News Tidbits of the Week

Location, Location, Location
As my children will tell you, one more week until Halloween. The Halloween store which shares our ex-Safeway parking lot reports increased traffic on Market days. Talk about one stop shopping! Not only can you pick up fresh produce, meat, cheese, salmon, and ready-made foods, but you can also get your fake fangs and ghoul make-up while you're at it. We aim to please.

Speaking of Market location, check out Leslie's blog on permanent urban markets at http://bellevuelocaltable.com/blog/?p=236. She visits the Milwaukee Public Market and imagines a similar set-up in Bellevue.

Fresh Keta Salmon
As of last week, Keta salmon fishing season in the Puget Sound kicked off. This season lasts about a month. Dylan of Loki Fish Company reports that most people who think they prefer King or Sockeye to Keta (Chum) salmon have usually only had the sad, faded Keta specimens caught in rivers by dads in waders, not the bright, firm fish from the Sound. Catch these fresh salmon through the first couple weeks of November!

Loki salmon can also be found at La Pasta, which makes fresh pasta from local foodie favorites, including squash and Mangalitsa pork. Speaking of pork, did you know Samish Bay Cheese raises their pigs on pasture, but supplements their diet with whey left over from the cheese-making process? The result, they claim, is their trademarked "Whey Tastier" pork.

Slow Cooker Season
Keats called autumn "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness," but he forgot to throw in a line about how autumn calls for the slow cooker. This week I plan to grab some greens at the Market for this favorite recipe adapted from NOT YOUR MOTHER'S SLOW-COOKER COOKBOOK:

Collard Greens and Kale  (for a large, oval cooker. Use fewer greens for standard round)
2 bunches collards
2 bunches kale
Rinse and de-stem the greens, cutting into 1/2"-wide strips. Should be about 12-14 cups. Saute the greens in a big pot in some olive oil with garlic, just to coat and wilt a little. Remove wilted greens as you go along and throw them in the slow cooker.

Add 2 cups broth (any flavor) and nestle a smoked Diestel turkey leg and a canned chipotle chile in adobo in the greens and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and some vinegar or lemon juice.