Wednesday, June 25th: Happy Summer! Salmon, Blueberries, Radicchio, Apricots, Romanesco, Fennel, Cherries & More!

Skipper Shannon Ford of Two If By Seafoods aboard the F/V Paul Revere in Alaska. Photo courtesy Two If By Seafoods.

Happy Summer, everyone! Meet Shannon Ford of Two If By SeaFoods. Shannon is a fourth generation Salmon fisher, following in the footsteps of her father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Above, she’s on her boat, the Fishing Vessel Paul Revere, up in Bristol Bay, Alaska, catching Salmon for you… right now! Then she cleans it, fillets it and blast freezes it at the peak of freshness the day it is caught, and ships it down here to your Wallingford Farmers Market for you to enjoy. Stop by, introduce yourself to her mom & dad, and grab some for dinner tonight, for the weekend, and for the 4th!

Berry-palooza from Sidhu Farms. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Holy Berry Cobbler, Batman! Sidhu Farms has raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries already, and it is still June! All I can say is, wow. This year continues to amaze. So while we begin our slow, steady, six-month long descent into darkness, let us remember to enjoy all that these long, sunny, warm days have to offer. And heck… start freezing these berries today! You and yours will enjoy them all winter long!

Romanesco from Kirsop Farm. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This is Romanesco from Kirsop Farm. For my money, this is the coolest looking vegetable on earth. Italian in origin (bet you wouldn’t have guessed that from the name, eh?), this cousin of broccoli and cauliflower is the only vegetable to grow out into perfect fractals. It has a nice, sweet flavor, and it holds its crunch better than cauliflower when cooked. That means in doesn’t get mushy as fast when you quickly steam it, then add it to other dishes, or just enjoy it with some freshly grated parmesan cheese over it. It is also great roasted in a hot oven, sautéed with some crushed red chile pepper and tossed with some pasta, or even grilled!

Tomcot apricots from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Apricot season has arrived. Woohoo!!!! This ties the earliest we’ve ever seen them, which was set last year. These are Tomcot apricots from Collins Family Orchards. They are sweet, juicy, and packed with that perfectly rich, deep apricot flavor that makes them so special. What a wonderful welcome to summer, eh?

Variegato di Lusia radicchio from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

One Leaf Farm is famous for their fine chicories, and those chicories are beginning to come into season. Last week, we welcomed their escarole. This week, it is this gorgeous Variegato di Lusia radicchio, another glorious vegetative gift from Italy. Like all chicories, it has a distinct bitter flavor that sweetens a bit when cooked. It can be finished with a little balsamic vinegar to sweeten it up, and it also likes being prepared, either raw or cooked, with something nice and salty, like bacon, anchovies, a salty, dry cheese, or just a nice finishing salt. When cooking, try oiling it up, grilling it, then hitting it with salt and balsamic. Yummers!

Early bing cherries from Martin Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2012 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Martin Family Orchards is the most northern of all of the orchardists here at your Wallingford Farmers Market. That means they are usually the last to start harvesting cherries. Well, folks. This is the week! They’ll have these lovely Bing cherries, as well as some nice Rainier cherries today. Now, we get to wait on pins and needles for their apricots and peaches!

Fennel from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Fennel has arrived at Alm Hill Gardens. This sweet, licorice-y, bulbous weed is so versatile. Use the leafy fronds in salads or on fish. Grill the bulbs, sauté them or pickle them… even eat them raw. Use it to add flavor to other things, or let it be the star. I hear people telling me, “oh, but I’ve got that growing wild in my backyard.” No, what you have in your backyard is a wild cousin. The cultivated form has been bred for its tender bulbs and its sweet flavor. Enjoy!

Pork chops from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It is time to gear up for Independence Day! July 4th is next week, and whether you will be firing up the barby and watching the fireworks from your rooftop deck, or fleeing the neighborhood in favor of camping in some peaceful forest, you’ll want some of these incredible pork chops from Olsen Farms for the grill. These are likely the best pork chops you have ever tasted — beautifully marbled and full of flavor. In fact, they are featured on the menus of restaurants all over town, like Le Petit Cochon on Fremont Avenue. Of course, they’ve got beef steaks, sausages and other goodies for the grill, too.

English shelling peas from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ah, English shelling peas, from Alvarez Organic Farms. This time of year, I get lots and lots of them, shuck them, then freeze them for use in the winter. No blanching required. Just sturdy one-pint freezer bags, which I then put inside a larger one-gallon freezer bag, for extra protection. Of course, I do need to get extras, so I can enjoy them now. I like to sit on my deck in my Adirondack chair with a bag of them, eating them right out of the pod. But one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is to toss them with some pappardelle from Pasteria Lucchese and some smoked salmon from Two If By Seafoods, garnished with just a bit of freshly-grated Romano cheese. The trick is to drop the peas in the pot with the pasta about 30 seconds before it is done, then drain both, and then toss them with the smoked salmon and some olive oil in a warm skillet. As Samuelle Lucchese would say, “Done!”

