Weekly Market Update and Some Odds and Ends

Sorry about the silence for the past couple weeks. Turns out, having two jobs is no joke, especially when one is very demanding and the other...well...also very demanding but in a different way. I'm back on the blogosphere, though, with your weekly update.
There are a few things I'm really excited about this week. For starters, I believe I've perfected my biscuit recipe. If you bought a biscuit from me the first or second week at market, I encourage you to give them another try. Not that those were bad, but these are ever so much better.
Another is my Dark and Stormy Cakelets. If you come by my booth often, you've probably noticed them--they're itty bitty cakes with a lot of personality. And they are not cupcakes. I am adamant about that. Not to be a hater (because no once likes haters), but as a baker, I find most cupcakes to be dry, uninteresting, and overwrought. It is my firm belief (and part of my mission statement) that sweets should be, above all, interesting. That means that all those white-sugar-white-flour-crisco concoctions out there are the opposite of what I'm trying to achieve. I can pack more flavor into one bite of a cakelet than most cupcakeries can fit into a whole cupcake. Just sayin'.
Back to these cakelets. They earn their name from the cocktail--rum, lime, and ginger. These chocolate-rum cakelets are doused with a rum syrup and topped with a spirited lime-ginger icing. They pack a punch. So much so, that if you do buy more than one, I advise you not to eat them all at once if you have to drive soon after.
I am also bringing back the Mimosa Pound Cake due to popular demand. Turns out, you all like it as much as I do.
A final note before the menu. If you have any interest in food writing or food blogs, I would like to invite you to see some of my writings at The Joy Kitchen (click around--there are lots of places to explore) and Culinate.com. It lets you know a little bit more about my day job and what I do when I'm not hawking baked goods at the farmer's market.
To reiterate something I think I've said before: I only use organic unbleached flour in all my baked goods. I also use Florida Crystals exclusively as my sugar (unless a recipe uses brown sugar). I get local, organic, pastured eggs from Wisner Farms and dairy from Cruze Farm.
For the month of June, my fiancé and I will be taking a long overdue road trip. We'll be back in July, though!

6/2/12
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--Vermont white cheddar, local organic scallions
--Blueberry Lemon Scones--organic lemons
--Strawberry Rhubarb Spelt Scones--local organic strawberries, organic rhubarb, organic spelt flour
--Raspberry Lime Scones--organic local raspberries, organic limes
--Triple Citrus Loaf--organic citrus (lemon, lime, orange), lemon glaze
--Apricot Loaf With Crunchy Almond Topping--bourbon-soaked apricots, crispy almond topping
--Roasted Veggie Galettes--little free-form tarts with roasted veggies (mushrooms, scallions, peppers)
--Blood Orange Upside Down Cornmeal Cake--organic blood oranges, local cornmeal
--Mimosa Pound Cake--organic oranges, champagne glaze
--Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies
--Lime Cardamom Shortbreads--organic lime zest
--Dark and Stormy Cakelets--chocolate rum cake with rum soak and lime-ginger icing

Weekly Market Update 5/12/12

A lot has to happen before my baked goods make it to market.

I start planning the weekly offerings on Sunday, and I prepare my grocery list by Tuesday.

As always, I try to buy produce from local sources. This week, my baked goods feature local Swiss chard, garlic scapes, scallions, and rhubarb. I have also found a source for local pastured eggs, which is extremely exciting. 

The difference between cage free and pastured eggs is enormous. While cage free means slightly better conditions for the chickens, they are still fed layer pellets and most likely have their beaks cut off to prevent pecking. Pastured chickens eat what they are biologically supposed to eat--bugs, grasses, seeds, worms. This makes for happy chickens, healthier eggs, and bright orange yolks--a sign of nutrition. I have been fortunate to find a good source for eggs (Treadwell Farms), and plan to use these particular eggs from now on.

I also use Cruze Dairy buttermilk and milk. I refuse to compromise on even the basic ingredients in my baked goods. When you buy a Little Blue Baking Company treat, check the label. I do not use any artificial ingredients. You will be able to pronounce every ingredient on the label, and for most ingredients, I can tell you exactly where they came from.

Enough blather. Now for this week's specialties.

--Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4 (organic, local scallions; Vermont white cheddar)

--Swiss Chard and Garlic Scape Quiches--$5 (handmade, all-butter crust; pastured eggs; local, organic chard and garlic scapes)

--Brown Butter Rhubarb Scones--$3 (organic, local rhubarb)

--Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3

--Gluten-Free Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3.50 (I use a blend of teff, sorghum, millet, oat, and brown rice flours)

--Roasted Strawberry Bread with Lemon Glaze--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (organic, local strawberries roasted for concentrated strawberry flavor)

--Arnold Palmer Loaf--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (yup, you guessed it--lemon and tea flavored bread with a light lemon glaze)

--Buttermilk Plum Coffee Cake--$3/slice

--Spicy Ginger Cakelets with Cointreau Frosting--$2 or 3 for $5 (moist, subtle, and striking)

--Mimosa Pound Cake--$4/slice (a fine-textured pound cake with champagne and orange)

--Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies--$3/pack of two

--Flaky Coconut Macaroons--$2/pack of three (gluten-free)

--Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--$3 or 2 for $5

--Little Blue Granola--$7/12 ounces or $4/8 ounces (oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts--no funny stuff)

--Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/4 ounces (caramelized goodness with a hint of espresso and vanilla)

Today in the Kitchen

Today was great. The first day in my rented kitchen that went smoothly. I didn't forget anything, burn anything, drop anything, or have to stay until 8 p.m. The trouble with renting a kitchen an hour away from your home is that when you forget something, it's for keeps...or at least there's no backtracking to get what you forgot. I'm becoming a demon list-maker in the process, and it seems that I remembered everything this time.
And more good news to go along with that--I have perfected my cheddar scallion biscuit recipe. They're big and beautiful and nicely cheesy. I'm increasing the price only because they're a lot bigger than the past two weeks--you might even call them cathead biscuits. If you haven't tried them, you really should. I also baked a double batch of my gluten-free hazelnut brownies because they've sold out at the past two markets. I underestimated the chocolate cravings of Saturday morning Knoxville, and for that I apologize.
A word about the brownies: I use a combination of white rice flour, brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca starch instead of all-purpose flour. Those hazelnuts are organic Oregon hazelnuts from Freddy Guys.
For now, I have to get back to planning for market. In the meantime, feast upon my Saturday offerings.

--Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4 (don't be afraid--they go down easy)
--Lemon Blueberry Scones--$3
--Apricot Almond Spelt Scones--$3
--Little Blue Granola--$8/12 oz; $5/8 oz
--Buttermilk Espresso Coffee Cake--$3/slice
--Vegan Pumpkin Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (you'll never know it's vegan)
--Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
--Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake--$4/slice (made with actual vanilla beans)
--Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2 or $5 for 3 cakelets (spicy and sweet)
--Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--$3
--Broccoli Rabe Shallot Quiches--$5 (take one home for lunch!)
--Chocolate Chunk Cookies--$3
--Spicy Ginger Cookies--$3 (fresh, candied, and dried ginger)
--Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$4/4 oz