Thanksgiving Market this Sat…let the Holidays begin!

The feast is “on” at the Market this Saturday! (8th St at Main, 10-2) It will be a great place to start your weekend with a terrific line up of 26 farmers and vendors… tasty fresh veg and fruits…succulent pasture-raised meats, wild fish, farm eggs, wild mushrooms … (new!) creamy goats cheese, crispy-crusted breads, pastries, preserves, honey, fresh salsas, hummus, wine, fresh flower bouquets…and soaps, lotions, ceramics and wood crafts to get you in the gift-giving mood. Even a few Christmas trees and wreaths this week …buy this Saturday or order for the Dec. 1st Market.
So…who’s coming? Maybe just too many to list ..so go to http://maps.managemymarket.com/690 and click on the map. It will be updated the Thursday before each market this winter…you can see who is coming , where they will be in the Market .

For produce this Saturday we have Rick Steffens Farm…Rick will actually be the one selling …good time to chat with him and let him know how you like his produce! He will have : Sweet potatoes, chard, German Butter Ball potatoes (can’t you just taste them smashed with butter and sour cream?), cauliflower, green beans,onions, shallots, beets, tons of different Winter squash, including pie pumpkins,spinach and vibrant colored pepper bouquets.

Pitkin Winterrowd Farm will have kale, collards, baby turnips…(lovely eaten raw with a dip or roasted) garlic, onions and quince…now quince is a new one to most of us and often thought to be the original fruit that tempted Eve in THE Garden! Looks like an apple crossed with a pear…but the smell is what will drive you nuts….heavenly! Peel, slice and poach or bake (might be good to try a slow cooker too) with honey and water. They turn a beautiful aromatic red and can be eaten just with cream or baked into a pie (cook ’em first).

Heavenly aromatic Quince….

Kiyokawa Orchards will have a  wonderful selection of apples and pears including many that are heirloom…and Family Table Farm will have produce too…don’t let anyone tell you there is no local produce in the winter..ha!

Hansen Family Farms will have fresh-dug Horseradish..simple to make into sauce…just add a little cream before you serve http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_prepare_horseradish/, and Homemade Apple Pie Filling in quart jars , perfect size for an apple pie.  Grass-Fed and Finished Beef including a good selection of roasts, stew meat, ground beef, suet, and back again…delicious Pepper Sticks!  Gotta get them fast .. they’re a favorite with customers! Check out Christie’s blog on their web site: http://www.hansenfamilyfarm.com/

Sweet Home Farms ( http://www.sweethomefarms.com/)will be bringing big plump chickens (5lbs and over) ..a delicious alternative to turkey, plus ham slices, pork hocks for making great soup, beef roasts and jerky, Polish and summer sausage. Anna’s “farm” greetings cards, soaps and leather polish will be available too. Boondockers Farm will have eggs and be taking orders for holiday heirloom ducks!

Joining us for the first time is Portland Creamery with amazing award-winning goat’s cheese..make sure you stop by and have a taste of this fine cheese..in addition to cheeses Liz makes Cajeta (goat milk caramel)…think crepes, dipped cookies, on poached pears or apples (or quince!)…or over ice-cream…wow!

Just some of Kiyokawa Orchards selection….

Big Foot Bread is baking up a storm in their new digs ..on Main St just 2 blocks away…so look for new items on their table this Saturday. La Provence will have all the usual crusty breads and pastries plus pumpkin scones and pumpkin spice loaf. Diana’s Delights will have jams, relishes, chutneys and the ever popular Lemon Curd. Plus melt-in-the-mouth Rugelach Pastries…(which freeze well )and Diana will be taking orders for her traditional (and limited) Christmas Puddings…available at the last two markets in December. For Canine treats Aunt Tammy will have Thanksgiving/Fall theme pumpkin dog biscuits! Yummy flavor, fun shapes, in both regular and gluten-free offerings…nice hostess gift:)

Always amazingly fresh fish from Wild Oregon…

Wild Oregon will have fresh Dungeness Crab AND Razor Clams, plus Sea Bass and Ling Cod…frozen Albercore Tuna, Chinook, and a great appetizer…Smoked Chinook Spread. email wildoregon.robin@gmail.com for orders to be picked up at the Market.

Natures Wild Harvest will have some meaty Chantrelle Mushrooms for the feast…delicious sauteed in a little butter/olive oil , white wine, garlic and sea-salt..or chopped fine and added to gravy.

Fresh, seasonal salsas..excite your taste buds!

..for appetizer ideas…Green Card Salsa and the Hummus Stop have a nice selection …and Olympic Provisions have many different flavors of salami…you can “graze” the Market…taste them all.

C&K Flowers have a green house of dahlias they’ll be cutting for this market.

On the gifty side…a new item for Utopia Woodcrafters are their Cedar Grilling Planks..set of 3, great for grilling fish, meat or veggies and made with Oregon -grown Western Red Cedar . Check out their “wine-lovers” Adirondak Chairs too…never knock a glass off the arm again! Good gift ideas…and made locally:)Soaps and Lotion from Daisy Fed, unique hand-turned wood items from Spindles and Fiber , ceramics from Darris Dietz …even fresh dahlias bouquets from C and K Flowers!

Hot food and drinks! Mitzil Restaurant’s empanadas… and Savory et Sweet Crepes! This week is the return of a favorite! Blusabi Beef with Oregon grass fed shredded beef with blusabi sauce and red onion. Or how about a Cranberry Chicken to get you in the mood for Thanksgiving? Also offered is a crepe featuring Portland Creamery’s award winning chevre. See the latest details Friday night at their facebook page: www.facebook.savory.et.sweet.com and become a fan! The Soup is Cream of Winter squash ~ Thai style with lime, coconut, ginger and red curry. It’s served with (optional) cranberry creme fraiche and La Provence Cranberry Walnut rustic bread. (gluten free chips or bread also available) Stop by and see Savory et Sweet’s selections of frozen soup, available by the quart for you to serve at home! (All of Chris’s soups are gluten & dairy free) What a help for the  holidays!

Winter Squash..so easy to prepare..and so delicious.

Live music  (and back by popular demand) are The Cafe Cowboys…10.30am-2pm…rain or shine! OK so it will probably be wet…who cares…where else are you going to find such a great line up of quality foods…Give Thanks and Eat Local this year!…Market schedule for Dec…1st, 15th AND 22nd, then just the 1st and 3rd Sat of the month through April…pick up a schedule “bookmark” at the Info. Booth…we take Debit, Oregon Trail ($5 match too!)…and WIC.