Food and Drink

The crazy weather hasn't slowed the seafood world

Southcentral's weather has been on a bit of a roller coaster lately – chilly, warmer, snow and sunshine.

The crazy weather hasn't slowed the seafood world.

"Even though it is subzero outside, the seafood world is ablaze," says Dannon Southall of 10th & M Seafoods. "The weather for the most part has been cooperating throughout the state, allowing fishermen to go out and target these winter treats. This week a couple of fresh seafood options are coming in from Southeast Alaska."

Get that boiling pot out: Fresh shrimp, crawfish

Southall says fresh side stripe shrimp and fresh troll-caught king salmon are both expected in the store. The kings average about 12 pounds, and there are plenty of white kings available this week.

For shrimp lovers, now is the time to act.

"This will be one of the last weeks to enjoy these wonderful cold-water shrimp as the season closes in Southeast at the end of the month," Southall says.

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Gulf of Alaska seafood continues to roll in too, with Pacific cod fillets available for $5.95 per pound.

Southall says those gearing up for a celebrating Mardi Gras on Tuesday can get a taste of down-home Louisiana delivered to the far north. 10th & M is planning to have live and fresh boiled crawfish, along with alligator meat, fresh headed and cleaned catfish, and catfish fillets in the store.

The crawfish will arrive in Anchorage on Fat Tuesday, Southall says. Preorder by Thursday.

Thankful Thursdays

It seems like something new is always appearing at the Thankful Thursdays market. This week, Classy Glass Expressions will be part of the market with jewelry.

Liz Eldridge of The Spice & Tea Exchange is keeping with the Mardi Gras theme. She will have a variety of appropriate spices, including Cajun Seasoning, Crab and Shrimp Boil, Sweet Heat and some recipe bundles "to make for a fun and easy celebration," she says.

Nonessentials will be at the market with Alaska birch and berry syrups, plain banana bread, rhubarb chocolate chip banana bread, full-sized apple pies, honey, eggs and seasoned pistachios.

Farm 779 will have small batch brewed ginger and ginger turmeric kombucha, along with four varieties of coconut kefir, three options of kvass, spiced krauts and blends, body care products and other items.

Duane Clark will have grass-fed beef and yak meat, smoked salmon, side stripe shrimp, scallops, black cod, potatoes, carrots, salsa, zucchini relish and honey.

Alaska Pasta Co. will have a gluten-free fettuccine and five varieties of ravioli.

Three Bears Farm will have a large selection of jams, including tomato pepper, carrot and walnut.

Drool Central will have a variety of treats for dogs. Many products feature Alaska seafood and vegetables.

Center Market

The thrice-weekly Center Market at The Mall at Sears has the taste of the U.S. Southwest this week.

Alex Davis and his family just returned from a vacation in New Mexico. ("It was our second family vacation since we started to farm 12 years ago," he says.) During the vacation, he took a side trip to Hatch, home of the famous peppers.

"I brought back three heat levels of Hatch sun-dried chili peppers," he says. "So if you want to shake the cold off with some internal heat, come get some peppers."

And, of course, there are lots of flavors of Alaska at Davis' booth, including his pasture-raised pork, storage vegetables, both goose and chicken eggs, fresh Alaska-grown live lettuce and spring mix, sprouts and microgreens from Alaska Sprouts, honey, grass-fed beef and barley products.

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Earthworks Farm will be at all three markets with Alaska honey and body care products made from local honey and beeswax.

"If you are from out of town or entertaining guests this Fur Rondy, we have our popular gift tin sets and a recently added honeycomb soap gift pack that includes our honey soap and a hand-crocheted face-cloth decorated with a lovely lamp glass bee," owner Dee Barker says.

Alaska Seeds of Change will be at Wednesday's market from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with kale, bok choi, chives, chard, chervil and a leaf lettuce mix.

On Saturday, Rempel Family Farm will have yak meat and a variety of vegetables, including carrots, kohlrabi, winter squash and potatoes.

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

Local farmers markets

Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-6 p.m., 610 S. Valley Way, Palmer

Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

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Thursday in Anchorage: Thankful Thursdays market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

Friday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

Saturday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. He writes the Market Fresh column weekly and can be reached akmarketfresh@gmail.com.

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