Gluten-free sandwich breads from nuflours gluten-free bakery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for great sandwich bread, but you are allergic to gluten? Never fear! nuflours gluten-free bakery has you covered! This stuff is moist, chewing, slices well, and it is delicious. It will make you fall in love with bread all over again.

Golden turnips from Seattle Youth Garden Works. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

I loves me some golden turnips, but not many farms grow them around here. Lucky for us, Seattle Youth Gardens Works does! Golden turnips are what I might call the turnipiest flavor of all turnips, and they are a little more dense, too. That makes them ideal for roasting, though you can enjoy them raw as well. And don’t forget to eat the greens!

Folks lined up for vittles from Chef Joe Ritchie from Ethan Stowell’s Mkt. Restaurant. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Chef Joe Ritchie from Tangletown’s Mkt. Restaurant is the featured chef today for the Ethan Stowell Restaurant’s booth. And you’d better get done here and get in this line early, cuz they’ve sold out every week! Today’s offerings include BLTs, O-Rings, and Strawberry Shortcake, featuring these market-fresh ingredients: Olsen Farms Bacon, Alm Hill Gardens lettuce, Tall Grass Bakery Brioche, Stoney Plains Organic Farm onions, and Sidhu Farms strawberries.

And when you are done with your picnic in the park today, please remember to use the correct waste receptacles. Our prepared food vendors use only recyclable or compostable plates, cups, napkins and utensils. Please place your waste after your meal either in our green composting or blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Wallingford Farmers Market. Each receptacle has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

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 Wallingford Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, check out What’s Fresh Now!

Wednesday, July 10th: More Crops, Earlier & Better Than Ever!

A program called Fresh Bucks has been created by a partnership between the City of Seattle and local farmers markets to double Food Stamps, now known as SNAP, at Seattle farmers markets. Beginning TODAY, July 10th, for every SNAP dollar spent at Wallingford Farmers Market, SNAP benefits users can receive an additional dollar to spend on fruits & vegetables, up to 10 dollars. Get them, and more information, from at Market Information Desk at your Wallingford Farmers Market. You can also get more information from the Washington State Farmers Market Association. Tell your friends, family and neighbors!

Gold Rich apricots from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Wow, what a year we are having! We all recognize how amazing the weather is, especially in the context of the previous three years. But did you know that 2013 is  an historic year for local crops, and thus an epic year at your Wallingford Farmers Market, and it would be a shame if you missed it. Not only are crops coming in historically early, but they are better quality than we’ve seen before, which is saying something! Like these gorgeous certified organic Gold Rich apricots from ACMA Mission Orchards. Sweet, juicy and delish!

Broccolini from City Grown Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

One thing about our warm summer so far is that it is prime grilling weather. And the more of our meal we can grill, the less we have to heat up the kitchen! Take this broccolini (a.k.a., sprouting broccoli) from City Grown Farm, for instance. It is ideal for grilling with its long stems and small florets. Just rub some olive oil on it, grill it until slightly tender and a little charred, and finish with some freshly ground pepper and a good finishing salt to taste!

Vans cherries from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

We’ve heard plenty of talk about smaller cherry harvests and higher cherry prices in the news lately, but truth be told, that’s not what we’re seeing at your Wallingford Farmers Market. That’s because our farmers grow specifically for you, and they grow a diversity of cherry varieties, which helps them insure against early freezes and heavy rains. See, the big orchards that grow for the warehouses that sell to the Big Box stores, China and Japan just grow a couple of preferred cherries, like Bings and Rainiers, and when those two crops are impacted, it drives the price up at the Big Box stores. But farms like Collins Family Orchards from Selah are growing just for us, so the price they charge isn’t affected by demand from Japan. Plus, they grow outstanding varieties unaffected by the commodities market, like these Vans cherries, which for my money are the cherry’s cherry – a rich, dark, deeply flavored cherry that is not too sweet or too mild.

Green beans from Lyall Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Look: green beans! Yes, green beans. These are from Lyall Farms, but we’ll also see some hericot verts from Alvarez Organic Farms today, and maybe some from some Westside farms, too. Oh, the humanity!

Arctic Star nectarines from Tiny’s Organic Produce. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

What the…? Nectarines?!? Yes! These are Arctic Star nectarines from Tiny’s Organic Produce photographed on Friday at our sister Madrona Farmers Market. I kid you not! This year really is out of control in the most delicious of ways. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, Tiny’s also has begun to harvest Flavorosa pluots, too. Seriously. Wow.

