Category Archives: Music

Come See Us At Leap for Green – Saturday April 13, 10 -2, Mercer Island Comunity Center

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Come by and see us to find out about our 2013 season, starting June 9th, and some of our wonderful new and returning vendors.  Win an edible prize!  You can also buy your tickets to our upcoming fundraiser, For the Love Food Benefit , or click here now to buy TICKETS .

Leap for Green April 13, 2013

Leap for Green is an Earth Day Celebration for Kids of All Ages, sponsored by the City of Mercer Island and Island Vision. Some of what’s happening:

  • Touch A Garbage Truck- clean truck that kids can climb on.
  • Food: BUNS, STOPSKY’S, EMERALD CITY SMOOTHIES, Tully’s Coffee
  • Yaamba Marimba music
  • Recess Monkeys at 11:00pm http://www.recessmonkeytown.com/
  • Bunnies & chickens
  • Children’s table planting project with our own Judy W.
  • Displays from city, non-profit and business organizations highlighting sustainability and more interactive children’s activities.
  • Luther Burbank walks led by Fran Call of Sole mates at 11am and 1pm
  • 3 Electric Vehicles and a  Solar Powered Trailer

What’s up at the MIFM September 23rd? Chef Demo, Podorythmie, Spiders & Pizza!

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  • 11:30 Chef Demo with Chef Tracy Green and the Newport High School              Culinary Arts Program Students:   Meet the next generation of chefs and watch as they prepare a creative,  seasonal dish for you to enjoy.
  • On the MusicStage: Podorythmie – French Canadian music with step dance: Watch joyous dancing and listen to infectious rhythms and French song.
  • At the Children’s Table: Amazing Spiders in Your Yard
  • Ciao Pizza Lovers!  Homemade Pizza After Work?

    The idea of making a pizza by scratch is a bit tiresome especially after a long day at the office.  Grand Central Bakery has you covered with ‘U Bake Pizza Dough’.  For the cost of a double tall nonfat latte you can purchase  pizza dough ready to thaw, top and bake.

    Grand Central offers regular and whole wheat (imbued with flax seeds!) shells shaped to a rectangle “ala Serious Pie”.   Top with olive oil, mozzarella, basil and maybe some of the fantastic peppers and tomatoes in season right now and any other favorite toppings.  To have more fun, grill the pizza outdoors using a metal vegetable pan with holes (or foil).  The high heat produces a wonderful crisp crust. For tips & recipes check out U-Bake Pizza .

     

Market Bags, Cider Press and Bluegrass!

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This week at the market we have another shopping bag giveaway.  Please click on Tote Bag Coupon to print out the attached coupon and bring it with you.  As you shop the market, ask each vendor you purchase from to validate your coupon, then stop by the information table for your free red market bag.

Children’s Table:  It is time to bring out the apple cider press. Judy Witmer will, once again, teach kids how to operate this important piece of our Washington State heritage.

Judy Witmer, Mercer Island pre-school teacher and MIFM volunteer, helping a young boy press apples at the children's table at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on October 2, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)
Judy Witmer, Mercer Island pre-school teacher and MIFM volunteer, helping a young boy press apples at the children’s table at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on October 2, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)
Music: Down the Road – traditional bluegrass http://www.downtheroadband.com/

As our summer winds down and the evenings cool off, Mercer Island Farmers Market wishes our Jewish friends L’Shana Tova’, a very happy new year. We have what you need for your holiday recipes: apples and honey, smoked salmon, chicken for roasting, beautiful beets and greens, and even gluten free challah bread. The L.A. Times has a dozen beautiful recipes, including this one for Cilantro-Tomato soup with Syrian meatballs:

Recipe: Kibbeh bi’kizabrath (cilantro-tomato soup with Syrian meatballs) – latimes.com

Finally, if you have purchased a $5 coupon book (thank you!) please be sure to use your coupons.  Our neighborhood sponsors would love to see you!

Casper Babypants rocks the Market!

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Hundreds of parents and young children flocked to the Mercer Island Farmers Market on Sunday to listen to the tunes of Casper Babypants.  They danced and sang to such classic songs as “Brown and Lonely Worm,” “The Island Hop” and “Stompy the Bear.”   Many of the songs are based on nursery rhymes and folks songs.

Families enjoying Casper Babypants at the Mercer Island Farmers Market

Casper Babypants is Chris Ballew, Kirkland native, dad and two-time nominated Grammy songwriter.  He is best known as a member of the local legendary rock band, The Presidents of the United States of America.  In 2009 Chris took a break from the band and began writing funny, great music for kids.  Over the past 4 years he has produced 5 albums and currently performs all over the Northwest.   This performance was made possible by the generous support of the Mercer Island Community Fund.  Thank you!

