Anchorage Daily News

One of the best things about late summer in Alaska is the arrival of the sweet orange gold at local farmers' markets. Most people call them carrots.

And most people expect them to be orange.

Alex Davis of A.D. Farms has a surprise waiting at his booth at today's Northway Mall market and Saturday's Central Market at the University Center -- purple, dark purple, white and yellow carrots, in addition to the traditional orange.

"They all taste different than each other, and they look beautiful," Davis says. "It makes a carrot rainbow."

And if you want to try them out but don't have the time to shop, Davis says Orso and Suite 100 restaurants are featuring his colorful carrots.

Other items for sale at his booth this week include cabbage, Brussels sprouts, lots of potatoes (peanut, Yukon gold, white, red, French fingerling), beets, fava beans, green beans, yellow beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and other items.

For folks who work downtown -- or those who might be planning a little trip for the holiday weekend -- Glacier Valley Farms will be participating in the new F Street farmers market from noon to 6 p.m. Friday. It will take place in the new pedestrian corridor between Sixth and Seventh avenues on F Street.

For those planning a weekend barbecue, Dannon Southall at 10th & M Seafoods says there are plenty of options. The shop has fresh coho salmon available, with headed and gutted fish going for $4.95 per pound and fillets for $7.95. If you're looking for some white fish for the grill, headed and gutted halibut are $7.95 per pound and fillets are $12.95, while cod fillets are $5.95. "A good stock of shellfish have been coming out of the waters in the Southeast as well as great Alaskan oysters out of the Cordova area," Southall says.

One of summer's treats is corn. And while it's hard to come by in Alaska, Arthur Keyes of Glacier Valley Farm will have it at today's South Anchorage Farmers Market at the Dimond Center and Saturday in both Eagle River and at the South Anchorage Market at O'Malley Road and Old Seward Highway. It is $1 an ear and "the quality is the best I have ever seen," Keyes says.

Joining Keyes at the Saturday South Anchorage market will be Mark Rempel with carrots, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, fennel bulbs, several kinds of winter squash, green beans, four kinds of beets and other items. He will also be at today's Northway Mall market. Also at the market will be Arctic Choice Seafood with fresh halibut, cod, silver salmon and rockfish fillets. They also will have king crab, jumbo spot shrimp, clams, oysters and scallops.

The Anchorage Farmers Market at 15th Avenue and Cordova Street will have plenty of vegetables available for holiday weekend shoppers. Items include tomatoes, carrots, beets, shelling peas, snow peas, kohlrabi, pac choi and lots of greens, including mizuna, broccoli raab, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, rainbow chard, kale, tat soi, sorrel and arugula. Other items at the market include fresh baked goods, Matanuska Creamery dairy products, fresh oysters and frozen cod and halibut from Nikiski.

For those looking to save a few dollars and spend some time in the field, new items at Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm include artichokes and large cabbage perfect for sauerkraut. Katie Pyr ah says everything is still available, but the selection on some high-demand items is getting low.

Radicchio and walnut rolls

1 teaspoon butter

10 radicchio leaves

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shelled walnuts, finely chopped

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease an ovenproof dish with butter.

Blanch the radicchio leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes, then remove and drain on paper towels.

Combine the ricotta, walnuts, egg yolk and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture among the radicchio leaves, roll up and place in the prepared dish.

Bake for about 15 minutes.

Visit the markets

Here is a list of local markets:

Daily: Butte Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 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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