Dahl-ing. So much to do and tell…

 As previously stated, we have rejoined the world of Farmer’s Markets! The market we are participating in, is an offshoot of a market I had the privilege of participating in 14 years ago when it cranked up on the riverfront in Wilmington!  A small but mighty market, for us, it’s the IDEAL market! There is an incredible amount of FREE parking, shade, a park for my kids, picnic tables to sit down and enjoy locally roasted coffee, very clean bathrooms and weirdly, Logan has managed to find fossils EVERYWHERE. Prices are very reasonable and actually cheaper than most health food stores and high-end markets that would carry products such as these. As a home school family, it is a dream field trip because my son can ask questions of the people who are there carrying handmade goat cheese and goat soap 

from Nature’s Way in Hampstead, watch knives get sharpened in a very old-school way (as a professional this delights me to leave him all my tools to sharpen while I man my booth!!), get healing and culinary herbs from the genius Margaret Shelton and super wonderful Suzie, -snag beautiful seafood from a fishing family that goes back decades (Davis Seafood), hoard some INSANE pickles from Lunchbox Pickles

Purchase meats from Ron, Coffees from Latvia Coffee or produce from the Hanchey’s  (https://www.facebook.com/HancheysFreshProduce). Ron’s grandkids and the Hanchey’s boy have been going to this market as long as I have and the kids are all grown up now 🙂 But MAN the Hanchey’s watermelon is so good and if you long for beautiful potatoes-he’s your man!

 

My girl’s from Backyard Gardener are there and last week OH THE tomatoes-so TOMATO-EY, which we featured in our focaccia for #focacciafriday, picked up some fall flowers to plant along with some malabar spinach which is a little heartier and grows like a fairytale vine!

 But see, here’s the dirty little secret to this market…

These vendors all have REAL, LEGIT FARMS OR DAIRIES OR ROASTERIES. There are other markets where the rules are more lax and they run to craft markets, food trucks and abundant produce to include lemons and pineapples, etc. While this is fine and these markets are fun, too, if you are looking to spend your money with the actual producer, farmer, fisherman or pickler, shake their hand, look them in the eye and know your food went the SHORTEST distance humanly possible to get from farm-to-table, this is your market. All of these fine folks have had site visits-multiple times-establishing the realness of their operation and the treatment of their employees, land and product. This is why we shop here and sell here. Nothing here came from Raleigh via California or Mexico. Who knew there was subterfuge amongst markets??? So when you are trying to do the right thing, rest easy that at this market it’s as close as you can get to doing it yourself!! These guys are here on Wednesdays from 8-1 http://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/events-calendar/ogden-farmers-market/  and if you CAN’T make it because it’s a ways from Surf City, email me your grocery list and I will bring it back to the Island with me for Thursday pickup!

Impassioned Soapbox Lecture Over.

Did you know it’s the 100th anniversary of the birth of Roald Dahl??? What a fertile brain this man possessed! Of course we MUST celebrate! On September 25th we will get all Dahl-ed up and combine literature, food and beer for a party of James and the Giant Peach proportion! There will be activities for kids, Wonka themed sweet treats, Mr. Fox Cupcakes, beer tastings paired with literary themed snacks (yes, that says free beer!!) and a sale on ALL children’s books! 

Speaking of beer pairing-which is Shawn’s true love, he has begun writing again and has a witty, hoppy blog you should peer at Pair & Ale . It’s always tasty.

So, there’s your week. Eat some wholesome delicious food, take a deep breath that we survived summer and are gently drifting into fall and gear up for some stretching of your brain on Sunday the 25th at the Dahltoberfest! (By the way, were you aware Oktoberfest traditionally begins in September? Well, it does and we are ALWAYS trying to #keepitclassysurfcity and will be combining Oktoberfest with our Roald Dahl party which means the beer selection and snackage will be abundant AND festive! Because-let’s face it-October is always crazy busy and there is basically a football game and Halloween party every 5 seconds.)

Oh-did I mention the Cake Walk? That’s right. $5 a ticket. All proceeds go to the Topsail Missile Muesum. And yes there will be 10 Sugar Island Bakery Cakes as cakewalk prizes.

Sunday. September 25th. Dahltoberfest. 12-7.

“I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.  Roald Dahl  “My Uncle Oswald”