Anchorage Daily News

Alex Davis of A.D. Farms says it best: "Things are getting good."

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If you enjoy Alaska's vegetable bounty, now is the season. The Alaska State Fair begins Thursday and everyone knows that huge vegetables always take center stage at the fair. The veggies available at local farmers' markets won't be as large but they will be tasty.

Davis will be at today's Northway Mall market and at the Center Market on Saturday. He'll have fresh eggs, green beans, peanut potatoes, French fingerling potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, sugar snap peas, snow peas, tomatoes, cabbage, several varieties of lettuce, cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, fava beans, beets, carrots, purple carrots and Brussels sprouts. He also has jams for sale and is taking names for a waiting list for freezer pigs.

Also at today's Northway Mall market will be the Rempel Family Farm. Mark Rempel says Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, green beans, carrots, parsnips and other items will be at the stand. The family will also be at Saturday's South Anchorage Farmers Market.

Others at the South Anchorage market include:

• Glacier Valley Farms with zucchini, tomatoes and a limited number of strawberries.

• VanderWeele Farms with celery, carrots, beets, broccoli, jumbo yellow onions, Yukon gold potatoes, red and green cabbage, several varieties of cauliflower and lettuce, and radishes.

• Stockwell Farms will have a great selection of new potatoes, green beans, onions and zucchini.

• Arctic Choice Seafoods will have plenty of options for those planning end-of-summer barbecues and such. Get there early for the best selection of halibut, cod, sockeye salmon, silver salmon and rockfish fillets. Fresh king salmon fillets from Southeast are also available, along with shellfish including live oysters, clams and scallops.

• Rise & Shine Bakery will have 100 percent whole wheat sourdough and spent grain pan loaves and hearth loaves in fresh rosemary, Alaskan onion rye and dark chocolate and cherry.

At Saturday's Anchorage Farmers Market on 15th Avenue and Cordova Street, there will be a wide variety of vendors offering a little bit of everything. Vendors include Arctic Organics, Bushes Bunches, Seldovitsch Family Farm, Johnny Moose Farm, Stockwell Farm, VanderWeele Farm, Turkey Red Cafe, Northern Lights Oysters and Matanuska Creamery.

They will have veggies including beets, cauliflower, snow peas, shelling peas, turnips, pac choi, daikon, scallions, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots and radishes. Greens available include mizuna, Brussels sprouts tops, collards, mustard greens, kale (green, redbor, Red Russian and Toscano, spinach, various leaf lettuces, greens mix, dandelion greens, escarole, arugula and tat soi. Plenty of herbs are also available, along with cut flowers, apple trees, fresh rustic breads, cheddar cheese, ice cream, jams, halibut, fresh oysters and frozen rock cod.

And don't forget the option to pick your own produce at Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm, 4350 S. Bodenburg Loop Road. The farm is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. New this week are carrots and beets. There are about 30 other items still in the fields for harvesting.

With all the cauliflower available at the markets, why not try this recipe? It's easy, tasty and healthy.

Baked Cauliflower

1/2 large cauliflower

2 tbsp rice milk or soy milk

1/2 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs

1/2 cup chopped almonds, Brazil nuts or pistachio nuts

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, toss cauliflower with milk. Add bread crumbs, nuts, rosemary and parsley and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread cauliflower mixture on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until cauliflower is lightly browned and pierces easily with a sharp knife. Serves 4

-- "The Vegan Cook's Bible" (Pat Crocker)

Visit the markets

Here is a list of local markets:

Daily: Butte Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, Mile 12 Old Glenn Highway.

Wednesday: South Anchorage Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., south side of the Dimond Center; Wednesday Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Northway Mall parking lot; Wasilla Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., behind the Wasilla Public Library.

Friday: Friday Fling, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., pavilion across from the Visitor's Center in Palmer.

Saturday: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Subway/Cellular One Sports Center at the corner of Old Seward Highway and O'Malley Road; Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Center mall; Eagle River Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Business Boulevard and Old Glenn Highway.

Sunday: Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets.

Tuesday: Eagle River Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., Eagle River VFW Post parking lot.

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. If you have a suggestion for a future Market Fresh column, please contact him at sedwards@adn.com.

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