Summer time is Tomato time! Specifically…Heirloom Tomatoes!
I grew up with these kinds of tomatoes as a kid.  Striped tomatoes, odd shaped tomatoes, tomatoes in nearly every color of the rainbow and then somewhere along the way tomatoes became standardized, boring and tasteless.  Thank goodness that Heirloom Produce is making a comeback, because you haven’t tasted a tomato until you’ve tasted a REAL tomato like an Heirloom variety.

I have been making one particular salad with fresh Heirloom Tomatoes now for over a decade.  In fact I feel like stepping back to Summer in the year 2006 just to show you a picture of this salad that has been my Summer signature and how it has remained virtually unchanged after all these years.

There isn’t really a recipe for how I make this salad.  It’s more of a process and a combination of ingredients and you add them all together to make this stunning little tomato stack that explodes with the tastes of Summer all over your tongue.

Now let’s step in to the present day, actually yesterday to be exact.  My guy knows that I am not one for jewelry and that I’d rather have a bottle of Truffle Oil over a bouquet of roses.  So he got me bags of some absolutely beautiful produce to play around with yesterday.  In those bags were gorgeous Heirloom Tomatoes – and this is what I did with them yesterday:

As you can see… not a whole lot has changed over the years, which just goes to show how this recipe has been a favored Summertime staple in our house.

Go check out Pike Place Market or your local Farmer’s Market right now, chances are the first Heirlooms of the season are making an appearance!

In the Pacific Northwest there is one fish that is King, and that fish is Salmon.  Whether you get it at your local Farmer’s Market, the Fisherman’s Terminal in Ballard, from the flying fish guys at Pike Place Market or you catch it yourself, Salmon is best here in the Northwest.  Summertime is the perfect time of year for putting our local fishy royalty on the grill.  And there isn’t a recipe that is easier than this.

To take it up another notch without complicating things, you can throw the salmon on to a Cedar Plank (you can find these online and in some local grocery stores like Metropolitan Markets, PCC & Thriftway).

Cedar Planking gives the Salmon a rich, delicious smoky flavor and it really could not be simpler.  A few tips before you get started:

• Make sure that the wood you are using is Food Safe – a Cedar Shingle from the hardware store is loaded with industry chemicals that can make you very sick
• Soak the Cedar Plank for at least 3 hours in salted water before you plan on using it
• Use fresh Salmon – check out your local fish market, the fresher the better
• Keep the skin on the Salmon, it helps make it easier to remove the Salmon from the plank

Cedar Plank Salmon
This recipe can easily be doubled

• 1 Cedar Plank
• 1 lb Salmon, skin on, cut into fillets
• 1 Orange, cut into round slices, then halved
• 1 Red Onion, cut into round slices, then halved
• 5-6 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chili Flake or Chili Threads

Soak your Cedar Plank for at least 3 hours in salted water (Just enough salt in the water so that you can taste it, all it really is there to do is help season the fish during grilling).
Pull the Cedar Plank out of the water soak and lay the Salmon, skin side down, on the plank.  Place half a slice of Orange and Red Onion in between each piece of Salmon, followed by a sprig of Rosemary.
Now to season it: Drizzle the Olive Oil over the top, followed by the Black Pepper, Salt and Chili.  Set this aside and get your grill ready.
You will be grilling over a medium high heat setting.  If you have a gas grill simply turn your dial to Medium-High.  For Charcoal, get your coals ready and hold your hand over the center of the flame about 6″ above the actual grill, if you can comfortably leave your hand there for about 7-8 seconds your coals are ready.

Now the simplest part – stick the planks on the grill, put the lid on the grill, wait 20-25 minutes and they are done.
Tip: Do not keep opening up the grill to check on the fish.  You will lose all the delicious smoke that has built up in the grill and your fish won’t get that nice smoky flavor.

I like to use the boards to serve the fish, either put them on a platter, baking sheet or piece of foil to prevent the scorched underside from leaving any marks on tabletops.  Enjoy!

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from PCC , Metropolitan Market, Thriftway or any other organizations mentioned for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Hitting up the Farmers Market makes great outing solo, as a date or with the family.  Our various markets will often have live music, chef demos, crafts, contests, local artists, author signings and even activities for the kids.  Check with the individual Market’s website to see what scheduled events are coming up.  It’s a great chance to go on an outing to shop for dinner and get to know the people behind the food.  How great is it to pick up a bundle of Kale, fragrant Spring Onions or a bunch of Carrots and hear the Farmer working the stand tell you that those were harvested at 5am that very morning.  It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

So what can you find at your local Farmers Markets?  Well it really depends on the time of year you go.  Farmers Markets selection is based on Mother Nature, so whatever is ripe is what is on sale.  Alongside the seasonal fresh Produce you can also find Eggs, Milk, Cider, Seafood, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Plant Starts, Vinegars, Nuts, Salt, Foraged Foods,  gorgeous Flower Bouquets, Breads, Pastries and Cheese  just to name a few.

