A farmers market sweetheart opens an Anchorage storefront

When James Strong started selling Sweet Caribou macarons at Anchorage farmers markets a couple years ago he didn't have a grand plan for the future.

In fact, he says, "we thought the baking would only last a summer."

Well, that's certainly changed.

After starting its macaron-selling party at the Anchorage Market and Festival, Sweet Caribou moved to the Center Market and the South Anchorage Farmers Market.

And starting Thursday, Sweet Caribou has its own storefront selling the Parisian treats, along with other high-quality pastries and a new menu of lunch bowls.

"It was not our original intent to open a storefront, but it made sense since we have a steady stream of people looking to pick up macarons on nonmarket days," Strong says. "We realized there was a real demand for quality pastries.

"We were also inspired by our trips to Paris. The most enjoyable part of visiting French patisseries, besides the actual pastries, is the design and experience of the storefront. We realized there was nothing quite like it in Alaska, so we sought to create that experience with an Alaskan flare."

Sweet Caribou's grand opening is 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at 701 W. 36th Ave., at the intersection of 36th Avenue and Arctic Boulevard. The store faces 36th Avenue.

Regular hours at the store will be 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays. Opening the store does impact Sweet Caribou's regularity at the farmers markets.

"Farmers markets have been key to our success," Strong says. "Farmers markets are a great way to test an idea and connect with the community. We are grateful to the managers of the Center Market and South Anchorage Farmers Market for all the work they do!

"We will continue to do Saturday farmers markets, but unfortunately we will have to give up the Center Market on Wednesdays."

Sweet Caribou's last Wednesday at the Center Market will feature lemon lavender, Fred Flintstone, blood orange, chocolate cherry, chocolate vanilla, Mexican hot chocolate and rose lychee macarons.

By adding a storefront and a large kitchen, Strong says Sweet Caribou is expanding to offer lunch bowls. The lunch bowls will feature local ingredients and made-from-scratch dressings. Deliveries are available 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, and in-store pickup is available Tuesday-Friday.

This Saturday at the South Anchorage market, Sweet Caribou will have chai tea, triple lemon, birthday cake, passionfruit, pistachio chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate, vanilla vanilla and Fred Flintstone macarons. The cupcake selection includes key lime and carrot cake, and there will be other assorted sweet treats.

At the markets

This week is National Farmers Market Week through Saturday. Why not head to your favorite market to celebrate?

Mountain View Famers Market: It is Kids Day at the market on Thursday. Caitlin Taylor says the market is teaming up with thread, local services organization, and Cricket Wireless to make the market a fun-filled place for young and old alike. Thread will have free books, snacks and storytime for youngsters, while Cricket Wireless will have a bouncy house and Pokemon costumes. The market will also have free face-painting and a market sandbox.

Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop is joining the market this week with fresh baked goods. Other vendors include Alley Berry with hand-picked raspberries and loads of vendors with fresh Alaska produce.

Anchorage Farmers Market: Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics says the "natural irrigation" has been great at the farm. And this week there will be loads of carrots, sugar-snap peas, green cabbage, snow apple and purple top turnips, zucchini, broccoli, beets, fennel, radishes, lettuces, greens and much more.

Other vendors include Brown Dog Farm, Mom's Garden, Seldovitch Farm, Stockwell Farm, VanderWeele Farm, Vang Family Farm, Alaska Sea-Ag fertilizers and Turkey Red baked goods.

Spenard Farmers Market: The market is hopping with loads of produce vendors, including Chugach Farms, Dinkel's Veggies, Black Bear Farm, Brown Dog Farm, Simple Living Farm, the Ba-Lescas Brothers and the Sedovitsch Family Farm. "Don't forget to bring your growler because we'll have kombucha on tap from Zip Kombucha," market manager Andrea Trent says.

