Farm Market Crawl: Westfield Annapolis Farmers Market

One of my favorite things about farmers markets is discovering new (to me), local food businesses. That’s just what I found at the Westfield Annapolis Mall Farmers Market last weekend. The market is held in the Sears parking lot at the Annapolis Mall on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The market’s small, with just over a dozen vendors offering traditional market fare, like fruits and vegetables, but also coffee, an assortment of baked goods, fresh dairy products and a few surprises.

Freedom Bakery sells their freshly-baked gluten-free treats from their Severna Park bakery each week at the market.  The bakery is a dream come true for those who’ve had to give up their favorite foods because of celiac disease.

The bakery’s owned and run by the Pulcher family, who were inspired to start their business after their daughter, Sarah’s celiac diagnosis. They sell assorted gluten-free cookies, cupcakes and breads, as well as their own seasoned flours and pancake and waffle mix.

My market dessert was a delicious popsicle from Popular Pops, a new Annapolis-based gourmet popsicle business.  Their inventive flavors–my watermelon and mint popsicle was like biting into the sweetest watermelon with a hint of mint–are the perfect treat for a hot day. They sell their popsicles exclusively at the market, but plan to expand in the future. Their flavors change weekly, but look for pineapple and basil, strawberry shortcake and PB & J.

My take home from the market was a beautiful basket of fresh leaf lettuce from Taylor’s Fresh Organics, a family farm and CSA in Federalsburg, Maryland. They grow a range of organic produce from Brussels sprouts to broccoli and their crisp, slightly peppery and addictive leaf lettuce. I used mine in a wonderful salad with fresh strawberries, crumbled feta, chopped red onion and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Farm Market Lettuce with Strawberries, Feta & Balsamic Glaze

Serves four.

For Balsamic Glaze:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

4 cups your favorite farm market lettuce

1 cup quartered strawberries, rinsed, stems removed

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons finely-chopped red onion

Make the Glaze:

Stir together balsamic vinegar and honey in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the vinegar thickens. Set aside to cool. The reduction will continue to thicken as it cools.

Make the salad:

Toss the lettuce, strawberries, feta and onion together in a large bowl. Drizzle with the cooled glaze and serve. The glaze packs a lot of flavor so drizzle sparingly. A little goes a long way.