Today I am sharing with you some of our major local Farmers Markets information so you can plan your next outing to healthier, local food brought to you by proud, hard working people.  Later I’ll be sharing with you some inside information on a couple of my absolute favorite Farmers Market haunts… and also a few mouth watering recipes that showcase the best food produced right here in the Northwest.

Farmers Markets All Around Washington

• Bellevue’s Thursday Market – OPENS MAY 13th – Thursdays, May 13th – October 14th,  from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at 1717 Bellevue Way Northeast.
• Bellevue’s Saturday Market – OPENS JUNE 5th – Saturdays, June 5th – November 20th, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, at 10610 Northeast 8th Street.
• Bellingham Farmers Market – OPEN NOW! – Sautrdays, April 3rd – December 24th, from from 10:00am – 3:00pm, at Railroad Street & Chestnut Street. Check their website for more market days.
• Broadway Sunday Market – OPENS MAY 9th – Sundays, May 9th – December 19th, from 11:00am to 3:00pm, at 10th Avenue East & East Thomas.
• Columbia City Farmers Market – OPENS APRIL 28th – Wednesdays, April 28th – October 20th, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at Rainier Avenue South & South Edmunds.
• Fremont Farmers Market – OPEN YEAR ROUND – Sundays, from 10:00am to 5:00pm, at Phinney & 34th. Check their website for more info on Ballard, Wallingford & Madrona Markets.
• Kent Farmers Market – OPEN JUNE 5th – Saturdays – June 5th – September 25th, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at 2nd Avenue & Smith Street
• Kirkland Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 5th – Wednesdays, May 5th – Oct 13th, from 2:00pm to 7:00pm, at Marina Park
• Lake City Farmers Market – OPENS JUNE 3rd – Thursdays,  June 3rd – October 7th, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at Northeast 125th & 28th Avenue Northeast.
• Magnolia Farmers Market – OPENS JUNE 5th – Saturdays, June 5th – September 25th, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, at 2550 34th Avenue West.
• Phinney Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 28th – Fridays, May 28th – October 1st, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at 67th & Phinney Avenue North.
• Port Townsend Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 1st – Saturdays – May 1st – December 18th, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at Lawrence & Taylor in Uptown.  Check their website for information on their Wednesday Market.
• Poulsbo Farmers Market – OPEN NOW! – Saturdays, April 10th – October 23rd, from 9:00am – 1:00pm, at Northeast Iverson Street & 7th Avenue Northeast.
• Puyallup Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 1st – Saturdays, May 1st – October, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at 330 South Meridian in Pioneer Park.  Check their website for information on the Sunday Market.
• Queen Anne Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 20th – Thursdays, May 20 – October 7, 2010, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at West Crockett Street & Queen Anne Avenue North.
• Spokane’s Saturday Market – OPENS MAY 1st – Saturdays, May 1st – October 30th, from 8:00am to 1:00pm, at 2nd and Division in Downtown.  Check their website for dates & times for their Wednesday market.
• Tacoma Farmers Markets – OPENS MAY 20th – Thursdays – May 20th – until Season Close, from 8:30am – 2:00pm, at South 9th Street & Broadway. Check their website for locations of two other Tacoma area markets.
• University District Farmers Market – OPEN YEAR ROUND – Open Every Saturday, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at University Way & Northeast 50th.
• Wenatchee Farmers Market – OPEN MAY 7th – Saturdays, May 7th – October 30th, from 8:00am – 1:00pm, at South Columbia Street & Palouse Street. Check their website for more markets & locations, everyday of the week except Mondays & Fridays
• West Seattle Farmers Market – OPEN YEAR ROUND – Open Every Sunday, from 10:00am to 2:00pm,  at California Avenue Southwest & Southwest Alaska.
• Yakima Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 9th – Sundays – May 9th – October 31st,  from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at 3rd Street & Yakima Avenue.

This is by no means a complete list, but it’s a good place to start you on your exploration into local, honest to goodness food.   Do you have a favorite market not mentioned here, please share it with us!

Some tips when visiting your Farmers Markets:

1. Let the Farmers set up their booths, obey the market rules of no shopping before the official opening of the Market.
2. Keep track of your children and keep them close, but keep it fun.  Let them explore the booths with you and talk to the Farmer’s but be sure to reel them back in when the Farmers start getting busy.
3. Dog owners be sure to note Market rules pertaining to Dogs… some allow them and some don’t, and scoop that poop!
4. Don’t haggle or dicker prices at the beginning of the Market day.  Let the folks who are  paying the posted market price pay, get in and get out.  Save your chaffering for the end of the day, it’s extremely rude to hold up a line of folks who are trying to pay when you want that extra bunch of Lamb’s Lettuce for half price during peak hours.  Most Farmers are willing to make you some really great deals as the market comes to a close, and some will even throw some freebies at you from time to time.  Wait until about 30 minutes to closing before you start bargain hunting.
5. Have fun, get to know your food and the folks who bring it to your table!

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved