champagne, to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil, as needed

Sauteing chard stems. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Preparation:

Cook the emmer in the hard cider, first bringing to a boil and then lowering the temperature to a simmer. As the cider reduces, add water as needed until emmer is cooked. It should be tender but still firm. It will take about 45 mins or so.

While the emmer is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Dice onion and garlic, and sweat in a little olive oil until translucent.  Separate the leaves from the stems of the chard.  Cut the leaves into ribbons and finely chop the chard stems.  Saute the stems in the olive oil until they are tender, deglaze with a little vinegar.  Saute the leaves separately, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Cut the cauliflower into little florets and the carrot into thin semi-circles.  Saute those as well.  Dice the peach and keep separate.  Chop herbs and set aside.

When the emmer is cooked, drain any excess liquid and put in a large bowl.  Add all the cooked vegetables, the peach and chopped herbs to the emmer.  Toss together until evenly distributed.  Taste salad and add a splash of oil and vinegar as well as salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer salad to a serving dish and enjoy on it’s own or as a side to grilled meat, fish or roasted chicken.

The finished product! Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Thursday, July 15th: Grand Opening Day!

Adam from Oxbow Farm smiling over his beautiful chard. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

We’ve all been talking about this for months, wondering if the day would ever arrive: opening day of your new Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. Well, that day is today! And we are excited. We have a whole lot in store for everyone, from great farmers, food artisans and artists to live music and dancing to TASTE’s Liquid Lounge and wine tastings to an incredible lineup of chefs doing cooking demonstrations every week. But first and foremost, what we have lined up for you is a grocery store, once a week for four hours, featuring the finest local food Washington has to offer. Yes, Belltown, one very densely populated grocery store desert, finally has a grocery store, and Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market is its name.

Anthony Estrella of Estrella Family Creamery. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

By the way, this new, weekly grocery store of yours takes food stamps, just like any other grocery store. You just have to check in at the black tent that says “information” on it and ask to get Market tokens with your Quest card, and you are good to go. Of course, the difference here is that you can get high-quality food with your food stamps instead of the cheap, unhealthy, processed foods you are stuck with at Big Box grocers and corner convenience stores. Most of our farmers also accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks (a.k.a., FMNP or “farmers market checks”).

Carrie from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The Market debuts today at 3:30 p.m., with the first cooking demonstration of the season at 5:30 p.m. But I suppose you wanna know what vendors we are going to have today, don’t you? Okay, here is just a sampling:

• Alm Hill Gardens (a.k.a., Growing Washington), from Everson, will bring an incredible variety of vegetables, berries, flowers, shelling beans, and all manner of goodness over the coming weeks.
• Colinwood Farms, out of Port Townsend, has amazing greens, new potatoes, sweet peppers, summer squash, lettuce as big as your head, and so much more. Their soil is the blackest, richest earth I have ever seen.
• Skagit River Ranch, based in Sedro-Woolley produces some of the best, healthiest beef, pork, chicken and eggs from happy animals raised on the kind of farm those folks from California want you to think their dairy cows are raised on. I’ve been to Skagit River Ranch and seen how they care for their animals right to the end. A USDA inspector told me there is no more humane operation that he has ever seen.
• Estrella Family Creamery, in Montesano, is at the forefront of an artisan cheese revolution in Washington. In its short history, it has won multiple awards for its cheeses at national and international competitions.

Saffron from Phocas Farms. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You will be amazed at the locally produced food products you will find at your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market — products you may not have known were being produced around here, and products that might have been difficult for you to find elsewhere. These product include:

• Saffron, grown and cured with care by Phocas Farms in Port Angeles. This saffron is being used in the kitchens of many of the finest restaurants in Seattle, as it is of a quality and freshness hard to find in imported saffron. And given that over 70% of the world’s saffron is produced in Iran, think of the reduction in your carbon footprint you will achieve just by using this local saffron.
• Gluten-free bread from Ballard’s Platypus Breads. Gluten-free bread is hard enough to find locally, but really good gluten-free bread is almost impossible to find, until now.
• Local milk, bottled in returnable glass bottles, direct from Golden Glen Creamery in Bow. This may be the best milk I’ve ever tasted, and once you’ve had milk bottled in glass, you will never go back to plastic bottles again. Plus, Golden Glen bottles incredible heavy cream and half-n-half, and they make the only farmstead butter in Washington you can buy.

The Dante behind Dante's Inferno Dogs. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You will be able to pick up a snack while you shop at your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market, from such local originals as:

• Dante’s Inferno Dogs from Ballard, slinging great dogs and sausages that happily fill any stomach’s void.
• Patty Pan Grill makes delicious vegetarian quesadillas and tamales from local ingredients, many of which are sourced from our Market farmers.
• Whidbey Island Ice Cream offers up a tremendous selection of ice cream flavors by the bar and the pint.
• And TASTE Restaurant & Events, one of the Market’s partners, which has set the standard in Seattle for using local ingredients to make world-class cuisine. TASTE will be creating delectable concoctions using ingredients from Market farmers.

Keith from Finnriver Farm in Chimacum, which produces hard ciders and fine grain products. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And remember, this blog is your source for all things Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. You will learn about what’s in season; the people and businesses that produce it; what chefs will be performing cooking demonstrations from week-to-week; recipes from those demos and our vendors; and so much more. Each week during the Market season, one or more articles will be posted here, and each week the What’s Fresh Now! pages in the upper right-hand margin will be updated to let you know what all you can expect to find that week at the Market. So check back often, subscribe to the RSS feed, and then come visit us at your new Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market!