Alaska Life

Market Fresh: Popular fisheries open on final tax filing day

April 15th is traditionally the income tax filing deadline. While that was adjusted this year, it's generally not a well-loved day.

Unless you're a fan of Alaska seafood.

Dannon Southall of 10th & M Seafoods says several popular fisheries opened on the 15th, including Southeast troll king salmon and Prince William Sound shrimp, both side stripe and spot.

"The weather was not the best but a fair amount of boats were able to get out and catch a few troll kings," Southall says. "We will have both head-on and cleaned fish as well as fillets in house all week. There will be a few whites mixed in. Please call ahead of time for those.

"We received our first delivery of spots on Saturday and they were big and beautiful. Fresh spot shrimp will be delivered all week long."

Southall says fresh cod, black cod, rockfish, halibut and halibut cheeks will be available this week too.

Farmers market

Turmeric takes a starring role at the Center Market this week.

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Julie Meer of Farm 779 says the spice is great not just for flavor but for health. And the Farm 779 booth will have golden turmeric kraut and ginger-turmeric kombucha this week.

"According to Health Remedies Journal, turmeric does more than make our food taste fabulous," Meer says. "When ingested with a small amount of black or cayenne pepper, the curcumin in turmeric root allows the blood to flow better by improving the health of the blood vessels. Because turmeric helps the circulation in the body and reduces inflammation, the purity of the blood will be better and the blood will be able to deliver nutrients to the body more effectively."

In addition to the turmeric items, Farm 779 will have coconut kefir, beet and carrot kvass, krauts and their "Perfect Snack," along with rosemary magnesium body butter and Lazy Mountain Gold skin care items.

Sweet Caribou will have loads of macarons and cupcakes at both markets. Wednesday's macarons include chocolate lovers, chocolate vanilla, chocolate coconut, birthday cake, orange creamsicle and raspberry lemonade. Saturday's macaron selection includes blueberry hibiscus, red velvet, chocolate mint, orange creamsicle, birthday cake and coconut lime. Cupcakes include Ravens Raspberry (chocolate cake, raspberry curd and vanilla bean buttercream) and Polar Bear Peanut Butter (chocolate cake, peanut butter mousse and peanut butter cream cheese).

Alex Davis of A.D. Farm says he is "reloaded on barley products" from Alaska Flour Co. That means plenty of cereal, pancake mix, couscous and cracked barley at both markets this week.

Davis also has a large selection of pork items, including chops, loin roast, fresh side, breakfast sausage patties, bones, fat, feet and hocks. He also will have three colors of carrots, beets, cabbage and potatoes; eggs; and Alaska Sprouts items.

La Grassa will be at both markets this week featuring a new asparagus and fontina ravioli. Other items include original and spinach hand-cut noodles; basil strozzapreti; Alaska kohlrabi, broccoli and asiago ravioli; Alaska roasted parsnip, goat cheese and herb ravioli; vegan sweet potato, cashew ricotta and leek ravioli; and Alaska potato gnocchi.

Rempel Family Farm will be at Saturday's market with 10 kinds of potatoes, purple carrots, beets, daikon radishes, parsnips and green cabbage, along with yak meat.

Also at the market this week: Mosquito Mama with a balsamic vinegar sauce; the Bannock Shack with fry bread; and Country Health Foods with beef, yak, lamb, honey, salsa and other items. Country Health Foods will be at Duane's Top Shelf Artisan Market in the Valley on Friday and Saturday.

Doggie day

Drool Central will set up at Alaska K9 Aquatics, 549 W. International Airport Road, from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday. Daisy Nicolas says she will have a new crunchy treat, CarroBeets, which are made from Alaska grown carrots and red beets.

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

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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