Great Market -- thanks everyone!

Thanks to everyone -- our vendors, volunteers and customers -- for coming out on a rainy morning and enjoying the last Market of the regular season. We had some wonderful late additions to our lineup (Mystic Water, Al Pong, Linda Priebe, and New Starts Farm) and it was a terrific Saturday morning. We hope you enjoyed yourselves, too! Photos from today's Market are on our flickr page.

We have two very special Markets to close out the year: our Harvest Market (November 21) and Holiday Market (December 12). We'll have treasures for your holiday tables and special gifts for the giving. In the meantime, we'll bring you holiday recipes and other ideas...and we'd like your input!

Who's at the Market this Saturday: Our Vendor Roundup

It's our final regular Market of the season...of course, we have to special Markets in November and December, but this is the last regualr date of the 2009 season. We're so grateful to all of you who have supported us, our vendors, and our volunteers. It's been a great season.

So, who's coming tomorrow?

Cheverly Breadbasket

ChvBrew

Elk Run Vineyards

Pax River Alpacas

Simple Pleasures Ice Cafe

Cookies to Cocktails

Shlagel Farm

Rebert's Farm/Benny's Fruit Stand

Golden Leaf Farm

Martha's Jams

Clan Stewart Farm

and, of course, from the Hot Noodles -- our very own house band -- Charles & Kelly. They've played all season -- that's a lot of music! Make sure to tip them and let them know how much you've appreciated them this season! And remember, if you can come early (7:00am) or stay late (noon) to help setup or breakdown, we'd very much appreciate the extra volunteer hands!

See you at Cheverly Community Market tomorrow -- RAIN or SHINE!

Who's at the Market this Saturday? Martha's Jams, Clan Stewart and Cheverly Breadbasket!

Martha's Jams, Clan Stewart and Cheverly Breadbasket want to be part of your Sunday morning brunch, and they'll all be at Cheverly Community Market tomorrow. Pick up delicious jams and preserves, beautiful farm-fresh eggs and delicious bread at the Market, invite some friends for Sunday morning, and you have agreat Sunday morning. Or pick up your supplies Saturday, sleep in Sunday morning, brew some coffee, grab your papers and enjoy a lazy Sunday morning with a belly full of delicious, fresh, local food. Either way, you've got the ingredients for a great Sunday morning!

See you Saturday -- rain or shine -- at the Market!

Who's at the Market this Saturday? Cookies to Cocktails!

Whos' ready for some Halloween treats? Liz Esposito's Cookies to Cocktails will be bringing goodies to Cheverly Community Market tomorrow...they'll have pumpkin muffins, snickerdoodles, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate cake pops. And right now, Liz is baking up sugar cookies, cupcakes, and hopefully some scones! We can't wait!

See you tomorrow -- rain or shine -- at Cheverly Community Market!

Cheverly Community Market is on, Rain or Shine!

We've been unbelievably lucky with the weather this season -- a few sprinkles and a few Markets that we had to prepare to be indoors but the sun smiled on us. A whole season outsiude has been a great treat! Tomorrow, the forecasts indicate an 85% chance of rain. Our vendors are prepared to be inside or out, and we hope that you'll support them by showing up, too, rain or shine. If it's raining, we'll be in the Community Center. It's nice and dry, and you can hang out and listen to the band, enjoy fresh coffee and pastries and celebrate the end of our regular Market season with us. Once again, we're asking for community volunteers to help with setup and breakdown. If you can lend a hand early (7:00am) or stay at the end (noon), we'll be very grateful. Cheverly Community Market relies on our great volunteers to keep things running, and when we have the Market indoors, we need extra help.

See you tomorrow -- RAIN or SHINE -- at the Market!

Who's Coming to Market? Rebert Farm/Benny's Produce Stand and Golden Leaf Farms

Rebert's Farm/Benny's Produce Stand will be with us for the final Market of our regular season (don't forget about our two special Markets in November and December!) They'll have a fantastic selection of apples -- this time with the addition of fuji and granny smith varieties. They'll also have pears, a variety of winter squash, gourds, Indian corn, and fresh pressed cider. We love Rebert's apples -- we've tried all sorts of varieties in the past weeks and there hasn't been anything we've disliked. Make sure to pick up some squash, as well as some indian corn and gourds for decorating! We're also very excited about the return of Golden Leaf Farms! The bees have been busy, and we'll be enjoying the fruits of their labor this Saturday. Here's your chance to do your best Winnie the Pooh imitation!

