Sunday, July 4, 2010

Market Notes ~ Celebrating July 4th With a Visit to the Market's Food Vendors


What could be a more fitting way to celebrate July 4th, our Independence Day,
 than to gather with family and community at your local farmers markets where you can enjoy friendship with  neighbors and can meet and support those who grow and prepare the foods you eat. On this weekend of celebration let's give thanks for all we have in our land of the free and home of the brave.




I've taken you around the market many times in the past several years to visit the farmers
 who grow produce and nursery stock, but I haven't featured our amazing prepared food vendors.
  Foods from around the world are represented in the Beaverton Farmers Market 
so let's meet a few of the vendors.

 Country Grains serves strawberry shortcake and waffles through the berry season.




Zest Crepes always has a long line of customers waiting
 for her wonderful sweet and savory crepes




Fetzer's serves up perfectly grilled sausages on a bun with all the fixings.
I often buy uncooked brats and buns and grill them at home.  Sehr gut.




Hoda's shawarma and falafel are  huge market favorites. 





Canby Asparagus makes the most delicious deep fried asparagus and onion rings you've ever tasted. 




Quesadillas are heaped with fresh veggies and served with a dynamite salsa.




Customers are waiting in line at 8:00 am when the market opens to order
 this scrumptious breakfast omelet.  It's large enough to serve a family of four.




Pacific Pie Co. serves Aussie style pies.
The crust is perfectly flaky and the fillings are creative and delicious.
I had a chicken and veggie pie yesterday.  Yummo.




Quinn's is a new booth at the market and serves ready to cook, fresh
  Dungeness crab cakes.  
You can imagine how popular this booth is!




Rachael's serves up all-American burgers, fries and shakes.
Always a big favorite.




I've written about my good friend, Moh, in the past. She and her family
are from Laos and prepare wonderful Thai food.  Her booth is right across the aisle from mine
and I can smell all her tasty menu items cooking, so Thai food is on my mind much of the time.



Smokin' Rose fires up their barbecue and starts cooking ribs and pork butt very early. 
I arrive at 5:30 am and they have already begun preparing the day's menu.
Vendors are dedicated to bringing the very best to market shoppers
and take great pride in the quality of food they serve.  
We love them!



A warm summer day at the market wouldn't be complete without a scoop of gelato from Alotto Gelato.
Don't you just love that name?
Their selection varies from week to week.
They will soon have cantaloupe, which is my favorite.
A scoop of chocolate and a scoop of coconut tastes just like an Almond Joy. 

So....you've had a little tour of the prepared food vendors at the market.
Can you imagine having a meal choice like this every week?
I hope you've enjoyed your visit and will come back again soon for more market news.

Happy July 4th Everyone.
I hope you have a joyful and safe holiday weekend.

34 comments:

  1. I'm volunteering to work your "space" at the farmers' market. I'll work for food!! Our market, while wonderful, does not offer all those choices. I'd be hard pressed to decide where to eat.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. It's like walking around our own farmer's market minus the gelato, strawberry shortcakes and crab cakes. I start every Saturday morning with a buckwheat crepe. Thanks for sharing. I love these kinds of stories.

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  3. Wow - that's some amazingly good sounding stuff, I think I'd go every week just to eat, including some of your nuts of course. Living in a bigger city does have it's advantages - I checked out a few of their websites.

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  4. I really love this blog! The Dungeness Crab Cakes really caught my eye! Glad to see someone bring that tasty crab to the people! Thanks for always having such a great blog! Just seeing your pictures and reading it makes me feel like I have had a trip back home to the Northwest!

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  5. Not fair to put up such a post without a warning for those of us reading before breakfast!....nothing will seem good enough now!
    You are, indeed, fortunate to have such a wonderful market so close by. When I get to Portland (I want to see the roses!) there will have to be a trip to the market.

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  6. What a market!! I cannot believe the variety of food. Wish I was able to stop by...of course, I would weigh a lot more when I left! Great post.

