The Farmers Markets of Minneapolis are Ready for Summer!
Minnesota is coming alive, and our vibrant market community is ready to bring you a slice of our local bounty. Let me say, up front, that I love so many of the markets that I can’t play favorites. There so many solid, high-quality vendors at all of them that I won’t even try to list them all. So I’m going to focus on new, plant-based products today.
All Vegan Bakery!
Exciting New Vegan Products Coming to a Market Near You
Minneapolis has such a wealth of great produce, prepared foods, crafts and beverages at our markets, it’s hard to keep up. I try to visit several of them, and fan-girl over my fave vendors. But today, I’m singing the praises of some up and coming new foods, all of which will add to the shopping experience at your market, and maybe even tempt you to make a little trip to a market a neighborhood or two away. I’ve included website and instagram links, since some vendors move around and you’ll want to have the latest info.
Vegan is Growing at the Markets!
At this year’s First Look, organized by the Farmers Markets of Minneapolis, I was wowed by some tasty new vegan foods, so I’m just going to rave about them here.
Abby from Bakery Box, Posing with her Treats!
Laminated Vegan Sourdough Doughnuts? Bakery Box Has Them
I’m not a doughnut eater, I lean toward smoothies in the morning. But these amazing doughnuts are mind-blowing. Abby Kastrul makes conventional doughnuts, cakes, pies, cookies, and other treats. But what got me excited were the raised, layered, puffy vegan “Brown Butter” Doughnuts. Abby is actually making her own recipe for vegan butter to layer in with a fermented dough, so there is so much depth of flavor and texture that you will swoon. She’s offering them at pop ups and farmers markets, and planning more vegan products as time goes on. Bakery Box is worth a trip to Midtown, Kingfield, or wherever she ends up.
Look at the Layers, So Puffy!
Hope’s Vegan Kitchen
The photo at the top is of the spread of all vegan treats from Hope’s. I tried a cookie and a bar, both of which were delicious. Check out the website, with an extensive menu of everything from croissants and cheesecake to cookies and muffins. I asked her about ingredients, and she is using Earth Balance vegan butter and organic sugar, so expect these treats to taste just like the conventional ones, minus the eggs and dairy.
Jamaican Veggie Patties! Wha’Jamaican Brings Authentic Island Flavor!
Angelo Williamson Serves Veggie Patties!
You may know, I love Jamaican food. I’ve written about my visit there here, and here. Angelo Williamson has brought the authentic tastes of the Island to Minneapolis
Wha’ Jamaican is a successful food truck and catering company-serving up the traditional jerk chicken and other omnivorous foods. Their newest product is a Veggie Patty, to make the plant-based community very happy. Angelo has made the veggie patty with no animal products, and when we spoke was looking for an alternative to a coconut product that was marked as possibly containing dairy products.
Fermented Veggies Are Hot, with Topos and the Pickle Witch
Topos ferments all kinds of veggies, and makes miso!
Topos Ferments, the passion project of Jim Bovino, has been letting bacteria go nuts in their vats of veggies since 2017. I’ve been a fan ever since they launched, bringing tasty probiotics to the Linden Hills Market. Jim pickles whatever moves him, following the seasons to bring something new to the market every time. I had not tried his miso before, and it was fantastic. Click to follow on instagram.
Meet the Pickle Witch!
The Pickle Witch has been bringing fermented veggies to the Midtown Market since 2017, and she’s also an LGBTQ and environmental activist. It’s fitting, to ferment ideas along with the food, isn’t it? Try her tasty, lively pickles at the Midtown, and check out her website to get her ‘zine and find out about events. Click to follow on instagram
Pure Vegan Soups, Dips and Sauces in Jars!
Sample some pesto and hummus, take home in a reusable jar
I met Jennifer Alexander last year at the market, where she was selling her all-plant-based, all organic, all delicious food in jars. She’s in it for more than just a business, she started making her soups because she was having health problems and needed clean, pure foods. That mission carries over, the products are flavor-packed, packed in reusable mason jars, and contain real, natural ingredients. So, if you want to pick up some prepared food to eat on the busy nights of the week, you can’t go wrong with Jen’s Jars. She even gives you a dollar off when you bring back the jar!
Click here for the website, here for instagram.
Quality Teas, too
Ingrid Remak, Sales and Outreach Manger for Young Mountain Tea; Really Good Tea Makes Life Better
Young Mountain Tea is a small, woman-owned company buying teas direct from the growers. You can even travel with them to India or Nepal, to tour the tea plantations and processing plants.
Jirik Family Farms-Not Just Meat!
When you walk up to the Jirik Family Farms booth, you might see all the meats for sale and just keep walking. But they also tap maple trees for amazingly good syrup. But it gets better. Then they make it into COTTON CANDY. Pure maple cotton candy. I’m sorry that I didn’t get a photo.
I ate it.
See you at the markets!
