Harvested goodies at Farmers Markets Sierra Vista Farmers Market In season: Mounds of juicy cantaloupes, honeydews, and watermelon grace the growers' tables again this week along with many varieties of apples, pears, grapes and peaches. Summer produce is still going strong with eggplants in fabulous shades of pink and purple, hot and bell peppers galore, summer AND winter squash in all shapes and sizes, okra, rhubarb, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, flowers, elephant & regular garlic, and shallots. New Vendor: Peggy Bryant, Bisbee's steel drum band teacher, has launched a new enterprise, Bisbee's Favorite Pies, and will sell pecan, crème, fruit and berry pies at both markets. Peggy and her partner Alfonso took over Charlie Lewis' pie business and trained with him. Their own new creations, mango and mango raisin pies, sold out quickly so they will make a lot more of these this week. They plan to keep creating new pies and will pay attention to people's need for sugar-free pies, currently with Splenda versions but they will experiment with healthier natural sweetners such as agave nectar and stevia. Pies are sold whole or by the piece and they'll be offering samples too. Arizona's Dr. Hummus makes three kinds of hummus, stuffed grape leaves and a great eggplant dip (baba ganoush) for healthy and unusual finger foods for your next party. Pick them up at Paul Smith's Fruit, Nut & Candy Emporium. Ask the Wyckoffs at Grammie's Garden for some of the most vibrant, deep purple eggplants and humongous & luscious red bell peppers along with Sue's arugala and Willcox sweet corn. Small Elfrida grower, Bob Berry, will bring Sugar Baby apples and heirloom Ben Davis cooking apples (great for pies) to both markets along with his colorful flower bouquets and Valley honey. New Product: Gray's Garden of Eat'n of Palominas will offer Oriental jewel melons that are yellow striped, firm and sweet and taste like honeydews along with beaucoup other fruits and vegetables and home-style Buzz Breads. Last week for San Simon chile grower Jane Wyatt at the market with her roaster and jalapeno and smoked jalapeno (chipotle) seasoning, relishes and jellies. Frank Vega will continue to roast his own green chile weekly until the harvest is over. New Product: Mama Llama will bring all her regular meat, dessert and vegetarian empanadas this week along with a new special Curried Albacore Tuna empanada. She shares a booth with retired fisherman, Max McCarty, who will have a new shipment of halibut in addition to his wild salmon and other ocean fish. New Products: Quince Preserves, Mango Salsa and Tomatillo Salsa made by the Simmons (Honey) family of Douglas who also can pickled garlic, dilly beans, baby onions and more, all with or without heat. Simmons Honey will bring desert honeys including the fresh crop of honeycomb in a box or jar and a complete line of other hive products to both markets. New Product: Esperanza Arevalo who brings all the mesquite, corn and regular flour tortillas to market along with three kinds of tamales, salsa and mesquite cookies and bread, uses local sweet corn, roasted green chiles and goat cheese to create her new Green Corn Tamale Pie. Prepared Foods: Jams, jellies, syrups, pickles, mesquite & prickly pear products, chia, BBQ sauce, chutney, relishes, Just Coffee, agave nectar, rubs, pinto beans, heirloom dried beans, herbal pasta, salami, dried fruits, nuts, gourmet goat cheeses & raw goat's milk, grass fed meats including holiday pastured turkeys to order, farm fresh eggs and ocean fish. Bisbee Farmers Market First and second place in last Saturday's Salsa Contest were won by market vendor Vernon Smith of Double Adobe (first) and Andrew Gittinger of Sierra Vista (2nd). Interestingly, both men hail from Texas and both like it hot. See their recipes below. This Week's Special Event: Gem & Mineral Show under the Special Events tree north of the bathrooms. Music is by Bisbee favorite folk blues guitarist and singer Pat Gahn. September and October bring fall produce, cooler temperatures and some of the market's most popular special events each week. Here's the calendar: Bisbee Farmers Market Fall Events Schedule Sept. 8 - Vegetable & Herb Gardening by Angela Brandt (around Brandts Plants next to Linda Green's chair massage tent). Sept. 15 - Fall Plant Sale with Sierra Vista Area Garden Club (Special Events Tree) Sept. 22 - Cooking with the Market (Market chefs prepare favorite foods with seasonal produce, sampling at the Special Events tree) Sept. 29 - Pie Baking Contest & Demo - enter a family favorite, sampling after judging at the Special Events tree Oct. 6 - 15th "Annual Fiber Arts Festival (with Bisbee Fiber Arts Guild) Oct. 13 - Plein Air Contest - Painters portray the market for prizes Oct. 20 - 2nd Annual Mesquite Milling with free Mesquite Pancake Breakfast - (bring dry mesquite pods to mill) Oct. 27 - Health, Harvest & Holiday Festival - (Costume contest for kids, chance to shop for holiday fare & decorations and unique gifts) New product: Janie Roberts of Willcox offers her Janie's Salsa Picante made with local tomatoes at Arnold Begay's silver jewelry booth. New Product: Mexican winter squash traditionally used for empanada filling and great baked with cinnamon, butter and brown sugar are available from the Elfrida Community Garden along with green onions, cucumbers, cut flowers, other summer and winter squash, arugala, basil and Italian parsley. New Vendor: Tom and Janice Desert Mountain Alpaca Ranch of Hereford raise alpacas as well as providing transportation, care and stud services. They give a free Herd Management class the 1st Saturday of each month at 9.m. Check out their web site at www.desertmtnalpaca.com and call ahead to see if the class will be held. They plan to be at the market every other Saturday with information about their services, alpaca fiber, hand spun alpaca yarn and 100% alpaca clothing including handmade socks and custom made slippers. "My husband and I cannot seem to keep our fingers out of their soft, lustrous fiber," says Janice, so stop by for a feel. Good Deal at the Market: The Beattys sell their organically raised, local heirloom apples for $1.00 a pound at both markets! Recipes lst Prize Winner: Vernon Smith's Three Pepper Salsa 4 roasted green chiles 3 roasted jalapenos 4 serranos 1/2 large red onion 6 cloves garlic 1 quart tomatoes, roasted salt, pepper and cumin to taste Dash of apple-cider vinegar 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Generous handful of chopped fresh cilantro Chop all ingredients and mix them in a large bowl. Serve with tortilla chips and beer. Second Prize: Andrew Gittinger's Gitt'Em Hot Salsa 24 Habanero chiles, 24 New Mexico Jims, 24 Fresno chiles, 24 Serrano chiles, 24 hot banana chiles, 24 Hot cherry tomato chiles 12 Thai chiles, 12 Chile paquin 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 Roma tomato, chopped Salt to taste 1/2 bottle Zesty Italian dressing Olive oil Chop all the chiles (wearing latex gloves is recommended). Mix the chiles, onion, garlic, tomato and dressing in a glass dish. Add salt to taste. Pour enough olive oil over the mixture to cover it. Cover the bowl and let sit for three days. Serve the salsa immediately or put it into jars and refrigerate it. Makes 1 gallon. |