Market News

This is the season for holiday artisan markets, and it seems like there are more than ever in Athens this year. The big one seems to be at Big City Bread, and will be next week, on Thursday and Friday. But there are others, and I’ll spread the word when I hear the details via out Twitter and Facebook feeds. If you don’t already follow them, you can find the addresses right above. You’ve already demonstrated your commitment to buy some of your food from local farmers. Giving gifts made from local artisans is just as important, and can be even more rewarding!

Winter is a great time to garden here, but it’s also a great time to learn more about the craft. Here’s one event coming up:

If you enjoy working with people, digging in the dirt and talking “trash”, we want you to become a volunteer Master Composter with the Athens-Clarke County Master Composting Program! Become a home composting expert and teach your family, friends, neighbors, and fellow community members, “How to Compost”. Master Composters are an elite group of volunteers who have undergone an extensive training class in all aspects of the composting process, and then use that information to teach others how to turn their organic material into a beneficial soil amendment.

DATES: Wednesday evenings, January 30th – Wednesday, March 20, 2013 including two Saturday morning field trips as follows: Saturday, February 16 and Saturday, March 2, 2013.
TIMES: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
LOCATION: ACC Solid Waste Department Administration Building Training Room, 725 Hancock Industrial Way, Athens 30605
COST: $130
TO REGISTER: Contact ACC Cooperative Extension at (706) 613-3640 or for more information or an application visit: http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/clarke/anr/index.html#compost

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown, all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Recipes

Please, share your recipes with us on the website, on the Recipes tab. We’d all love to know how you use your Athens Locally Grown products, so we can try it too!

Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze

This is a classic Japanese take on fish. Doug’s Halibut was the perfect cut for this. I served one steak with some spinach and shitake dumplings and Hon Tsuyu soup base (Fooks) with rice noodles and it served three generously.

Source: Modified from Eating Well January 1997 (Entered by mary songster)
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

8oz. Halibut Steak
1/8 c shiro miso (white miso)
1 Tbl. rice wine or vermouth
1 Tbl mirin
1 Tbl. toasted sesame seeds
lime wedges and pickled ginger for garnish

Step by Step Instructions

1. Bring Halibut steak to room temperature. Put rack in oven in the top third. Preheat Broiler Cover Pan in foil and oil (spray works really well)
2. Mix together miso, vermouth and mirin. Put Halibut on prepared pan and cover with half the sauce. Broil 3 minutes. Carefully flip Halibut and add other half of sauce to that side. Broil three more minutes. Done
3. Put fish on plate sprinkle with sesame seeds and add garnish and serve.

Other Area Farmers Markets

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 9am to noon for the next several weeks (The Wednesday market has closed for the winter). It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Many of the ALG growers sell through more than one market. Don’t feel like you have to choose a favorite, either. We have many items here you can’t find there, and I’m sure the reverse it also true. Many people stop by the supermarket several times a week, so it’s only natural that you might wish to stop by a farmers market several times a week. Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so. We’ll see you there!