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, August 5th: Chef Paul Rosquita from TASTE Events, Melons, Bagels, Provolone, Donut Peaches & A Rainbow Of Carrots!

Chef Paul Rosquita from TASTE Events. Photo courtesy TASTE Restaurant & Events.

It’s another deliciousness and fun packed Thursday at your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. Check out another great cooking demonstration under the red tent, next to The Eagle, at 5:30 p.m. today — this week featuring Chef Paul Rosquita of TASTE Events, one of our partners in presenting you this Market. Also, enjoy the music of retro-pop band Curtains for You, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Gates Amphitheatre, presented by SAM. And the wine tasting in TASTE’s Liquid Lounge this week features:

• Mountain Dome Sparkling Rose
• TASTE’s own Masterpiece White
• Cadaretta SBS
• Foris “Fly Over” Red

Fresh cantaloupes from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Melons are in! Alvarez Organic Farms has the first melons of the season, in the form of cantaloupes and watermelons. Woohoo! Just imagine all the juicy, sweet, sloppy goodness in your future. Oh, they have sweet corn, tomatillos, eggplant and fresh shallots, too, and much, much more.

Fresh bagels from Grateful Bread. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Grateful Bread has great bagels. I recommend them eaten with some of fromage blanc from Mt. Townsend, a red onion from Alvarez, some tomatoes from Billy’s and some coho or keta lox from Loki Fish. A little slice of Brooklyn heaven right here in Belltown! Oh, and Playtpus Breads is back this week with gluten-free breads!

A rainbow of carrots from Oxbow Farm. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Oxbow Farm is famous for its carrots. They grow some of the best you will find anywhere. Sweet and crunchy, and in a rainbow of colorful varieties, these are the carrots we live for. And they grow all manner of other spectabulous veggies, too.

Provolone and Jalapeno Buttery from Estrella Family Creamery. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Estrella Family Creamery returns today after their one-week 25th Wedding Anniversary hiatus. They have a lot of great, award-winning cheeses for you to enjoy, like this beautiful provolone, or this tangy, peppy Jalapeno Buttery. Stop by for a taste. Like their shirts say, “It’s all good!”

Haricot Verts from Stoney Plains. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I love haricot verts green beans (the ultimate in redundantly named vegetables!) this time of year, like these from Stoney Plains. I saute them with bacon from Skagit River Ranch and some pearl onions, if I can find them. Yummers!

Donut peaches from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Finally this week, it was during the summer of my first year as Executive Director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association back in 1999 that I was on a trip to visit the brand new farmers market in Yakima. I was staying at this lovely bed & breakfast on a farm in Naches, and the farm was one of the first few farms to be licensed to grow this new peach called a donut peach. The farmer, still looking for a market for his peaches, sent me home with a box of them. Boy, howdy! I was in love, and I’ve been in love with them ever since. See, I have always been one of those wusses who doesn’t like to deal with all that juice pouring all over me while eating peaches, and the special nature of donut peaches and their tiny pits meant I could enjoy an amazing peach with only a fraction of the mess. I brought home a bunch of these donut peaches from Collins Family Orchards the other day, and I am in peach heaven right now. Makes me think how that Presidents of the United States of America song is passé now that the peaches come to us in the city. No need to move to the country to eat a lot of them anymore.

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 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!

Thursday, July 22nd: Space Needle Chef Jeff Maxfield, Sweet Corn, Wild Alaskan Salmon, Artisan Bread, Tomatoes & More!

Chef Jeff Maxfield (on right) of SkyCity at the Needle. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Chef Jeff Maxfield of SkyCity at the Needle will help us launch Week 2 of your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market. Jeff will perform a cooking demonstration at 5:30 p.m. under the red demo tent at the north end of the Market, next to The Eagle. Come learn great ideas for cooking up local deliciousness from the chef who’s office has the best view in Seattle.

Just a sampling of what Loki Fish has to offer. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

We welcome Loki Fish to your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market this week. Loki is based at Ballard’s Fishermen’s Terminal, and they fish in the cold waters of Alaska and Puget Sound for some the best salmon you will find. They catch all five major species of Pacific salmon, and they offer it up in all sorts of ways, from fresh-frozen fillets to smoked to jerky to spreads, patties and sausages, and even Ikura, or Keta Salmon Roe, the Northwest’s own native caviar.

Sweet corn from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Alvarez Organic Farms is located in Mabton, near Sunnyside, in the Yakima Valley. It is the hottest area in Washington in the summer, and the result is great, hot-weather crops, like this first-of-the-season sweet corn. They also have some of the first eggplant of the year this week, too, and don’t forget that they offer Washington’s only fresh, local peanuts — the best you’ve ever tasted.

Chef Lucy Damkoehler cooks for an attentive crowd, with Elliott Bay in the background. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

If you missed opening day festivities last Thursday, you missed scenes like this, and I don’t just mean the stellar cooking demonstration by Pastry Chef Lucy Damkoehler from TASTE Restaurant. I mean the scene in the background — Elliott Bay! Yes, your Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market is surrounded by spectacular views, and it is filled with brilliant art. And now we’ve added a fantastic Thursday Market to the mix. And the best part is, if you did miss opening day, we’re going to repeat it all again today, and every Thursday! How sweet is that?

Beautiful artisan bread from Grateful Bread Bakery. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Grateful Bread offers up wonderful artisan breads, like these above, as well as delicious pastries, cookies, bagels, scones and more. But last week, they sold out fast, so make sure you get there early to pickup your loaf for dinner, and a bagel or scone for breakfast tomorrow, too!

Belltown's own farmers market. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yes, this is Belltown’s own farmers market. And just look at this incredible scene, with all the farmer tents in the foreground, lining the Park’s Z-Path, and all the high-rise residential buildings of North Belltown in the background. If you go back and  look at the very first post to this blog in February, you will see a photo taken from this same vantage point, just sans Market. Wow, isn’t it amazing how much the Market adds to this seen?

Sungold cherry tomatoes from Stoney Plains. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Tomatoes are coming into season all over Washington now. Like these incredibly sweet Sungold cherry tomatoes from Stoney Plains. One of the quickest tomatoes to bear fruit, Sungolds are one of my favorite tomatoes. I can eat them like candy. Very sweet, low acid, they will never last long enough for you to get them into a salad, unless you buy a second pint, and even then I bet you’ll eat them all right out of the container.

A mix of six different berries from Jessie's Berries. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Berry season is just plain off the hook right now. And the proof is in this basket of berries from Jessie’s Berries. Currently, they are harvesting blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, loganberries, marionberries and strawberries. Wow! Pickup a pint of cream from Golden Glen Creamery, and you’ve got dessert. Put in a little more effort with some flour from Finnriver Farm, some eggs from Skagit River Ranch and some butter from Golden Glen, and I can see a pie or a crisp in your future!

Certified organic chickens from Skagit River Ranch. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of Skagit River Ranch, they’ve got plenty of certified organic, pasture raised beef, pork and chicken (above) for your dining pleasure. Can’t you just smell it cooking of your grill on your deck right now? Of course, when your neighbors all ask you where you got that amazing smelling meat or chicken, you tell them, “at our Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market, every Thursday from 3:30-7:30 p.m.!”

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 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!