This Week at the Market: Elk Run Vineyards

Continue to celebrate Maryland Buy Local Week with Elk Run Vineyards, who will be returning to Cheverly Community Market this Saturday. The Frederick County winery, nestled in the rolling hills in Mount Airy, has taken over 600 International, National, and Regional awards, making it not only one of the top 100 wineries on the East Coast, but the most acclaimed winery in Maryland. In 2012, Elk Run won 10 Gold Medals and four Gold 'Best of Class' in the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition... the first winery to have ever done so in the history of that competition.

This week, Elk Run will have a wide selection of its top wines including their limited production Liberty Tavern Chardonnay, a Burgundy-style white from their 33-year old vineyard. They'll also have two wines that received high scores in the 2013 World Wine Competition: Syrah - a full-bodied red wine that recently was awarded a 94 and Liberty Tavern Cabernet Sauvignon, a limited production red that scored a 92 from their outstanding 2010 vintage. In addition, Elk Run will pour samples of their excellent Port and Vin de Jus Glace premium dessert wines as well as their extremely popular fresh Sangria, ideal for these hot summer weekends.

Make sure to visit Bob Cecil and Elk Run Vineyards this Saturday at Cheverly Community Market!

Community at the Market: Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek

photo courtesy of Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek

Have you signed up for the flying squirrel nestbox workshop?

Drop by the Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek table at CheverlyCommunity Market this Saturday to sign up and learn more.

Everyone 10 and older can help provide homes for flying squirrels in Cheverly. They're small and quick, and seen mostly at night, when at all, but we do have flying squirrels in Cheverly.

Dave Kneipp will conduct a flying squirrel nestbox workshop at a date and time in August to be arranged. Builders should know how to glue wooden boards and use a screwdriver.

And, yes, both children and adults are welcome!

Through a generous donation, the $15 workshop fee is being waived for 10 lucky builders.

This week at the Market: Natural Nick's Produce

This week, visit Natural Nick's Produce for amazing sauces and fruit conserves, traditional sweets, and gorgeous heirloom garlics:

Lorz Italian Garlic is an heirloom from the northwestern part of the United States, with a very strong flavor. The Lorz family brought this plant to Washington State’s Columbia River Basin in the early 1900s from their home in Italy. 

Chesnook Red Garlic is a full-flavored garlic with a mellow aftertaste that lingers nicely, and is ideal for baking and sauteeing. Named because of the bright purple streaks on both bulb wrappers and clove skins, Chesnook Red is from the Republic of Georgia in the former USSR. They may well be among the oldest of the garlics.

Siberian Red Heirloom Garlic is a good all-around garlic. It has large, easy-to-peel cloves. It’s hot when raw and flavorful but not as overpowering as porcelain types when cooked. Baked, it’s earthy and creamy.

Make sure to pick up Natural Nick's Fruit Conserves: Blueberry (which includes Wine Grape Raisins) Strawberry and Threeberry (Combination of Blackberry, Blueberry & Raspberry). These are wonderful over yogurt for a delicious breakfast or snack, and of, course, on your favorite toast (or in the best PB&J ever!)

For your sweet tooth, Natural Nick will have Amaretti Angelinga (Gluten Free),  Natural Nick's Biscotti Antoinetta, and Natural Nick's Baklava Alexandra. Natural Nick will be sampling Biscotti Antoinetta. We sampled the Amaretti at our last Market, and we've been thinking about them ever since -- you'll want to add these to your shopping bags this Saturday! 

All products are naturally grown and produced in the traditional organic method by Natural Nick's Produce "As nature intended."

This week at the Market: Alcoba Coffee

Did you meet Jose Castillobeza, the wonderful gentleman behind Alcoba Coffee, at our last Market? Mr. Castillobeza and his daughter sell locally roasted Guatemalan coffee beans, arguably the crown jewel of South American coffee production. Because of the diversity of microclimates throughout the country, there are a wide variety of beans grown in the region, with many interesting characteristics. Read all about Guatemalan coffee growing here.

Alcoba Coffee comes to us in three roasts: Dark, Light and Mixed. I can personally attest to the Dark Roast -- it makes an absolutely lovely iced coffee, and it's been a welcome new staple in our kitchen. Visit the Castillobezas this Saturday at Cheverly Community Market and find the right roast for your morning!

Music at the Market: Making Gin

Please help us welcome Making Gin back to Cheverly Community Market. They were with us a few times in the 2012 season, and we're thrilled that they are joining us again this year!

Riverdale Park's Mike Sevener and Hyattsville's Jim Groves are Making Gin. Mike and Jim have been jamming together for a decade or so, covering music from blues to jazz to rock...even a little blue grass. While Jim sticks to guitar and vocals, Mike plays guitar, banjo, harmonica, bass, tres, mandolin, uke and pretty much anything with strings...and he sings, too!

Join Making Gin this Saturday for a great morning of music -- you'll hear something you're sure to love!

Celebrate Maryland's Buy Local Week & help us spread the word!

With yesterday's rains, the ground is soft and it's easy to get those yard sign stakes in -- please help us publicize this weekend's Market by posting your yard sign today! 

To celebrate Maryland Buy Local Challenge Week, we have a great lineup in store for you, including wonderful food, entertainment, and crafts. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to Cheverly Community Market this Saturday and Buy Local, Buy Maryland.

There's still time -- accept the challenge today!

Visit Cheverly Community Market on Flickr

We've posted photos from yesterday's market -- and all the way back to April 2008 -- on our flickr group page. My, how we've grown!