See you at the Market!

What to do with...chestnuts

At the last Cheverly Community Market, Al Pong had some real treasures: gorgeous, juicy Asian pears, lovely plants and...chestnuts. For people who have lived in New York City, the smell of roasting chestnuts embodies the holiday season -- many a child has swooned at the smell emanating from corner vending carts as they get pulled through crowded streets. Personally, I'll always associate this -- one of my favorite odors -- with field trips to Lincoln Center in 5th and 6th grades. Heaven!

Chestnuts have been a treat since the 1450s, when they were eaten in the Piedmont region of Italy. In Louis XIV's court, they were made into marron glace -- glazed, candied chestnuts -- that are still enjoyed today. They're also commonly used in stuffings, preserves, puddings and sauces. Low in fat and calories, chestnuts are the only nuts that contain vitamin C.

There are a lot of great sources of information about chestnuts and some great recipes, too. Try cooks.com for a start and see where that leads!

We love to hear from our vendors! Here's a note from Eileen Shlagel of Shlagel Farms...

Hello Cheverly! The sun is finally shining again. I hope that it lasts until Saturday! We have covered up some of the more tender produce to protect it from these chilly mornings, so we will have all of the usual: collard greens and kale, turnips with greens attached, beets, cabbage, limas; shelled and unshelled, green beans, tomatoes, large and small, green, red and yellow, summer squash, winter squash to include butternut, acorn and spaghetti, broccoli, cider, mums, peppers; red, green and speciality, eggplant, and maybe a small amount of corn. If anyone would like a straw bale at $6.00 each to decorate their yard with, let me know and I'll bring them on my truck. See you on Saturday; rain or shine.

Shlagel Farms has great pumpkin patch activities through the month of October. Visit Saturday or Sunday, 10:00am-5:00pm (or during the week by appointment). For just $6/person, enjoy hayrides, a petting zoo, and a straw maze (for the kids). Bring old clothes and make a scarecrow, or pick your own pumpkin and paint it! Seasonal produce, mums and -- of course -- pumpkins are also available. Stop by their stand this weekend for a coupon for $1 discount off every admission, or go to their website for more details about this fun fall activity!

See you Saturday for our last regular Market of the season!

(and remember, we have two special Markets in November and December)

Who's Coming to Market? Simple Pleasures Ice Cafe!

This is Baruck. He's a big fan of ice cream. Market regulars Simple Pleasures Ice Cafe, to be specific. Well, Baruck is in luck this Saturday (and so are we)! Simple Pleasures will be with us for the final regular season Market this Saturday (remember: two special Markets coming up in November and December!) They'll have some very special fall flavors, including Sweet Potato Pecan, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Ginger, Apple, Sracciatella, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Chocolate. The pumpkin, sweet potato, and apple are produce from Shlagel Farms. Simple Pleasures will also have take -home container specials.... Five scoop sampler $5.00, Quart $8.00, and 1/2 gallon $16.00. Advance orders are available via email or telephone (301-809-6988).

See you this Saturday at the Market!

Who's Coming to Market this Week: Pax River Alpacas!

The alpacas are coming! The alpacas are coming!

Pax River Alpaca Farm is back for our final regular Market of the season (don't forget -- we have two special Markets in November and December!) The weather is finally right for these lovely animals to be comfortable outside at our Market. They're always popular with the kids! Pax River brings absolutely gorgeous yarns to us -- both natural and hand-dyed (some kool-aid dyed, too -- the process makes for vibrant colors). A few skeins of Pax River Alpaca yarn would make a lovely gift for any knitter on your list...and if you're a knitter yourself, this is the perfect time to get supplies for those hand-made holiday gifts. Pax River also has a wonderful children's book, hand-felted items (look for their tiny pumpkins!) and other wonderful treasures...it's definitely not too early to work on your holiday gift list!

