Food and Drink

Great holiday gift ideas can be found at Anchorage markets

As the holidays get closer, local farmers markets become an option for a variety of food and gift items. Check out the lineup at four local markets – the Center Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and Thankful Thursdays at the Mall at Sears, and the Colony Farmers Market on Mondays in Palmer.

Thankful Thursdays

Duane Clark, the organizer of the market and key vendor, is adding another offering to his booth this week. Clark will be carrying Tilgner's Seafoods' smoked salmon products starting this week.

"We use only high quality, Cook Inlet caught, live-bled and ice-chilled salmon," says Kris Tilgner of the company's products.

"We perform a very labor-intensive process and do everything by hand. We use a Scottish-style dry brine method for all of our smoked salmon products. We put extra care and time into producing high quality, healthy and delicious smoked salmon."

Clark says the addition of Tilgner's really adds to the market.

"The cold smoked sockeye salmon is sure to set apart any holiday party," Clark says. "The Ruby Red Sockeye Candy and kippered king salmon are amazing additions to every spread."

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Clark also will have his regular lineup of items including grass-fed beef and yak, local honey, jams, salsa, zucchini relish and a variety of Valley produce.

Liz Eldridge of the Spice & Tea Exchange says she will "be bringing gift items to compliment other vendor products like honey infusion packets and spices for roasted veggies." Also look for spices to augment a Thanksgiving meal like bird brine seasoning and mulling mix.

Farm 779 will have vegan and gluten-free breads and chocolate chip cookie drops, along with turmeric coconut kefir, traditional coconut kefir, Alaska-grown vegetable krauts and blends, red beet kvass and ginger turmeric kombucha.

Other vendors lined up for Thursday include Drool Central, L Cheapo Cards and Non Essentials. The market will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

Center Market

Alex Davis of A.D. Farm continues to add products to his twice-weekly booth at the market. In addition to his regular items, Davis will have grass-fed beef, locally produced honey and Mosquito Mama's balsamic vinegar blend. Davis is at both markets.

Davis' regular items include raspberry jam, pork cuts, kohlrabi, beets, carrots, potatoes, green and red cabbage, Brussels sprouts and eggs. He also will have products from Alaska Flour Co. and Alaska Sprouts, including basil, tofu, sprouts and microgreens.

Earthworks Farm will be at both markets this week, featuring their Abeille Alaska beeswax and honey body care products, along with Valley-produced honey. Dee Barker says they are unveiling a new soap this week – white lilac.

Rempel Family Farm will be at Saturday's market with carrots, cabbage, turnips, daikon radishes, beets, parsnips, winter squash and at least 10 varieties of potatoes. The Rempels also have grass-fed yak meat.

Catherine's Cupcakes will be at both markets, and at Thankful Thursdays and the Colony Farmers Market too. Cupcake flavors include purple carrot cake, salted caramel, chocolate sundae and Madagascar vanilla.

Another vendor to satisfy and sweet tooth is Monica's Confection Connection, which will be at Wednesday's market with a variety of brittles, gourmet candies and fudge, which includes chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, butter pecan, red velvet and rocky road flavors.

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

Thursday in Anchorage: Thankful Thursdays 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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