English shelling peas from Alm Hill Gardens. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This may be the best year I can remember for English shelling peas. Not only are they early, too, but the peas are big and sweet and as flavorful as I can ever remember, with none better than these from Alm Hill Gardens (a.k.a., Growing Washington). Add them to your pastas and casseroles, toss them in your salads, make a lovely side dish with them, or shuck them and freeze them for winter!

Sungold cherry tomatoes from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

The award for the first tomatoes of the season at your Wallingford Farmers Market goes to One Leaf Farm, which just began harvesting these awesome Sungold cherry tomatoes from their big greenhouse last. Sungolds are so sweet and juicy, I eat them like candy. My advice: get twice as many as you think you’ll need, cuz you’ll eat half of them before you even realize what you are doing!

Spud Nuts from Olsen Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Olsen Farms is best known for its many varieties of heirloom potatoes it grows in the drylands of Northeast Washington. They have just started their first harvest of 2013, and that means Spud Nuts. These are those tiny little baby potatoes that are quickly roasted, sautéed or wrapped in foil with butter and cooked on the grill. Enjoy!

Mixed beets from Kirsop Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And how about these stunning beets from Kirsop Farm? They are bunching them in mixed bunches that include Detroit red beets, chiogga beets and golden beets, all ready for steaming or roasting or making amazing salads or pickles. And don’t forget to enjoy the greens! It’s like getting two veggies for the price of one! They taste much like chard, as the two are related.

Artisan loaves of bread from Grateful Bread Bakery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

A nice artisan loaf of bread is a wonderful accompaniment to any summer meal, and Grateful Bread Bakery has several kinds of bread from which to choose. Grab some butter from Rosecrest Farm, or some fresh chevre from Twin Oaks Creamery at your Wallingford Farmers Market to smear on a nice slice.

Fresh pastas from La Pasta. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

It will be pleasantly cooler in Seattle for the next few days (wow, we now consider the mid-70s cool!), and thus a great time for cooking up some fresh pasta from our friends at La Pasta. Their noodles and stuffed pastas come in a variety of styles and flavors, and they also offer a nice selection of sauces to compliment those pastas. Grab some fresh veggies to toss in, and you’ve got a wonderfully satisfying summer meal!

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 Wallingford Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, check out What’s Fresh Now!

Please remember to bring your own bags today, and every Wednesday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Wallingford Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

Wednesday, June 19th: Raspberries, Shelling Peas, Apriums, Shunkyo Radishes, Pie Cherries & More Farms!

First-of-the-season raspberries from Sidhu Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Your eyes do not deceive you. These are raspberries. From this year. Grown locally by Sidhu Farms. They just started harvesting them over the weekend on their farm in the Puyallup River Valley. Just another sign of what a remarkable year we are in. It is warmer, drier, and crops are coming in earlier than we’ve seen in years. Enjoy!

Seattle Tilth Youth Garden Works. Photo courtesy Seattle Tilth.

Seattle Youth Garden Works is a program of Seattle Tilth in which homeless and underserved youth participate in a job training program emphasizing responsibility and growth.  They grow, harvest and sell produce at farmers markets, participating in all aspects of the food system and gain a range of employment and life skills. They join us today to sell their produce to you at your Wallingford Farmers Market!

English shelling peas from Alvarez Organic Farms. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Just in time for your evening picnic here in Meridian Park, how about some English shelling peas from Alvarez Organic Farms. Grab a big old bag of them, throw down your blanket, and pop open the pods to munch on the sweet, crunchy peas held within. Summer doesn’t start until tomorrow, but there is no reason why we can’t enjoy a taste of it today!

Apriums from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Here we go! Cherries are one thing, but when the larger stone fruit starts arriving, we know summer is here. And first out of the gates each year are these apriums from Collins Family Orchards. Apriums were developed in the 1980s as an hybrid of apricots and plums. They are about 75% apricot and 25% plum, and as such, they are much more like apricots, not just in appearance, but it flavor and seasonality. If you’ve been missing your sloppy, juicy, wipe-your-chin-with-your-sleevy local, tree-ripened stone fruitliciousness, it is time to rejoice!

Gruyere from Twin Oaks Creamery. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Speaking of great picnic food, why not grab a loaf of crusty bread from one of our bakeries and a chunk of this gorgeous, and delicious, gruyere from Twin Oaks Creamery. Bring your bread and your cheese knife, and a cutting board, and maybe grab a seasonal soda from Soda Jerk Sodas, and enjoy a lovely snack at the park before hauling the rest of your groceries for the week home!