 

 

Sunday September 9th at the Mercer Island Farmers Market, Caspar Baby Pants & Yammba Conga Drums

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At 11:00 AM bring the small kids to sing and dance with Caspar Baby Pants. Caspar Babypants has another identify, Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America.  He is a charming and imaginative performer who engages children with simple, almost melodies and clever lyrics.  His influences range from Beethoven to The Beatles, to  traditional children’s tunes. THANKS TO THE MERCER ISLAND COMMUNITY FUND FOR SUPPORTING HIS APPEARANCE!  Listen here for a sample:

On the Music Stage lively rhythms continue with Yaamba Marimba Group playing Zimbabwean dance music Read more about Yaamba !

Visit the Children’s Booth to make Flower Prints & Collages

Enjoy great produce from Alvarez Organic Farms, Collins Family Orchard, Hedlin Family Farm, Kittitas Valley Greenhouse, Martins Family Orchard and Tonnemaker Family Orchard. Meet your friends for lunch and celebrate the summer.

Free Cake!!

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Not only do we have free cake at our birthday party, (if you come a little early, you might hear Mayor Bruce Bassett congratulate our Market board of directors and the whole MI community for supporting our market for the last 5 years,) and a chef demonstration at 11:30, we keep the party going into the night with a food truck round up at Music in the Park! That’s right, folks, you don’t have to cook lunch or dinner if you don’t want to, just leave it to the pros. (I highly recommend the seared ahi tuna from Big Food, either on grilled flatbread or on a bed of rice.)

My market plan is to drag my friend Lauren, who has NEVER BEEN TO THE MARKET (how can that be?  I don’t understand!) out for a little paddle board in the morning, then over to the market for some cake.

5th anniversary cake and berries?

Not sure we’ll have cream, but we will have cake and berries!

She will be so dazzled by the glistening array of fresh produce and delectable delights, she’ll be inspired to plan a week’s worth of menus.  Some juicy tomatoes, nectarines, bright peppers and crunchy snap peas, a little fresh pasta and salmon, some organic meat and chicken, a little crusty bread and organic goat cheese, a few salted caramels and then some aromatic coffee, she’ll find it all.  She’ll be blown away by the Piccola wine in a bag, and Camp Robber jams, and she’ll have to try some of Purdy’s Pickles.  Lauren is an amazing cook, and will likely appreciate the ease of picking up prepared hummus and salsa and granola.  She will, of course, want some beautiful fresh flowers.  Maybe she’ll be so grateful I convinced her to come, she’ll even buy a bouquet for me!

You should bring a friend along tomorrow, too.  We can all meet up for cake! After we fill our market bags and bellies, we can all go home and take a nap, and regroup later at Mercerdale Park for some pizza or veggie quesadillas or gourmet burgers, and listen to Garrett & Westcott (Garrett and Westcott Home) croon the blues. Afterwards, we’ll dance our way home and sleep like well-fed, happy babies.

  • 10:45 – 11:00 Bruce Bassett  Congratulate the MIFM Board  and the community supporting market for the last 5 years
  • 11:00 – 11:15  Recognition to Aljoya as the Golden Apple Sponsor
  • 11:00   to 1:00 or when supplies run out:   Sampling Berry Shortcake until supplies run out (Kari Fisher and Jackie
  • 11:30 – 12:00  Chef Nathan – Salmon over Green Tea Noodles
  • 5:30 – 8:30  MI Food Trucks & Mostly Music in the Park, Come for Dinner & Music

5th Birthday for our Market!

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We will be celebrating with a special birthday cake with fresh berries which we will share with everyone at 11AM. Please join us!

This Sunday, August 12, is the 5th anniversary of the Mercer Island Farmers Market. To help us celebrate, our longtime friend and supporter, Chef Nathan Zielski from Lilly’s at Aljoya, will show us how to make his sublime Pacific Rim Salmon with Green Tea Noodles. (I’ve eaten this dish at Lily’s, and it is SO good, you’ll want to stop by and learn his secrets!) 

Garrett & Wescott will be on hand to sing some blues, and at the kids’ table, Judy Witmer will demonstrate how to make very berry ink.

If you haven’t been to our market in a while, be sure to check out some of our newest vendors.  I love the salsa from the Seattle Salsa Guy.  I eat his salsa with a spoon, like gazpacho, or put it on scrambled eggs or grilled chicken.

Because I am currently on a gluten free kick, I’ve had to break my normal routine of starting my market day with a cranberry orange scone from Snohomish Bakery (it’s just temporary, Snohomish! I’ll be back, I promise) and check out alternatives. I used to be one of those uninformed haters who disparaged gluten free bread (“Why bother?”) until I tasted Manini’s. It looks good, it smells even better, but still, I was like a suspicious kid, afraid to even taste it. Silly me! Their gluten-free bread really is delicious, soft and pillowy yet firm enough to stand up to a tomato sandwich.

My friends and I rave about Abu Eden’s hummos. Seriously, everything they sell is delicious, and fresh.  I’m also avoiding caffeine for a while, and I found just the thing to pick me up and soothe my head at Theo Dorre’s Tea: an herbal tisane.  Each week she comes up with a new alchemy from the season’s harvest.  Check out what she has this week.

