At the Market November 23-24

Local Roots Market has special hours this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday -- open Tuesday and Wednesday 11 AM to 7 PM and then Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM for Artisan Day -- so I'll have two posts this week about what's available each of those times.

For Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm trying to have a decent variety but somewhat limited quantities so that you can find good fresh bread for your holiday table:

--Baguettes
--Baklava
--Chai spice shortbread
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: cheddar-dill, cheddar-basil, possibly Black Swamp Gouda (from Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese) with sage, and Lock 21 (Brie-style from Canal Junction) with peppercorn
--Cinnamon-pecan bread
--Light rye bread
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix
--Rolls: both simple wheat and garlic herb
--Rosemary cider bread
--Rosemary walnuts
--Rye crackers
--Savory apple flatbread
--Sesame thins
--Zaatar flatbread

I've simplified things in the bakery case, too:

--Baklava by the piece
--Spicy Thai pac choi rolls, a favorite from earlier this month, with fresh pac choi and tatsoi from Karen's Garden Delights, carrots from Martha's Farm, onions and garlic in a spicy peanut sauce using peanut butter from Sherry's Classic Cuisine. Folks couldn't get enough of these delicious non-dairy rolls a couple weeks ago, so I've brought them back for your pre-holiday enjoyment.

For those who placed special orders for Thanksgiving, I will drop off your orders Wednesday morning.

And to everyone, have a joyful and delicious Thanksgiving!

At the Market November 17-20

The wind howled around my windows this morning, and it sounded an awful lot like winter. I know we still have a month to go before that officially happens, but in the meantime, I'm happy to crank up the oven and bake away the chill.

That, of course, translates into good bread and other delicious delights for you to find at Local Roots!:

--Artisan wheat bread and baguettes
--Baklava
--Basil pesto flatbread
--Chai spice shortbread
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: cheddar-dill, feta-oregano, Black Swamp Gouda (from Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese) with sage, and Lock 21 (Brie-style from Canal Junction) with peppercorn
--Cinnamon-pecan bread
--Light rye bread
--Limpa rye bread
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix
--Pumpernickel bread
--Rosemary cider bread
--Rosemary walnuts
--Rye crackers
--Savory apple flatbread
--Sesame thins
--Zaatar flatbread

It's going to be a lovely Lucky Penny week -- with Lucky Penny Creamery cheeses showing up in my bakery items!

--Creamy squash rolls with shredded homegrown butternut squash, sauteed with red onion, rosemary from Adonai Acres, and olive oil, and mixed with creamy chèvre from Lucky Penny -- comforting fall flavors!

--Spinach-feta rolls: The original vegetable-cheese roll is back, with spinach from Breezy Hill Farm and Adonai Acres, golden onions, and feta cheese from Lucky Penny.

In addition, I'll have two sweet treats in the bakery case:

--Baklava (now in slightly larger squares)
--Chai spice shortbread: buttery crisp cookies laced with ground cardamom and cinnamon as well as bits of crystallized ginger -- perfect for tea time or your morning coffee break!

On Saturday, I may well reprise last week's surprise success of pear-chèvre rolls -- a sweet version of the popular rolls using Lucky Penny chèvre mixed with Simple Products' pumpkin and spice syrup and chopped walnuts, with slices of dried pear (from Banzhaf Garten Organic Farm) for a concentrated burst of fall fruit.

Don't forget, if you're interested in placing a special order for Thanksgiving, pick up a brochure at the market and contact me by this Saturday, November 20. The orders are piling up, and I won't be able to fill many more!

Enjoy!

New for the Holiday Season: Week 1

Since the farming season is over for me, I have more time now to experiment in the kitchen and to bake new treats for Local Roots. As the holidays approach, I'm trying out new seasonal recipes and items appropriate for parties and other celebrations. Here's what's new this week:


--Rye crackers: If you enjoy the rye or pumpernickel breads I sell, you might give these thin, crispy crackers a try. Along with the organic rye flour from Stutzman Farms, they include cocoa powder, local sorghum molasses, and a sprinkling of caraway seeds. I'm smitten! especially when I dip them into creamy, tangy chèvre...


