Groceries and Groovin' in Welburn Square

Weekly Farmers Markets start Friday, May 30 and so will the music. Come on out and taste the baked goods from Great Harvest Bread and Grace's Pastries, along with a refreshing beverage from Adam's Apple, while listening to the Andean folk music group Mystic Warriors.

Arlington Arts al fresco has put together a season of 8 concerts for your lunchtime listening pleasure. On May 30, it will be Mystic Warriors. On Friday, June 6, Welburn Square will be rocking with John Kaplan & Derek Evry, an acoustic group. Contemporary roots performer Dulcie Taylor is next up on June 20, followed by folk music artists Laurie Rose Griffith & Peter Mealy on June 27. There will be no concert or Farmers Market on July 4.

On July 11, Rick Franklin & Friends will perform Mississippi delta blues. The Maggie Sansone duo plays hammered dulcimer music on July 18, and the Arts al fresco season rounds out with acoustic folk pop group Cletus & Lori on July 25.

The Farmers Market features several new vendors this year. The aforementioned Adam's Apple makes natural beverages. J-Wen is bringing dairy products, including flavored milks, cheese and yogurt, from Pennsylvania. Farmhouse Flowers & Plants will be selling cut flowers, annuals, herbs and perennials all season. Salsa las Glorias will offer a variety of different salsas, some hot, some not. And, TeaCo specializes in organic loose leaf teas.

Joining last year's popular produce vendors Tyson's Farms and Walnut Hill Farm will be LM5 Farm and Westmoreland Produce. And, Dick's Kitchen returns with his selection of culinary treats, including vinegars, oils, sauces, and seasonings.

Support for Concerts in Welburn Square is provided by Dweck Properties, Gates, Hudson & Associates, The Jefferson, Paradigm Development Company, Piedmont Office Realty Trust and The Westin Arlington Gateway.

The Farmers Market operates from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the music plays from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It's the groovy place to be: Welburn Square on Fridays.

New Vendors for 2008!

We are thrilled to be accepting some new vendors into the market this year that will add some spice to our already exciting lineup!

Besides most of our 2007 vendors (see right), we are pleased to also be featuring homemade, fresh salsas by 'Salsa Las Glorias' and fresh cut flowers and potted plants by 'Farmhouse Flowers and Plants'.

The market opens this season on Friday, May 30th (11am-3pm) with a full house of vendors, and an open-air concert as part of Arlington's 'Arts Alfresco' series.

Stay tuned for an updated list of vendors in May.

There is still some room for vendors! Applications must by in by April 15th and can be found in the post below. You can also get an application by email or mail by contacting Julie at 703-528-3527 or ballstonvasquare@aol.com

2008 Vendor Opportunities:

The 2008 market season will begin on May 30th and will run every friday through October 17th (with an exception of July 4th).

If you're interested in becoming a Ballston Farmers Market vendor, please download the:

• 2008 Farmers Market Application and the
• Farmers Market Rules and Regulations

Applicants are encouraged to read the Rules and Regulations prior to sending in their application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but you should submit your application by May 1, 2008 for the best availability.

If you would prefer the application in Word format or would like a hard copy sent to you via regular mail contact Julie at: ballstonvasquare@aol.com or by calling (703) 528-3527

Looking forward to another great season in '08!

Butternut Squash Soup: Guest Blogger, Pinzimini Restaurant

With the busy holiday season upon us, local restaurant Pinzimini offers seasonal specialties to inspire you to recharge. Located in The Westin Arlington Gateway, Pinzimini will entice your taste buds with menu selections such as their seasonal Butternut Squash Soup or specialty Falling Leaf Martini, helping you to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

The chefs at Pinzimini encourages you to “wow” your guests this holiday season by offering their recipe for their Butternut Squash Soup.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients :
1 lb. butternut squash
8 oz. carrot
8 oz. onion
8 oz. celery
1 clove of garlic
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream
½ tsp cinnamon
⅓ cup honey
½ cup butter
⅓ cup pomace oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Peel the butternut squash and cut into wedges.
Toss squash with pomace oil.
Roast at 350ºF until light golden and tender.

