SoWa Winter Market, Sienna Farms micro-store, & The Butcher Shop 12/18

Sunday's haul from the whirlwind
south end  shopping trip

Not only did I visit the final SoWa Winter Market of 2011 yesterday, I also popped into the Butcher Shop and the newly opened Sienna Farm micro-store right next door to the Butcher Shop! All of the vendors I spoke to, including the folks at the Sienna Farm store and the butcher at the Butcher Shop were in a great mood with this being a pretty busy shopping weekend spirits were high! Once again I found myself having some great conversations with some of the vendors about various winter markets, freezing pasta, growing herbs, and cooking! It was great to catch the market one more time before the holidays and wish some of my favorite vendors a good holiday season and a happy new year!   I brought home a ton of really great stuff from the market, Sienna Farm store, and Butcher Shop. I tried to stock up on some goods as I know SoWa will be cosed the next to weekends and we may be busy celebrating with friends and family to visit the Somerville market as well.  I ended up bringing home a nice mix of produce and specialty goods yesterday:

Beef Ravioli & Truffle/Wild Mushroom Ravioli from Valicenti Organico

Smoked Mozzarella, White Bean, & Sage Ravioli from Nella Pasta

Beef Stew meat from John Crow Farm

Red Onion's from Silverbrook Farm

Tomatoes (cherry and fully sized!) peppers, and Brussels sprouts from The Herb Lyceum

Spinach from The Food Project & Earthquake cookies from Sofra Bakery via the Sienna Farms micro-store

Hot Coppa from The Butcher Shop!

I also placed an order for some bottled iced coffee from Captain's Coffee Brewers. He had run out at the market and would be delivering in my neighborhood when I'm working from home which is really great! Gail and I really like their iced coffee!

I had been to the butcher shop a few other times. The most memorable being a few years ago for my birthday when Gail and I went for a pig butchering demonstration with talk from Dominic Polumbo of Moon in the Pond Farm. This time I wanted to visit their selection of charcuterie and housemade goods and pick up a treat for myself. When I arrived the restaurant was bustling and the butcher was helping someone with a lengthy order. I quietly snuck up to the refrigerated cooler that housed much of their charcuterie. I was greeted with a great variety of sausages, pates, and cured meats. Everything looked so good it was tough to decide what looked most appealing. Ultimately I took home some hot coppa and the desire to come back again soon for a meal, and a few more times to sample all the delicious charcuterie they had for sale!
I after all the shopping at SoWa and the stop at the butcher shop I was ready to go home, but right next to the butcher shop was the recently opened Siena Farms store. I had read about it and am very familiar with Siena Farms, Sofra Bakery, and Oleana restaurant. They were having a little party that day so I was told to help myself to some of the great cookies they had available for nibbling on. I looked around the 'micro farm store' and was impressed with all the produce and food I saw. Leeks potatoes, kale, parsnips, turnips, onions squash, mushrooms, apples, baked goods, taza chocolate, and more! I ended up grabbing a bag of spinach from the non-profit food project and a package of Earthquake cookies as a treat for Gail and a friend who were back at the apartment. 
The cookies were fudgy and rich and a perfect treat on what seemed like the first really cold day of the season. We shared them after a lunch of mini grilled cheese sandwiches and warm soup, the perfect lunch on a chilly day.

All in all it was a very fitting(possibly)final local food buying excursion.  I was able to wish some vendors happy holidays and good new years as well as making a special stop at a few small business.  Despite the chilly temperatures everyone had big smiles and warm wishes for each other. I say possibly final excursion because the Somerville Winter Farmers market is open on Christmas Eve, and maybe even on New Years Eve but in all likelihood I may not have the time to drop in.
Have you been stocking up on local produce or treating yourself to local prepared goods ahead of the holiday season? What is finding it's way into your kitchen from local markets??