--Limpa rye bread: The traditional Swedish bread uses anise for its distinctive flavor, but this twist takes a typical rye bread (again, with organic rye flour and wheat flour from Stutzman Farms), sweetens it with local honey, and adds freshly grated orange zest, ground cardamom, and dried bronze fennel -- an anise-tasting herb -- from Karen's Garden Delights. If you don't think you like rye bread, try this for a hearty but delicately flavored change from your usual bread. (And think ahead: it would make a great palette for your leftover turkey sandwiches!)

Finally, you know the holidays are approaching when I start baking baklava once again. You'll find it in boxes of two pieces starting Friday; single pieces will be available in the bakery case next week. And if you're interested in having plenty of baklava for your holiday party, I'm happy to take special orders and offer volume discounts. Contact me at thegrainmaker [AT] gmail [DOT] com for more information.

More new stuff next week -- stay tuned!

At the Market October 7-9

Did you hear the news? At last week's Eat Local Week kick-off, the director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Robert Boggs, gave to Local Roots Market the "Local Food Heroes" award for our efforts to make local food more accessible in the community. What a wonderful honor!

It's very exciting to be a wee little part of the success of this market -- and to know that so many people support the hard work we're doing.

If you haven't been to the market lately, maybe you should stop by! Here's what I plan to have at Local Roots this weekend (starred items available starting Thursday):

--Artisan wheat bread*
--Basil pesto flatbread*
--Cheese crackers*
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: chèvre-rosemary, cheddar-dill*, feta-oregano*, Black Swamp Gouda (from Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese) with sage*, Miami Erie Canal and parsley, and Lock 21 (Brie-style from Canal Junction) with peppercorn
--Cinnamon-pecan bread*
--Garlic-herb baguettes*
--Garlic pesto flatbread* -- the last of this year!
--Maple oatmeal bread*
--Pain aux noix*
--Pumpernickel bread* -- back again!
--Rosemary cider bread*
--Rosemary walnuts*
--Sesame thins*

Yes, a couple of things to point out there:

--This will be the last week for the garlic pesto flatbread. I had a bumper crop of garlic scapes to work with in early summer and froze a lot of the pesto, but after this week, it's all gone until next year. Get it while you can!

--Now that the cooler weather has returned, I have decided to go back to making pumpernickel bread instead of light rye bread. I'll see how sales go, but if you have a particular preference, let me know!

--UPDATED: No whole wheat pita this week. I need to mill more wheat flour!

Onto the bakery case:

--Kale-cheddar rolls will return, with more delicious kale from Adonai Acres and fresh cheddar curds from Blue Jacket Dairy. I've enjoyed the leftovers from last weekend in my lunches this week!

--Squash curry rolls will be the second veg-cheese roll offering: butternut squash from Martha's Farm sauteed with onions from Adonai Acres, hot pepper from Noah's Landing, and some dried cabbage, with curry and chili powders and a light crumbling of homemade ricotta. I'm thinking these might be good with a little bit of your favorite chutney or relish.

--For the sweet side, I'll have pains au chocolat Saturday morning only. Buttery, flaky, with a semisweet chocolate center, these will delight kids of all ages.

And don't forget to check out the fall lineup of herbal tea blends. With this colder weather, you might just enjoy these!

At the Market September 30-October 2

It's going to be an exciting weekend at Local Roots! On Friday at noon, Robert J. Boggs, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, is coming to the market to kick off the Eat Local week in Ohio. Local Roots has asked shoppers to take the personal Eat Local Challenge for the week -- how local can you go? We expect this to be a big media event, tying into the recognition of the ODA grant Local Roots received last year to get started, so come and join us!

Meanwhile... Here's what I plan to have at Local Roots this weekend (starred items available starting Thursday):

--Artisan wheat bread*
--Basil pesto flatbread*
--Cheese crackers*
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: chèvre-rosemary, cheddar-dill, feta-oregano*, Black Swamp Gouda (from Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese) with sage*, and Lock 21 (Brie-style from Canal Junction) with peppercorn
--Cinnamon-pecan bread*
--Garlic-herb baguettes*
--Garlic pesto flatbread*
--Light rye bread*
--Maple oatmeal bread*
--Pain aux noix*
--Rosemary cider bread*
--Rosemary walnuts*
--Sesame thins*
--Whole wheat pita

I'll also have all four new herbal tea blends available, but they will be in a different location -- with the other teas and coffees on shelves across from the bakery counter.