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  7. Wow! Looks so neat and so delicious, both!

    Hope you have a wonderful, Fourth, Cathy!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  8. What a fun tour!! And no...I can't imagine- I'd never be able to choose! =) Happy 4th!

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  9. You left out the best booth at the market... The Bavarian Nut Co. =o) But the Canby Asparagas Farm is a good runner up. Amazing food!

    Great pictures!!!

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  10. Thanks, Erin. That very sweet of you to say so. I hope you will come visit next weekend and bring our adorable little kiddos with you.

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  11. Yeah, when do we get to see YOU & YOUR book, Cathy!! "The Bavarian Nut Co." needs to be featured, too. :-)

    I envy you all this access to such wonderful goodies.

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  12. Happy 4th! That looks like some good food!

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  13. What a wonderful place to visit especially for the Fourth! I can't believe all the wonderful foreign foods too. I would love to have a place like this nearby. They would not be able to keep me away:)

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  14. What a fabulous market Cathy!
    I would love to see your stall sometime!
    I happen to adore those nuts...
    L~xo

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  15. Hi Cathy and Happy 4th....atleast for the next 16 minutes...eastern Time!...this market looks fabulous...but what in the world is a Shawarma?

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  16. Happy 4th of July! I'm impressed with the variety of prepared foods available at the market. I would love to have a couple of those crab cakes and Thai food.

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  17. Cathy, you are not going to believe this! I dragged my daughter-in-law out yesterday morning because all I wanted to do was hit the Farmer's Market here near her home in south FL- IT WAS CLOSED!! I almost cried, but they closed for the Fourth! Grrrr... Off we go today....
    xoxo Pattie

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  18. I would never make up my mind with so many delicious choices:-) I would also have to wear shorts with an elastic waist.
    Joyce

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  19. Thanks so much for the taste tour! I wish I wasn't all the way across the country! o:)

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  20. What a great place to spend the day at least no one could complain there was nothing to eat!! It satifies any type of cuisine you would like!

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  21. What a fun look at the food vendors, Cathy! I was interested to see the falafel...I've seen two blogs about that this weekend. I really think I'm going to have to try to make it.

    I think I'd be tempted by the BBQ booth too. I love ribs and I bet these are good ones.

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  22. Hi Cathy,
    Everything looks so gorgeous and delicious. Hope you had lots of fun!!
    Love,
    Lia.

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  23. I love your market tours, Cathy. Everything looks wonderfully delicious. Have a fabulous day. Blessings...Mary

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  24. My boys would love to visit these booths, they'll probably try everything! What a lovely market you have! Happy belated July 4th to you Cathy

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  25. What a wonderful place to spend a day! Wish we had something like that around here :) Hope you had a great holiday.

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  26. I love your part of the world and all the wonderful foods and wines when I've been lucky enough to travel up there. This was my first visit to your blog and I'll definitely be back soon. I'll just enjoy the northwest through your wonderful photos until I can get back there.

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  27. I'd be waddling by the time I left from the amount of food I would eat. What a neat place.

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  28. Wonderful photos! It all looks delicious. I think I'm going to hop over to Hoda's for a little shawarma and falafel next Saturday! :)

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  29. I would have to work my way through all of those booths! I wish we had something like that here.
    Everything looks amazing...what to pick??
    I love the tours of the market, thank you!
    Alotto gelato..LOL

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  30. I would have to arrive very early and stay very late just to be able to have time to taste everything! This is a wonderful market! Wait until you see my pictures of our little market! ;)

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  31. This post made me hungry! The quesadillas look amazing to me.

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  32. Aren't these the very best get togethers!
    Great food along with great company.

    I can see that you enjoyed your celebratory day very much ;o)

    Flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

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  33. OK, now you have done it. I am starving for everything here. It all looks so good. Where do I start?

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Thanks so much for visiting. I hope you enjoyed my blog and will leave a comment or two. And come back again of course ~ Cathy