Fall Farmers Market

Malika from Everything’s Better Sprouted visited market last Sunday and shared her visit on her blog. We loved it so much, we thought we would share it hear as well!

Beets

Happy Sunday! I have been crazy busy with my other job home staging, so I haven’t been in the kitchen as much this week. I went to the Coquitlam farmers market this morning and braved the rain. We got 5 minutes of sun and then it started raining again….. oh well. I still got lots of yummy fresh organic fall produce to use up this week. I got some beets, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, potatoes, pumpkin, squash and cucumber. I think I will be making some leek and cauliflower soup perhaps and some roasted beets……. I love getting home with my fresh produce and deciding what to make. I also got some beautiful local flowers to brighten up my table. I took my boyfriend with me and he grabbed some local havarti cheese, it looks divine. Too bad I can’t have any on my special diet right now, darn it!

carrots flowers-1

I always love going to the framers market! 🙂  I wish I could get it together to go every week. I just love buying fresh food that I know is locally grown and made with care. Even the flower bouquets I know were put together with love. Hand made local cheese, freshly baked bread and home grown food just tastes better, don’t you think?! I feel happy when I am supporting local farmers and business. If you haven’t been out to the Coquitlam framers market, you should give it a go before the weather gets ugly. 😉 Hopefully I can create some new recipes this week!

xx Malika

Zucchini

Sqaush Market-haul

Spotlight Vendor: Culinary Blossom

Culinary Blossom SpotlightSPOTLIGHT FEATURE SALE: This Sunday at the Poirier Street Farmers Market Culinary Blossom will be offering a special deal! Stop by their tent on Sunday and ask for the SPOTLIGHT DEAL: Tea! Buy 2 bags of tea and get the 3rd one free.

Q. Where does the passion behind Culinary Blossom come from?

The passion comes from a personal love of nature, food and flowers. Add to that a family background of farming and gardening and Culinary Blossom was born. My mom was an amazing gardener, so growing up climbing fruit trees to pick a snack, plucking juicy blackberries from vines behind the garage, or stopping to smell roses in the garden, is what fueled my passion. Our house was always filled with fresh food, flowers, family and friends. So combining food and flowers on a plate comes naturally for me…as does sharing my love of cooking and fresh local food with the community.

Q. What is your most popular item at market?

As I cook seasonally, whatever is in season seems to be most popular. Our handcrafted small batch preserves are always fresh and created from only pure, local food, just the way nature intended. If I had to pick a few, I’d say Nasturtium Pepper Jelly or Figgy Plum Petunia with Port Wine for appetizers, and Raspberry Verbena or Lavender Blackberry Jams to slather on buttered toast. That being said, Strawberry Rose Petal Jam is right up at the top as well. Not to be outdone by preserves is iced fruit teas in summer and hot mulled ones in the winter.

Q. What is your personal favourite flavour or blend?

Oh I wish I could say I had just one! Truth be told, I love the excitement that comes with each new season of food. Picking just one favourite would be like asking me, ‘which one of your kids do you love most?’ Impossible to answer! However that being said, anything blackberry is near the top of the list. Whether in jams, jellies, pies or teas they taste so good! I think it goes back to childhood memories of picking them off the vines behind the garage and gobbling up as many as I could before the telltale signs of a purple mouth gave me away! Add to that garden fresh herbs and flowers for my cuppa tea and you have just a few of my favourites.

Q. With cooler weather just around the corner, what new flavours and blends can shoppers look forward to?

The season of harvest brings so many wonderful flavours to choose from! There’s cranberry, apple and pear jams, jellies, chutney and sauces all lightly spiced and ready for Thanksgiving. As well, our West Coast Blueberry products (a delicious blend of blueberries and cranberries) are a tasty addition to any autumn menu. And look for roasted spiced nuts to add to cheese plates, fall salads or simply munch on.  In keeping with cooler weather, our sustainable loose-leaf teas become richer, darker and are filled with dried fruits, herbs and spices. Think warm spicy chai or hot mulled cranberry tea and of course herbal wellness blends to see us through the winter. Is it any wonder why we love the seasons so much?

Q. Why do you think farmers markets are important in the community?

My grandma and grandpa had a farm and farm-store on the Prairies. It was the hub of the community and it brought the community together. People knew where their food came from. Fast-forward to today and it’s no different. Farmers Markets connect people and bring the community together along with the food they eat. They educate, bring awareness to local food movements, changing environments and support small local business. Farmers Markets are modern day farm-stores to shop locally for the best, freshest in-season products. And from Culinary Blossom comes a very special thank you, as we have the pure joy of cooking local food for our Farmers Market community!

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