And speaking of the bakery, this week I'll have two new vegetable-cheese rolls:

--Kale-cheddar: Cooler weather makes me crave kale, and Mary at Adonai Acres plans to keep me supplied! Her kale pairs with leeks from Banzhaf Garten Organic Farm along with fresh cheddar curds from Blue Jacket Dairy.
--Zucchini and roasted tomato: Similar to a roll combination from late summer, this version combines zucchini from Autumn Harvest Organic Farm and tomatoes from Banzhaf Garten, roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried homegrown oregano. Add a little crumbled feta cheese from Lucky Penny Creamery, and you've got lunch!

Finally, I plan to make a tarte tatin or French apple tart for Friday. Personally, I love what the French can do with butter and sugar, and in this version, I use locally grown Wolf River apples, Hartzler Dairy unsalted butter, Stutzman Farms spelt flour, and plenty of Gortner's maple sugar. It's heavenly!

So stop by this weekend!

At the Market July 29-31

Wow! Another scorcher today! But just for you, I kept the oven going, baking my heart out...

Here's what I'll be bringing to Local Roots Market over the course of the weekend (starred items will be there Thursday at noon):

--Cheese crackers**
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: four varieties -- cheddar-basil, chèvre-rosemary, feta-oregano**, and Miami Erie Canal (Swiss-style) with dried parsley**
--Cinnamon pecan bread**
--Garlic-herb baguettes**
--Garlic pesto flatbread**
--Light rye bread**
--Maple oatmeal bread**
--Onion flatbread
--Pain aux noix**
--Sesame thins**
--Whole wheat pita (in bags of four)

I'm planning to try a basil pesto flatbread as well, so look for that this weekend!

For the bakery case, I may not get anything done for Thursday (but then again, I might), but the plan is this:

--Vegetable cheese rolls Friday and Saturday: corn from the Habitat Community Garden, hot pepper and tomato from my own garden, onion from Adonai Acres, herbs, and chèvre from Lucky Penny Creamery -- a Southwestern seasonal treat!
--Pains au chocolat Saturday only: grab one of these buttery, flaky, chocolate-filled delights to go with your coffee!

This Saturday is the Community Commons Block Party, and Local Roots will be participating along with the Wayne Center for the Arts, the Wayne County Public Library, the United Way, and the American Red Cross. Stop by and check out the fun!

See you at the market!

At the Market July 15-17

Another full to overflowing week! Due to the expected heat today, baking may be limited after this morning's push, so quantities will be limited at Local Roots. Here's what you can find there this weekend:

--Cheese crackers
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: three varieties -- cheddar-basil (with fresh homegrown basil), Ludlow with sage and tarragon, and Miami Erie Canal cheese (Swiss-style) with parsley
--Cinnamon pecan bread
--Garlic-herb baguettes
--Garlic pesto flatbread
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix
--Sesame thins

I will, however, keep the bakery case items coming!:

--Hazelnut shortbread with local hazelnuts, butter, and wheat flour -- Thursday until sold out
--Vegetable-cheese rolls featuring zucchini from Adonai Acres, garlic from Banzhaf Garten Organic Farm, basil from my own garden, and fresh mozzarella from Blue Jacket Dairy -- starting Friday


--Peach-almond tart, with peaches from Tennefoss Farm, wildcrafted black raspberries (if still available), buttery spelt crust, and a not-too-sweet almond filling -- available Friday (not sure about Saturday yet)

If I bake anything else, I will let you know!

Almond Croissants

I've been making homemade croissants for at least 25 years now, and pains au chocolat off and on for the last 10 or so. But this is the first time I've ever made almond croissants, and it was done as a special request from a fellow baker.

The dough is the same buttery-rich dough I use for the other two items, incorporating local unsalted butter, milk, and eggs. But the filling uses a delicious almond paste combined with more butter, egg, maple sugar, flour, and a touch of vanilla.