5th Anniversary Fun at the Market

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This Sunday, August 12, is the 5th anniversary of the Mercer Island Farmers Market. To help us celebrate, our longtime friend and supporter, Chef Nathan Zielski from Lilly’s at Aljoya, will show us how to make his sublime Pacific Rim Salmon with Green Tea Noodles. (I’ve eaten this dish at Lily’s, and it is SO good, you’ll want to stop by and learn his secrets!) 

Garrett & Wescott will be on hand to sing some blues, and at the kids’ table, Judy Witmer will demonstrate how to make very berry ink.

If you haven’t been to our market in a while, be sure to check out some of our newest vendors.  I love the salsa from the Seattle Salsa Guy.  I eat his salsa with a spoon, like gazpacho, or put it on scrambled eggs or grilled chicken.

Because I am currently on a gluten free kick, I’ve had to break my normal routine of starting my market day with a cranberry orange scone from Snohomish Bakery (it’s just temporary, Snohomish! I’ll be back, I promise) and check out alternatives. I used to be one of those uninformed haters who disparaged gluten free bread (“Why bother?”) until I tasted Manini’s. It looks good, it smells even better, but still, I was like a suspicious kid, afraid to even taste it. Silly me! Their gluten-free bread really is delicious, soft and pillowy yet firm enough to stand up to a tomato sandwich.

My friends and I rave about Abu Eden’s hummos. Seriously, everything they sell is delicious, and fresh.  I’m also avoiding caffeine for a while, and I found just the thing to pick me up and soothe my head at Theo Dorre’s Tea: an herbal tisane.  Each week she comes up with a new alchemy from the season’s harvest.  Check out what she has this week.

Cat/Cows and Jazz Squares at the Market 7/22

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Stretch and bend! and jump! jump! jump! It’s time to pull out your yoga moves and jazz hands. This Sunday at the market we celebrate Mercer Island in Motion, with help from Lori Hallow and Maria Bliss, and the Texas Swing sounds of Fred Fast and His Frettin’ Fools. All ages are invited to participate.  

In addition to our Sampling of Summer Drinks – Infused with fresh market herbs and fruits, we will also be sampling berries! 

Other market news:

Alvarez Farms will have Cukes, carrots, green beans and new crop garlic, Walla Walla sweet onions, all varieties of squash, garlic braids, and 10 varieties of new crop potatoes. If you have a favorite recipe for potato salad, please share it below, and we will post on this blog.

Heaven Scent Lavender will have fresh lavender bouquets for sale.

Here is a list of our 2012 Winners from the Pie and Dessert Baking Contest:

PIE

1st Place: Summer Harvest Berry Pie            Tanya Bednarski and Miranda Johnson (13 yrs old)

2nd Place: Raspberry Cream Pie                    Ellena Jones

DESSERT

1st Place: Nectarine, Blueberry and               Cynthia Shifrin

Strawberry Galette with

Macadamia and Oat Crumble

 

2nd Place: Raspberry Peach Crumble             Kindred McQueen

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

1st Place: Raspberry-Filled Devil’s Food Cupcakes             Carina Williamson

 

Missing Mercer Island

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I have been waiting seven long months for the return of the farmers market to Mercer Island – it is one of my favorite things about living here. (Other favorites include paddle boarding on Lake Washington, all the cashiers at the north end QFC, cocktails at Stopsky’s, and the MISD music program.)

So opening day is this Sunday, and I am out of town!

Granted, I am in very lovely Knoxville, TN for the US Rowing Youth National Championships, where things are warm and sunny, but I really want to be back on the rock for Sunday. What I most want is to catch up with all my market friends, those people I rarely see during the rest of the year, but run into just about every Sunday, like Howie and Gina Schneiderman. I want to have a chat with the friendly family from Crown S Ranch, and exchange pleasantries with the cute Italian pasta seller.  I want to reserve my order for 4 orange cranberry scones from Snohomish Bakery and  sample some spiced apple cider from the cider guys.  There are two empty  cider jugs in my garage, taking up space since last Thanksgiving, waiting patiently to be refilled.  I want to dance in the street, or at least tap my toes and enjoy the live swing music, and the little kids who dance with abandon. I want to see what the Master Gardeners have going on, and check out all the new food trucks I’ve been reading about.

The Mercer Island Farmers Market continues to evolve and improve, and each year I love it a little bit more.  You won’t see me this weekend, but look for me in July, pulling my red wagon, sitting on the curb eating my lunch, or socializing my way down the stalls. If you go on Sunday, and you really should, let me know what looks good. I’m thinking of all my favorite summer recipes: bruschetta and spanikopita, fruit crisps and pasta primavera, swiss chard quiche with goat cheese, my kids’ favorite purple potato salad with yogurt and scallions and mint.  Sniff  the flowers for me, hug your friends, welcome back the wonderful farmers and vendors, and tell them I say hello.