See you Saturday at the Market!

Who's Coming to Market: Elk Run Vineyards!

Elk Run Vineyards joins us again for our last regular Market of the season (remember, we still have two special Markets -- Thanksgiving and Holiday -- left this year!) We are thrilled that they're joining us this Saturday. Elk Run Vineyards, named one of the Top 100 Wineries on the East Coast, has recently won many awards, including the 2009 Silver Ranking in the Maryland Governor's Cup and Gold Ranking in the World Wine Competition for their 2007 vintage Cabernet Franc, as well as 2009 Gold Rankings from the International Taster's Guild and the Winemasters Choice for their 2007 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon (see their website for a complete list of prizes.) Located in Mt. Airy, the vineyard has regular wine tastings and many other events, including the upcoming Annual Champagne Release (November 15) and Dickens Open House (December 5-6). Visit their website for details and tasting room hours. And keep an eye out for State Delegate Jolene Ivey and Market Manager Crystal Lal on Prince George's County Cable. They're being interviewed about the Market and legislation that Delegate Ivey is working on to improve rules concerning special permitting laws for wineries and their ability to sell at markets such as ours.

See you Saturday at Cheverly Community Market!

Chestnut Hill Honey available exclusively at the Market's ChvBrew

Our favorite coffee guy, ChvBrew's Dan Scott (a true foodie in his own right), loves family businesses. Last summer, his young daughter had a great lemonade stand at the Market. This year, we've been treated to another Scott family creation, Chestnut Hill Honey. Delicious, and available only at Cheverly Community Market. Stop by ChvBrew at the Market this Saturday -- enjoy a cup of delicious Mayorga coffee and pick up a jar or two of the best honey around!

(I'm enjoying some drizzled over Greek yogurt, nuts and dried fruit for breakfast!)

Photos from the Market

Photos from Saturday at Cheverly Community Market are being added to our flickr page right now! We have over 2,500 photos from the Market -- and we're adding more! We're also looking for your stories and photos. What do you do with the things you buy at the Market? See something interesting? Have a great conversation with a vendor that you'd like to share? Email us.

Lazy holiday weekend...

Thanks to everyone who braved a drizzly Saturday morning and made it out to the Market this weekend. We were especially grateful to the volunteers who came out early for setup and stayed late to put everything away. Photos will be posted on our flickr page soon! We got some wonderful treats this weekend -- chestnuts and juicy Asian pears from Al Pong, beautiful sweet potatoes, onions and apples from Rebert's, delicious red peppers from Shlagel, a lovely little pie from Clan Stewart (we got to Terry too late to get eggs!)... My favorite discovery from this Saturday's Market? Martha Allen's spiced blueberry jam, which I'm thoroughly enjoying on some toasted pumpkin-sunflower seed bread from Cheverly Breadbasket. This is a delicious breakfast!


The spice is lovely and subtle, and there are tons of berries in the jam. The bread has just the right pumpkin flavor, and the sunflower seeds are a really nice touch. And next to a press pot full of Mayorga coffee (available at the Market from ChvBrew), well. I can't think of a more delicious way to ward off a chilly October morning! -- Posted from the iPhone of Awesome

Late news...

Unfortunately, our favorite local baker, Liz Esposito of Cookies to Cocktails, had been felled by a nasty sinus infection and won't be able to bake tonight for tomorrow's Market. She will be back for our October 24 Market and promises special Halloween treats then. We're looking forward to that, and wish Liz a speedy recovery!


We'll still have lots of great food for you tomorrow. Cheverly Breadbasket will have delicious muffins and pastries, both sweet and savory. Of course, they'll also have wonderful breads from Firehook Bakery and tortillas and chips from Moctec. See you tomorrow at the Market! -- Posted from the iPhone of Awesome

More vendors announced for Saturday's Market

More vendors are on board for tomorrow morning's Market, and we're so excited to have them! Shlagel Farms brings a wonderful, wide variety of fresh produce to us every Market. Stock up for fall meals (and pick up a beautiful mum for your yard while you're at it!) Martha's Jams will be with us! Martha has delicious jams and preserves. They're delicious on your moring toast, but we like to use them in cooking, too. Try glazing pork from Clan Stewart with some preserves, and serving with homemade applesauce... Yum!