Shunkyo radishes from One Leaf Farm. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Now, this is one ravishing radish! Meet the shunkyo radish, a native of Northern China. These stunning roots, grown by One Leaf Farm in Carnation, have a nice bite to them this time of year, and for my money, they are the king of radishes available around here. I am known to our farmers for asking when these jewels will arrive each spring. (Okay, I’m known for a few other things, too.) If you’ve never tried these, you should give them a test drive today. You can thank me later.

Broccoli from Alm Hill Gardens (a.k.a., Growing Washington). Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hopefully, Growing Washington (a.k.a., Alm Hill Gardens) will have more of this awesome broccoli today. If not, they will have lots of sugar snap peas, strawberries, salad mix and even a few chickens, plus much, much more! And this just in: they will have fryer rabbits today, too!

Olsen Farms ribeye steaks searing in the pan. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And don’t forget that Olsen Farms has much more than just heirloom potatoes. They raise beef, lamb and pork, and they have it at your Wallingford Farmers Market in steaks, chops, roasts, hams, sausages and bacon! Get your grass-fed, pasture-raised, delicious meat on today, and kick the factory farmed habit at the Big Box stores.

Pie cherries from ACMA Mission Orchards. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for pie cherries? ACMA Mission Orchards has you covered, but only for a limited time. Pie cherries have a very short season — just a couple of weeks — so if you’ve got cherry pie, or maraschino cherries, in your future, you’d better get over here on the double!

The kiddie cue at Whidbey Island Ice Cream. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Many of you missed your ice cream fix last Wednesday, as Whidbey Island Ice Cream had actually run out of ice cream. Yikes! Well, the good news is, they’ve caught up on their ice cream production, and they are back today to satisfy your every craving!

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 Wallingford Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, check out What’s Fresh Now!

Please remember to bring your own bags today, and every Wednesday, as Seattle’s single-use plastic bag ban is now in effect. Also, please take note of our new green composting and blue recycling waste receptacles throughout your Wallingford Farmers Market, and please make an effort to use them correctly. Each container has what’s okay to put in it pictured right on the lid. Please do not put the wrong materials in, because that drives up the cost of recycling and composting, and it can result in the entire container being sent instead to a landfill. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

Wednesday, June 29th: Chef Rachel Yang of Joule, Fava Beans, Cauliflower, Apriums, Cucumbers, More Strawberries & More!!!

Chef Rachel Yang of Joule explaining the details at a Wallingford Farmers Market cooking demonstration in 2010. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Hey kids, it’s another lovely afternoon for your Wallingford Farmers Market. Come hang out at the playground, grab an ice cream bar from Whidbey Island Ice Cream, and bring your parents with you to pick up some stuff for your fridge, and to enjoy another amazing and informative, not to mention delicious, cooking demonstration at 4 p.m. by Chef Rachel Yang of Joule.

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

It’s fava bean season at Alvarez Organic Farms. And actually, they’ve also got English shelling peas, cucumbers and summer squash, too! You will also find cucumbers at Alm Hill and fava beans at Stoney Plains today.

Gorgeous cauliflower at Summer Run. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Summer Run has the most beautiful, and tasty, cauliflower right now. I roasted some in the oven last night, simply tossed in some olive oil, salt and pepper. Awesome. And really sweet — sweet like it doesn’t quite get by steaming it. Oh, and Summer Run has spectacular broccoli right now, too! Woohoo!!!

Strawberries from Jessie's Berries. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Jessie’s Berries returned to your Wallingford Farmers Market this past Wednesday, bringing with them these beautiful strawberries, as well as farm-fresh eggs! Of course, the eggs sell out fast, so get here early!

Apriums from Collins Family Orchards. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Yay! More fruit!!! Yep, these are first-of-the-season apriums from Collins Family Orchards. They are a cross between apricots and plums, leaning to the apricot side. Collins also has Tieton cherries now, too!

Rosato d'Sangiovese from Tefft Cellars. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Tefft Cellars has just released their 2010 Rosato d’Sangiovese. Tefft Cellars is a winery based in Outlook, Washington, and they make a wonderful variety of wines, many of which they bring to Market with them. In fact, with July 4th just around the corner, you might want to avail yourself of their wine box— a great value, and it’ll take the edge off of all the invading hordes coming into Wallingford on Monday!

Sage Saskill of 5 Cent Architecture Advice. Photo copyright 2011 by Zachary D. Lyons.

You know, not everything at your Wallingford Farmers Market is edible. But then again, not everything in life is, either. And in these difficult economic times, we need to make the best out of the homes that we have. That’s where Sage Saskill and his 5 Cent Architecture Advice comes in. It’s kinda modeled on Lucy’s advice stand in Peanuts, but with more skill and less attitude! Pick Sage’s brain about all things about your house. You’ll find a nickel can go a long way. And hey, he’s got nice legs, too, right?

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 Wallingford Farmers Market this week. For a full accounting of what you will find, check out What’s Fresh Now!