Webb City Sentinel market column - 11-6-15 Kay is Back!

You might think that things would be winding down at the market, but not so. In fact, we’re gearing up for one of our busy seasons!  

Tomorrow is the first Saturday of Christkindlmarket, and that news means we’re in for lots of treats, but how about this?  Hazel’s Bakery is back!  Kay McLaughlin is coming out of retirement for the second time, lured by the promise of the market kitchen. She is using her small inspected kitchen for the next couple of weeks but looking forward to cutting her baking time in half once the market kitchen and its convection ovens are fully operational. So we’re already reaping benefits from the market kitchen and it’s not even open for business yet. 

Kay, and her pies, cakes, cookies and fruit breads, will be set up next to Fredrickson Farms, because her apprentices are none other than Tami and Missy of that very farm. They’ve been elbow deep in flour for the last couple of days. Tami is our board president and she figured this would be a great way to learn all about the market kitchen (plus, she’s also her own best customer. She put in an order for 20 pies for the Lord’s Acre supper at her church tomorrow night.).

Another vendor expected at the market this Saturday is one that we’ve seen far too little of this year - Amos Apiaries with their local honey. They plan to come about once a month, so tomorrow’s the day to stock up, both for yourself and for gifts for the holidays.

  

The pavilion should be packed tomorrow. We have seven farms bringing produce. Robertson Family Farm is bringing frozen blueberries from their harvest this year and blueberry syrups. Misty Morning Farm will have cracked pecans, and they’re super fresh, harvested and cracked the week of sale. M & M Bistro returns with their Mediterranean menu of gyros, chicken wraps, hummus and tabouleh plates, plus the best baklava you’ve ever eaten.

 

And good eating you can take home can be found at The Red Tamale who will be selling handmade frozen tamales in the Christkindlmarket on the south end. We always vet prepared foods prior to accepting vendors. I knew we had a winner when the taste tester (my husband, Phil) declared the tamales superb. 

In the Christkindlmarket, which will be open in conjunction with the farmers market every Saturday from 9 to noon until Christmas, you’ll find some old favorites like woodworkers Ed Grundy and the Chaffin Family, seamstress Edith Bayless, as well as Willow Island with felted and knitted items, Copper Leaf Pottery and Odd Duck Soaps. We also have some new crafters you won’t want to miss.

Christkindlmarkets are an old tradition of open air holiday markets in German-speaking areas of Europe. We spread ours over two months of Saturdays so we celebrate two holidays with harvest decorations until Thanksgiving and then Christmas decorations and music after Thanksgiving. (Yes, Jesse DeGonia, that is how it is done.) 

And we do all this celebrating with the sidewalls down on the pavilion and with the heaters warming us. So come to the farmers market/Christkindlmarket, pose for a photo with the scarecrows, grab some hot chocolate, fresh produce, lunch for later, some gifts and learn how to make a holiday recipe. You may want to do a little jig too if you can’t resist the music.

Marshall Mitchell, our cowboy singer, will perform from 9 to 11. The Market Dude, Frank Reiter, will demonstrate Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries with toasted pecans and goat cheese, drizzled with balsamic honey.

 

Watch the market come alive while we celebrate yet another season. See you at the market!