Center Market: In addition to Sweet Caribou's final Wednesday trip to the market, Alex Davis will be at the market on both Wednesday and Saturday with a variety of items. Davis has a note for hunters: "When you are looking to make your own sausage or burger, I have pork fat in 5-pound bags." Davis' other pork items include bratwurst, loin roast, chops, fresh side, Italian sausage, spicy sausage, breakfast sausage patties, roast, bone, liver and other cuts. Davis also has carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, radishes, kohlrabi, collard greens, beet greens, five varieties of lettuce and other produce. He also has sprouts, microgreens, tofu and basil from Alaska Sprouts.

With the recent news of a salmonella outbreak identified in alfalfa sprouts, SJ Klein of Alaska Sprouts says customers needn't fear their local sprouts.

"We don't use alfalfa in any of our products," Klein says. "We switched to clover years ago because there have been fewer outbreaks associated with it and because we like clover sprouts better. The clover we use comes from a different supplier and has been retested by our vendor since the outbreak.

"We also test all our sprouts for salmonella and E. coli before packaging, and our clover has tested negative. We also test for listeria."

Duane Clark and Country Health Foods will be at Wednesday's market with snow apple turnips, carrots, beets, heirloom tomatoes, English cucumbers, honey and grass-fed beef and yak. Country Health Foods also will be at the Muldoon Farmers Market and the Friday Fling in Palmer.

Muldoon Farmers Market: "Celebrate National Farmers Market Week with a whole alphabet of fresh, Alaska grown vegetables this Saturday at Muldoon Farmers Market," says Jerrianne Lowther. "Root crops are doing great. Fill up the freezer with Alaska shrimp, Kodiak scallops or fresh-caught red salmon from The Shrimp Guy."

Lowther says fresh bread, homemade organic ice cream, heirloom tomatoes and cauliflower in every imaginable color will be at the market.

South Anchorage Farmers Market: Nearly 30 vendors are lined up for Saturday's market, and the Antique Power Club will have a display of vintage farm tractors. Among the vendor highlights are Farm 779 with hot and extra hot kimchi, three varieties of coconut kefir, krauts and beet kvass; La Grassa will have squid ink noodles along with several other types of pasta including vegan white bean and Alaskan kale ravioli; after a week off, Rise & Shine Bakery will be at the market with Alaskan potato, spent grain, onion rye, Kalamata olive and dark chocolate and cherry breads; and Arctic Choice will have sockeye and coho salmon, halibut, rockfish, oysters, Prince William Sound side stripe shrimp and other seafood favorites.

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.

Local farmers markets

Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-7 p.m., Palmer Depot

Tuesday outside of Anchorage: Eagle River Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., VFW Post parking lot; Farmers Fresh Market, 3-6 p.m., 33955 Community College Drive, Soldotna; Southside Community Farmer's Market, 4-7 p.m., Intercultural Assembly of God, Fairbanks

Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Northway Mall Wednesday Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Northway Mall; South Anchorage Wednesday Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Dimond Center

Wednesday outside of Anchorage: Homer Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., Ocean Drive near the Washboard; Soldotna Wednesday Market, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Soldotna Creek Park; Tanana Valley Farmers Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks; Wasilla Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Iditapark, Wasilla

Thursday in Anchorage: APU Farmers Market, noon-6 p.m., 4101 University Drive; Mountain View Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., 3543 Mountain View Drive

Thursday in Peters Creek: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-8 p.m., American Legion Post 33, 21643 Old Glenn Highway

Friday outside of Anchorage: Friday Fling, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., across from the Visitor's Center; Willow Farmers Market, 2-7 p.m., Mile 69 Parks Highway

Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; Anchorage Market & Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Third Avenue and E Street; Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Muldoon Farmers Market, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Begich Middle School; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., O'Malley Sports Center; Spenard Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 2555 Spenard Road

Saturday outside of Anchorage: Homer Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Ocean Drive near the Washboard; Kenai Saturday Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 11471 Kenai Spur Highway; Nenana Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Civic Center on Main Street; Tanana Valley Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks

Sunday in Anchorage: Anchorage Market & Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Third Avenue and E Street

Sunday in Fairbanks: Tanana Valley Farmers Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road