The Smart Markets Farmers' Market Is Still Open for the Winter

This Week at the Smart Markets Lorton Farmers' Market
Thursday 3–6 p.m.
Workhouse Arts Center
9601 Ox Rd.
Lorton, VA 22079
Map

Please welcome our newest vendor: Oliver Skinker will bring Kettle Korn for the holidays and every day, freshly popped on site. Ask him about pre-orders for school and office events. And remember that popcorn is a healthy snack for all ages with good fiber and less fat and sugar than almost any other treat.

Uncle Fred’s BBQ and the Divine Wood-Fired Pizza ladies will be with us today -- take advantage of their presence on your evening commute to pick up something fresh and local to take home for dinner. Stock up on Peruvian empanadas and Delicias del Sur or Celtic Pasties; freeze for later or enjoy for lunch or dinner on the run. Or pre-order for a cozy party by the fire. And don’t forget our wonderful baked goods for all of your entertaining and/or gift-giving needs.

We still have gorgeous fall vegetables and great apples, and recipes for all of them. Arka will sample and sell his superb coffee -- another great opportunity to buy local this holiday season.

This week Celtic Pasties will have Beef & Guinness, Cottage Pie Style, Chicken & Pineapple, Mango Chicken Curry, Early British Christmas Dinner, and Cheese & Onion.

From the Market Master

Even if you were brave (or crazy) enough to venture out this past weekend, I feel confident that your Christmas shopping days are not over, and neither are your party times. And for those of you who do not celebrate Christmas, I imagine that the festive spirit of the holiday that you may be celebrating will also capture your hearts and minds and that you too are planning to be with family and friends throughout December. Whether you are hosting guests at your own home, supplying food for celebrations at other locales or cooking up something to share with a family in need, most of you will be in the kitchen many more hours than normal this month.

Even without that additional demand on your creative cooking talents, just keeping up with the family meals will be hard to manage. Add to that the continuing commitment that many of you have made to utilize local ingredients as often as possible, even in the winter months, and I can see where the temptation to take the easy route to simple take-out meals will be overwhelming.

But what if the easy route led you through the farmers’ market and enabled you to keep your commitment? Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to remind you once again how easy that is, no matter how hectic your schedule is. And hopefully we will help you stay ahead of the demand with a supply of home-cooked meals and party foods that help you to keep the faith and meet your needs.

This week I am including links to some of our market favorites. These recipes have been the most requested and most complimented, and the most appreciated when we have prepared them on site for sampling or brought them in for a market sampling day. All can be made in quantity and frozen for future use; several can be served in a variety of ways, and all can be made with mostly local ingredients even at this time of year. Enjoy!

• Cheryl’s Sweet Potato/Apple Bake
• Spicy Sweet Potato and Apple Hash
• Casseroles for Kids
• Annie’s Winter Squash, Potato and Chicken Stir-fry
• Easier Than Pie Chili
• Creamy Succotash
• Janssen’s Own Red Beans and Rice
• Roasted Coriander Chicken Thighs with Bacon, Sweet Potatoes and Turnips
• Sausage and Peppers Over Pasta
• Tex-Mex Beef and Beans Chopped Salad
• Daddy’s Famous Spaghetti Sauce
• Daddy Bill’s Birthday Stew