This week, winter tailgate markets are the places to pick up sweets for your sweetie—Valentine’s day is just around the corner, after all!
At Asheville City Market South on Wednesday (2-6 pm), the Chocolate Lab plans to offer up their signature chocolate roses (above), along with an assortment of artisan truffles. They also plan to debut their new chocolate hearts, filled with options like peanut butter, coconut, and mixed nuts. Sweet Monkey Bakery unveiled their decadent “Sweetheart Tart” at market last month. The puff pastry—filled with tart cherries, chocolate, and crushed walnuts—will return, along with a lemon-lavender triple berry quick bread. Does your lover love apples? You never know what Creasman Farms will bring! Last week, it was apple sauce muffins made not only with their apples but local honey, too.
At the grand opening of the Saturday winter market at the Woodfin YMCA last week, sweets went fast. Sweetheart Bakery sold out within the first hour, but don’t worry, they plan to bring back many of the same treats (10 am-noon). Expect items like sweet potato coffee cake (made with sweet potatoes from Flying Cloud Farm), apple muffins (with apples from McConnell Farms), and berry bars (with jams from Imladris Farm).
Sweets aren’t the only great gifts. At Asheville City Market South, newcomer Fancy Dirt Forge will offer handmade jewelry sure to impress. And, Green Bee Cleaning and Bath Salts and Beyond will offer special deals. Green Bee will offer a sale on their multipurpose cleaning spray, and Bath Salts and Beyond’s “Happy Heart Special” will get you or your special someone three products in a gift bag for just $30.
Planning to do a little baking of your own? Don’t forget that Double ‘G’ Ranch and Brittain Farms bring their farm-fresh chicken and duck eggs to the parking lot of the West Asheville Tailgate Market at 718 Haywood Road every Tuesday, 2-4 pm.
Markets are still offering produce, too. Full Sun Farm is slated as a new produce vendor for the Woodfin Y market. But do get there early, as items like greens and turnips sell quickly!
The Bakersville Farmers Market’s February market is this Saturday, February 11th, from 10 am until 2 pm. Expect sweets, breads, meats, and more, along with special handmade Valentine’s collage cards. Also on Saturday, the Madison County Farmers and Artisans Market winter tailgate returns, from 10 am until 2 pm at the Madison County Extension Office. For more winter markets happening, check our past tailgate reports.
Fresh at (Winter) Farmers Markets This Week
