Help Farm 779 celebrate its fifth anniversary at three markets this week.
"What began as a simple, medium-sized sustainable peony farm has evolved into flowers, ferments and honey bees," says owner Julie Meer. "Opportunity in the Last Frontier is amazing!"
Look for Farm 779's always-popular fermented vegetables, kombucha and coconut oil-based body products at the Center Market on Wednesday and Saturday, and again at Duane's Top Shelf Artisan Market in the Valley on Friday.
The Center Market will have a large lineup of its regular vendors this week.
Alaska Black Cod will have smoked black cod, along with frozen lingcod, halibut, scallops, black cod, salmon and yelloweye rockfish. They also have fish stock, available in quart-size bags.
A.D. Farm has a full selection of pork, including suckling pigs, loin roast, pork chops, fresh side sliced and slab, ground pork, Italian sausage, spicy sausage, breakfast sausage patties, ribs, roast, bone for broth, fat, liver, feet and hocks. Alex Davis also has pork dog treats.
Davis' vegetables include: four colors of carrots; three varieties of beets; Yukon gold, German butterball, rose Finn and lemhi potatoes; and cabbage. Also available on Wednesday and Saturday are fresh eggs, items from Alaska Sprouts including tofu and a wide selection of barley products.
La Grassa will be at both markets this week with fresh pasta. Options include original, spinach and lemon pepper hand-cut noodles, all available as fettuccine, tagliatelle and pappardelle. Other options include Alaska squash, goat cheese and almond ravioli; Parmesan and Alaska potato gnocchi; garlicky green and pecorino ravioli; caramelized onion, Alaska potato and asiago ravioli; and vegan-roasted Alaska parsnip and mushroom ravioli.
Sweet Caribou is back at the Center Market on both days this week with its sweet treats, including a new macaron flavor -- strawberry balsamic. "This savory flavor contains a balsamic strawberry ganache with a strawberry puree center," says James Strong. Other macarons this week include Fred Flintstone, lavender milk chocolate, chai tea, chocolate cherry, and bananas Foster. On Saturday, they will add chocolate marshmallow, ginger lime and a dairy-free blood orange chocolate. "Back by popular demand, we will be featuring our hazelnut chocolate brown butter and sea salt (Rice Krispies) treats, as well as our signature cupcakes -- snowshoe hare and campfire delight," Strong says.
Country Health Foods will have new jalapeno and "napalm" jams at the market on Wednesday. That's in addition to the normal lineup of jams, honey, honeycomb, zucchini relish, salsa, and grass-fed beef and yak. Country Health Foods also is at the MTA Sports Center on Friday and Saturday.
On Saturday, Rempel Family Farm will have 11 varieties of potatoes, three kinds of beets, two types of winter squash, carrots, daikon radishes, snow apple turnips, parsnips and green cabbage. The Rempels also will have yak meat.
Monica's Confection Connection will be at both markets with a variety of brittles.
Pop-up for the puppies
Drool Central will have a pop-up showing at Fido's Playground, 700 W. International Airport Rd., on Wednesday and Saturday. Daisy Nicolas will have her usual fresh-baked treats and fresh-frozen meals available at the new indoor dog park.
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Monday in the Valley: Depot Farm Market, noon-6 p.m., Palmer Depot
Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Friday in the Valley: Duane's Top Shelf Farmers Market, 2-7 p.m., 1507 N. Double B St., Palmer
Saturday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Saturday in the Valley: Duane's Top Shelf Farmers Market, noon-7 p.m., 1507 N. Double B St., Palmer