You might think you've seen something like this before at bakeries or even places like Panera. And you'd be right, up to a point. But a quick taste test this morning showed that despite the loads of butter used in the recipe overall, the pastry remained light and flaky, and the filling avoids being too sweet and rich while satisfying your ideal of what an almond croissant should be.

But maybe I'm biased. Stop by Local Roots this morning to try it yourself.

At the Market June 17-19

Sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday -- the day was filled with baking, a delivery, and checking inventory before making even more!

But here's what products of mine you will find at Local Roots this weekend:

--Cheese-herb artisan bread: four varieties -- dill-cheddar, chèvre-rosemary, feta-oregano, and Ludlow-sage-tarragon
--Cinnamon pecan bread
--Dried tomato flatbread
--Garlic-herb baguettes
--Light rye bread
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix
--Sesame thins
--Shortcakes (in packages of four)
--Whole wheat pita (in bags of four)
--Zaatar flatbread


The new bread this week is another artisan flatbread, this time topped with fresh garlic scape pesto. WOW! If you love garlic, you will go crazy for this bread. The pesto contains garlic scapes from Banzhaf Garten Organic Farm, walnuts, the brand new blue cheese from Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese, a sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper, and lots of good extra virgin olive oil. I almost don't want to sell this, it smells so fantastic -- even the mailman thought so! (But I will, because you deserve good bread, too.)

I'll keep my corner of the pastry case filled this weekend, too:

--On Friday you'll find the spinach-feta rolls as well as a new blueberry-lavender cake with homegrown lavender.

--On Saturday I'll bring in more spinach-feta rolls along with pains au chocolat (chocolate-filled croissants), a customer favorite from earlier this year.

Come to Local Roots this weekend and find your new favorite!

At the Market 4/30 and 5/1

I spent last Friday at Lucky Penny Creamery in Kent, and though I hope to write up more about that another time, I mention it because you'll find Lucky Penny's chèvre and feta cheeses in more of my products this week:

--Sesame thins
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: four varieties -- dill-cheddar, chèvre-thyme, feta-oregano or Ludlow (creamy and caramelized like a 1-year-old Gouda) with fresh sage and tarragon
--Artisan baguettes
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix (two loaves with pecans; I ran out of walnuts!)
--Pumpernickel bread
--Whole wheat pita (in bags of four)

I'll be doing a breakfast cooking demonstration at Local Roots Saturday morning from 9 to 11 AM, and I'll showcase my whole wheat pita by making pita pizzas -- topped with scrambled eggs, local cheeses (like the Lucky Penny items), fresh greens, and maybe even some local salsa. Stop by and taste!

For the bakery case, I'm bringing in two new items:


--Peppermint brownies, densely chocolatey and cake-like, but with a refreshing bite of freshly picked homegrown peppermint. They're not overly sweet, so if you like your chocolate fix to focus on the intensity of the chocolate flavor, not the sugar, these are for you.


--Savory cheese palmiers, a twist on the classic French pastry that normally has sugar rolled into it. For the filling, I'm using a paste made from Lucky Penny feta cheese, olive oil, dried parsley, and freshly ground black pepper. I nibbled on a couple fresh from the oven this morning, and you'll be lucky to see any in the bakery case -- I'm hooked!

What will be on your plate this weekend?

At the Market 4/2 and 4/3

If you come to Local Roots this weekend, here's what you'll find on my shelf:

--Sesame thins
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: two varieties -- dill cheddar or Chouda (Cheddar-Gouda combination) with lemon thyme
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix
--Pumpernickel bread
--Whole wheat pita (in bags of four)

I'm especially excited about the Chouda-thyme artisan bread: the Chouda is a new cheese from master cheesemaker Brian Schlatter of Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese, and it's delicious. The salty creaminess of the cheese is balanced by dried lemon thyme, savory but with a fresh citrus sparkle on your tastebuds.

Saturday morning, you'll also find fresh pains au chocolat in the pastry case. Using homemade croissant dough, rich with local butter, milk, and egg, these pastries have a hidden bar of quality semi-sweet chocolate tucked inside the flaky layers. These little rolls tend to sell out, so stop by early to get yours!

And enjoy the brilliant sunshine and warmth this holiday weekend!