Now that we are well and truly into the summer market season, it’s time to introduce all the amazing new vendors we have.
Every year, the market grows, bringing in new and often innovative vendors, cementing the ability for us to truly shop local.
Award-winning honey vendors BCB Honey Farm will be with us this year, ensuring a regular supply for the market. Try mixing some honey into a vinaigrette to drizzle over a salad with mixed micro greens from Food on the Grow.
If plant-based eating is your thing, then you can add some vegan cheese to the salad from Black Sheep Vegan Cheeza — delish! And speaking of vegan eating, PlantBase Food and Specialties is joining us this year, and I can speak from experience when I say they make fabulous food.
But if meat is what you want, we at the market are super excited to have both Tesfa and Reverent Acres with us the summer. You may remember them from the winter market: Both farms raise water buffalo, a great alternative to beef, and the dairy products are easier to digest if you have a lactose sensitivity due to the different protein found in the milk. 3J’s Smokehouse rounds out the proteins with fabulous jerky products if you are looking for a little something to nibble on.
Bakers are always popular at market, and this year we have some great new ones. Metate Bake shop make traditional Mexican pastries such as pan dulce and a host of other beautiful treats. Sometimes, all you need is a perfect cookie and Stephanie’s Kitchen can fix that for you. Salted White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal, anyone?
While not exactly a baker, the Bannock Queen certainly takes care of those carb cravings, serving up bannock in truly inventive ways. If you want your treats to have health benefits, Back to Roots Kitchen brings their plant-based energy bites to us. Delicious little bites of nutrition are perfect when you just need a little something. But if you need a little something more, Whey Fresco has energy bars that are a meal by themselves, plus they have keto bars.
Of course, all that eating is likely to make you thirsty. Five new beverage vendors have joined the market this year. CraftWilder, Hoochy ’Booch and Sajiva all make kombucha. Each brings its own unique take on this healthy beverage so you are sure to find one you like. If kombucha isn’t your thing, Canoe Cola has crafted a line of tasty sodas and Happy Dani has the tea ground covered.
If you want to cook something at home from all those fabulous fresh veggies you’ve bought, make sure you stop at John Spice and Sriracha Revolver for a little something extra to spice up your cooking. John Spice is a multi-purpose seasoning mix, great for grilling, and Sriracha Revolver makes unique, clean hot sauces (my personal fave is the mango).
Rounding out the new vendor list are Fraser Valley Rose Farm, Boneheads Kitchen (treats for your four-legged friends), pottery from Happy Turtle Studio and candles from Cedar and Oak Soy Candle Company. You truly can get all your shopping done at market.
And don’t forget the Port Coquitlam Farmers Market is open, too, every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Leigh Square.
Karen Curtis is the Lemonade Lady (kicslemonade.ca and kicslemonade.blogspot.ca) at the Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam farmers markets. Her column runs monthly.
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THE RECIPE: SALAD NICOISE
Here is a recipe for the classic Salad Nicoise, perfect for this time of year. The original recipe comes from Martha Stewart but I have adapted it to take advantage of our local vendors.
2/3 cup olive oil, plus more for tuna
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half (Central Park or Rockweld Farms)
1/2 pound haricots verts, blanched, then drizzled with wine vinegar (Crisp Organics) and (Cawston Market Farmer)
8 baby potatoes, cooked till tender (Forstbauer)
1 head red leaf lettuce (Aslan Organics)
1 head Boston lettuce
1 pint red and yellow cherry tomatoes (Never Say Die)
3 (6-ounce) jars imported tuna in olive oil, drained
1/2 cup smoked olives (Fume-eh)
In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, anchovy paste, and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside
Toss lettuces with some of the anchovy-caper dressing and place on large serving platter. Toss potatoes, haricots verts, and cherry tomatoes separately with dressing and arrange over lettuce.
Arrange tuna over salad and drizzle with dressing. Garnish salad with eggs and olives.