In a soup pot, sauté garlic clove, 8 oz. carrot, 8 oz. celery and 8 oz. onion with ½ cup butter.
Add the roasted butternut squash.
Add 2 quarts of chicken/vegetable stock.
Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add 2 cups of heavy cream.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add ½ tsp. cinnamon, ⅓ cup honey, and salt & pepper.

Blend all ingredients using a hand mixer. Add additional seasoning as needed.

Pinzimini will be featuring a special three and four course menu on Thanksgiving Day for both lunch and dinner. The menu will include seasonally-inspired dishes to start the holiday season off on the right foot. For Pinzimini dining reservations, please call 703.537.4200, or visit http://www.pinzimini.com/.

Market Extended until October 26th!

The Ballston-VA Square Partnership is pleased to announce that we've extended our market to run through the end of October (last market: friday 10/26).

That gives you shoppers two extra weeks to get your glorious fall produce, baked goods and gourmet sauces and spreads.


Both of our farm stands will be selling an array of pumpins and gourds for your halloween/fall festivities. Also pickup acorn squash, corn, figs, concord grapes and eggplant.


Tysons farm has over 7 varieties of apples..tis the season for baking apple pies!

Also stock up on Hondo coffee. If you're addicted like I am, keep in mind that after October, the market doesn't reopen until May 2008!


and Lunchgoers can continue to picnic with fresh fruit, veggies and yummy empanadas from Grace's pastries..

see you at the square!

recipe time!

I bought a couple of small eggplants at the market last week and came up with this quick and super-easy recipe for a curried eggplant dish. Total cooking time including prep: 30minutes..move over Rachael Ray!

Curried Eggplant:

(serves 2)

1 large or 2 small eggplants

1 medium onion

2tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1tbsp. curry powder

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup couscous (or rice)

Cut off the top of the eggplant(s) and cut the remainder into 1" cubes. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Toss the eggplant in to get it started.

Chop onion and throw that into the skillet. Let the two sautee together until the onion is clear and the eggplant is tender (7-10 minutes).

Next toss in the raisins and the curry powder and sautee for 1-2 minutes. Add half of the chicken broth to start to create a simmering sauce.

Prepare 1 cup of couscous or any type of rice as directed on the package.

While the couscous or rice is cooking, continue stirring the eggpant mixture and add the remainder of the broth gradually.

Serve the curried eggplant mixture over couscous or rice and you're done!

Lunch Eats Under $5 At The Market!

Feeling guilty about the $9-$15 lunches you've been buying lately? Well, for those of you who work in offices in Ballston, you should DEFINITELY check out the Friday lunchtime offerings at the Ballston Farmer's Market in Welburn Square.

Rounding the circle of vendors you can find a wide array of lunch items:

-at Grace's Pastries, pick up a freshly baked empanada filled with chicken or veggies (rice, kale, tomatoes, spices) for $2.50 each. Or pick up a gigantic slice of freshly baked focaccia (tomatoes, spinach, onion + peppers) for $3

-The European Gourmet Bakery offers filled croissants (ham or turkey+cheese) and savory
vegetable tortes in the $2-$4 range. They also sell fresh baked cookies and sweets for about $1

-Grab a loaf of bread from Great Harvest, and some olive tapenade from Dick's Kitchen for a more picnic-y type of feast with friends.

-Round out your meal by picking up a fresh peach, apple or other fruit from either of our two farm stands.

-thirsty? the small deli on the plaza sells bottled water for $1 a pop post-tax (a rarity these days!), or for a post-lunch jolt, sample a small cup of Hondo Coffee and pick up a bag to take home for those lazy weekend mornings.

So, this Friday when you're heading out for yet another $10 salad, think different. Enjoy the nice weather, free live music and some healthy (and cheap!) eats in Welburn Square.

(Fridays from 11am-3pm through October)