At Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, the holidays mean extra opportunities to create tasty treats.
This year, the regular menu is enhanced with a huge selection of sweets: bread pudding with bourbon glaze; chocolate babka; blueberry rhubarb, pecan and lemon meringue tarts; orange rosemary polenta cake; chocolate cake; creme de menthe cupcakes; cranberry walnut coffee cake; pumpkin Bavarian layer cake; strawberry galettes, and a rustic apple pie.
Pick up those items – or muffins, cookies, scones and other treats – at either the original Fire Island location at 1343 G St. or the Airport Heights location at 2530 E. 16th Ave.
The shops are closed on Christmas Day. Fire Island also is preparing for its annual January break, when the bakeries are closed. This year, Fire Island is shut down Jan. 1-24. So get your bread and sweets fix now.
Thankful Thursdays
The Thursday market at The Mall at Sears will have a full lineup of vendors in advance of the holiday weekend.
Farm 779 will have a load of options at the market this week, including their Kracklin Kamut, which Julie Meer describes as "an ancient grain snack that is high in protein and big in flavor."
Also look for almond quinoa and coconut flour-based breads and cookie drops, turmeric coconut kefir along with other kefirs, kvass, fermented onions and body products that are available in gift boxes. Farm 779 is skipping the market in January, so don't miss out as the year comes to a close.
Duane Clark will have vegetables, including Yensis onions, plus honey, grass-fed beef and yak, smoked salmon from Tilgner's Seafoods, jams, salsa and zucchini relish.
Liz Eldridge with the Spice and Tea Exchange says she will be "bringing gift ideas like hostess recipe bundles and tea accessories to the market this week. We'll also have an assortment of custom blends to make your holiday meal special, like English Roast Rub, Spiced Ham Seasoning and Mulling Mix."
Other vendors include Non Essentials with eggs and birch syrup products, Drool Central with treats and meals for dogs and Three Bears Farm with a huge selection of jams.
Center Market
Alex Davis of A.D. Farm says the holidays are the perfect time to try something new.
"If you are looking for a suckling pig for Christmas or New Year's, now is the time," he says. "Buy one suckling pig and get one package of spicy sausage free for the stuffing."
In addition to the suckling pigs, Davis' other pork items this week at both Center Markets include bratwurst, loin roast, pork chops, fresh side, ground pork, Italian sausage, spicy sausage, breakfast sausage patties, ribs, roast, bone for broth, fat for rendering, liver, feet and hocks. Other items at his stand include grass-fed beef, goat, jam, eggs, storage vegetables, barley products and Alaska Sprouts items.
La Grassa is back at the market on both Wednesday and Saturday. Pasta options include roasted red pepper and goat cheese ravioli; vegan sauteed mushroom and truffle ravioli; vegan basil strozzapreti; garlicky greens and pecorino cheese ravioli; and organic original, organic spinach and white wine saffron hand-cut noodles.
Catherine's Cupcakes will be at both the Wednesday and Saturday markets and at their own cupcake kiosk in the mall. The market booth will feature a purple carrot cupcake with carrots from A.D. Farm and a "red velbeet" cupcake with Alaska beets. Holiday flavors include gingerbread, eggnog and chocolate peppermint.
Earthworks Farm will be at both markets this week for "last-minute Christmas Eve shoppers on Saturday," says Dee Barker. Honey and the farm's Abeille Alaska natural skin and body care lineup will be featured.
Monica's Confection Connection will be at both markets this week with a huge selection of brittles, caramels, gummies, marshmallows and fudge.
Rob Wells will be at the market on Wednesday offering gift certificates for his dahlias, which can be shipped Outside or delivered in Alaska.
Rempel Family Farm will be at Saturday's market with carrots, cabbage, turnips, beets, squash and potatoes.
Last-minute seafood gifts
Cade Smith of FishEx (fishex.com) says it's not too late to send friends and family some tasty Alaska seafood. Wednesday or Thursday orders are "normal, pre-Christmas" orders, he says.
"For extreme last-minute shoppers, we will be taking orders until sometime Friday afternoon — approximately 1 1/2 hours before the very last FedEx plane takes off from Anchorage International Airport," Smith says.
There is a surcharge for that super-late ordering and delivery, but it is Alaska seafood – what a great gift! According to Smith, FishEx has the largest selection of Alaska crab on the internet. And FishEx has a great selection of Alaska halibut, salmon, cod, black cod and other seafood options.
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