I’ve already experienced the springtime Wednesday Night Farmers’ Market. Check out my finds from the first visit. I had a wonderful time in the spring, so I was happy to browse the market again with my $50 in market bucks thanks to Texas Farmers’ Market!
I found a bunch of new things this time around. This was their “Fall Festival” as well, so there was a lot to experience in addition to the amazing local products. Check out these awesome vendors! With my $50 in market bucks, I got…
1._Dill pickles from F-Stop Farm. First of all, F-Stop is a photography term, so they win. They’re a pretty incredible urban farm in east Austin that is supplying fresh, organic, local produce to restaurants in the area. They have some pretty incredible goals which include increasing the size of the farm, increasing produce productions, and getting their products in more restaurants. Support them as they grow, if you can! I got a jar of their dill pickles, made from Russian pickling cucumbers, garlic, dill seed, organic white vinegar, and pickling salt. They also have some tasty smoked, pickled beets and market-famous kimchi! Their herbs smelled incredible too – cinnamon basil, chocolate basil… it’s all good!
2. Cider from Texas Keeper Cider. I don’t know why I had it in my head that I didn’t like cider. Turns out I love cider! I first tried Texas Keeper at their place out in Manchaca (south, south Austin) as part of a Two Hives Honey tour. Their newest cider is called “Auguste Cerise” and it’s made with cherries! I should have just bought a whole bottle. The farmers’ market is definitely more fun to peruse after a cup or two of Texas Keeper Cider.
3. Nutella poptart from Elly’s Sweet Shop. Elly’s Sweet Shop sells all kinds of baked goods, from cookies, to cupcakes, to moist bread loaves. They currently have some new pumpkin spice cake that they’re selling! I went for one of the super cute poptarts. These little poptarts had SO much filling in them. I ended up eating it a little bit at a time over a few days. With such a wide variety, I regret only buying one thing from Elly’s… I’ll be back for sure!
4. Date bites from Jake & Jubi’s Snack Co. I’m actually eating some of these right now. Seriously – look! And now I’m sad because those were my last two and they’re gone.
Jake & Jubi’s make date-sweetened snacks! They have several flavors of date bites (original, peanut butter, and chocolate) and granola. Their date bites are wonderfully sweet and are made with ingredients I can get behind: medjool dates, peanuts, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt. They’re grain-free, dairy-free, and free of added sugar. Again, this is definitely a vendor I’ll be visiting again.
5. Smoked pecans from Buster’s. I was shocked by the flavor of these things! I was actually looking for a snack for Brian and I knew he liked pecans. I sampled some and WOW. The smokiness is incredible. Why aren’t more people doing this!? I wish I knew more about this little company, but they’re doing artisan pecans RIGHT.
6. Goat cheese from Bee Tree Farm & Dairy. Bee Tree is a super interesting business. They offer many different products and experiences from their farm, such as “goat walks,” “Backyard Goat Milking 101” and various cheese classes. They had this to say about their cheese:
Bee Tree cheeses are the culmination of years spent learning from scratch how to build fences, battle coyote, raise dairy animals, and eventually how to turn beautiful milk into beautiful cheese. We hope you love our cheese as much as we have loved the journey to bring it to you.
I really love how connected to the process Bee Tree Farm is. These goats are their family! I was really happy to be able to support such a wonderful, sustainable little farm.
7. Dog snacks from Chow Hound. Obviously, Winnie needed something from the farmers’ market too. I was checking out Chow Hound and I saw this good dog sitting, waiting patiently for her treats!
I figured I was at a good vendor because the number of dogs surrounding it was crazy. I kept getting bumped and thumped by excited bodies and tails while I tried to pick out my treats! Chow Hound is all REAL dog treats (apparently cats like them too!). They have the goal of “making raw dog food affordable and convenient for everyone.” After purchasing them my treats, I set my things down to take a few photos and found a Corgie sticking their head all up in my bag! I couldn’t wait to get them home to Winnie. She was skeptical at first (she’s a very picky and sporadic eater), but once she got a taste of freeze dried chicken heart, she wanted more and more! She also loves the pork liver. We got a TON of product for $8. Really impressed, Chow Hound!
8. Caramel sauce and chocolate bread loaf from Julie Myrtille – Austin’s premier French bakery. With several awards under her belt, Julie Myrtille has really established herself as one of Austin’s top French pastry chefs. She has crafted some amazing desserts, like the moistest almond croissant you’ll ever eat in your life, and jams. I got a little jar of sea salt caramel sauce (which I’ve been putting on everything from toast to ice cream) and a chocolate bread loaf. Her blog is mostly written in French, but if that’s what you’ll looking for, then for sure give it a read!
The fun vibe of the market extends beyond just awesome vendors. This farmers’ market fall festival also included a melon eating contest, a cake walk (with goodies from Elly’s Sweet Shop), chef demos from Monique of Gastromonique, and live music from Wilkinson’s Quartet.
Chef Monique was very impressive. She cooked a whole butternut squash soup at her little stall. I chatted with her for a while and learned what exactly she does as a “personal chef.” Monique creates and cooks meal plans, caters dinner parties, and organizes a supper club. She’s super nice and personable and would love someone with such a deep love and understanding of cooking to prepare food for me!
There’s a lot to explore at the Wednesday night Farmers’ Market at Mueller! Make an evening of it – grab a bottle of Texas Keeper’s Cider with Bee Tree’s goat cheese, some samples from a chef demo, a few date bites from Jake & Jubi and veggies from F-Stop Farm, dessert from Elly’s Sweet Shop or Julie Myrtille (don’t forget Chow Hound for your pup too!), and a pack of Buster’s smoked pecan’s for the road.
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