Clan Stewart will have delectable meats -- including pork and beef -- to round out your meals. Terry Moist also brings the best farm fresh eggs around. Clan Stewart always brings suprises, so make sure to visit early!

Al Pong will bring those delectable Asian pears and some absolutely lovely plants. Mr. Pong brings some of the most interesting varieties we've seen in this area, so make sure to stop by.

Remember: We're looking for extra volunteers for setup tomorrow morning (indoor Markets require more hands.) If you can help out, please make your way over to the Community Center tomorrow morning (around 7:00am). We don't need the Navy Seals, but if you're a strong, early riser who isn't afraid of getting wet and wants to do a good deed, we'd welcome you with open arms!

See you Saturday -- rain or shine -- at the Market!

Market's On, Rain or Shine!

Just a reminder...our vendors will be coming to the Market rain or shine and we'll be waiting for you! We know one of the things that you love about Cheverly Community Market is sharing a beautiful morning outdoors with your friends and neighbors. This year, we've been very lucky -- all our Markets have been outside. The weather forecasts look iffy for Saturday morning -- we're hearing 66% chance of rain right now. Lucky for us, we have a plan to bring the Market to you rain or shine! If the weather is bad Saturday morning, come on over to the Community Center -- we'll be in the gym. The indoors Markets are always different and lots of fun! Now, we need a little help from you... We're looking for extra volunteers for setup tomorrow morning (indoor Markets require more hands.) If you can help out, please make your way over to the Community Center tomorrow morning (around 7:00am). We don't need the Navy Seals, but if you're a strong, early riser who isn't afraid of getting wet and wants to do a good deed, we'd welcome you with open arms! (photo: Nickolas Muray, McCall's Magazine, 1943)

Who's Coming to Market This Week?

We're really looking forward to this Saturday's Cheverly Community Market back in our home at the Community Center. We know you are, too! This week, Rebert Farm/Benny's Produce Stand will have a terrific variety of apples, pears, winter squash, grapes (!) and fresh apple cider. How about roasting some squash with apples and making a sauce that features reduced apple cider? Serve it with wild rice and a fresh green salad and you have a perfect fall dinner. Add a bottle of wine, some grapes and sliced pears for desert, and you have an amazing meal. Cookies to Cocktails will have fantastic fall treats for you, including delectable muffins to start your day, gingersnaps, coconut macaroons, Halloween-themed sugar cookies, cupcakes (vanilla and returning favorite red velvet), cake pops (chocolate and red velvet) and pumpkin pie pops! Just typing that made me hungry... Our new coffee purveyor, ChvBrew, features Mayorga Coffee and Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea for your Market enjoyment. Cheverly Breadbasket will have wonderful breads and pastries from Firehook Bakery. And, of course, music by our very own homegrown house band, The Hot Noodles. We're also looking forward to the Cheverly Master Gardener's monthly Plant Clinic -- it's a great opportunity to get some expert advice on preparing your plants for colder weather! More details as we get them...we'll keep you up-to-date about what's in store for you this Saturday at Cheverly Community Market!

Recipe: Pumpkin Dip

Here's a super simple recipe for a dip that is terrific with the bountiful apples we're enjoying right now! Pumpkin Dip Whip a block of cream cheese until very smooth. Add 1/4 c. brown sugar and continue whipping until the sugar is well incorporated. Then add 3/4 c. unsweetened pumpkin puree (canned works fine, but if you make it yourself, so much the better!), 1 tbs. cinnamon (or more to taste) and 1 tbs. maple syrup. Whip until it's light and very smooth. Serve with sliced apples (toss those slices in diluted lemon juice to prevent browning) or other seasonal fruits. It's also really great with gingersnaps, in crepes... What are you cooking with your Fall Market purchases? Let us know!

See you this Saturday at the Market!

(and don't forget, we're back at our regular location next to the Community Center on Forest Road)