NOTE: Asheville City Market and North Asheville Tailgate Market are canceled for Saturday, Jan. 11, due to the winter storm and unsafe road conditions. Both markets will return Jan. 18.
While we have fully entered winter, you can still find fresh, winter-season produce at Buncombe County farmers tailgate markets—just be sure to get there early before they sell out! Find greens, cabbages, bok choy, potatoes, and other root crops along with goods that you can find year-round like meats, eggs, cheese, ferments, and valued-added goods.
Colder days call for warm meals. Try out a comforting and rich ramen that you can put your own spin on based on what you like. A good ramen, paired with noodles and toppings, is all about the broth—full of flavor and umami. If you have the time, make your own broth from scratch or pick up ready-to-go ramen broths from Ivy Fields Farm at Weaverville Winter Tailgate Market. Try a beef, chicken, or lamb broth or use mushrooms for a vegan/vegetarian option. Find broth bones from vendors like Dry Ridge Farm (Asheville City and North Asheville Markets) and Sugar Hollow Farm (North Asheville and River Arts District markets). If you are planning to add mushrooms to your ramen anyway, simmer the tough and stalky parts for at least an hour, straining them out when you are ready. Find mushrooms like grey oysters and shiitakes from Black Trumpet Farm (North Asheville and River Arts District markets), Forest Farmacy (Asheville City Market), and Gourmet Mountain Mushrooms (Weaverville Tailgate Market). To level up your broth, add ingredients like miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, or garlic. Find other classic ramen additions at markets like bok choy, carrots, and broccoli. Saute your veggies of choice to prepare them as crispy topping, or simmer them in your broth to cook them down and develop more flavor. If you’re in a pinch and have ramen packets at home, you can always use those as your noodles, sans the flavor packet. Add the noodles and cook until tender, about five to 8 minutes.
Ramen toppings are always a fun addition! Try drizzling J Chong Eats' chili oil (North Asheville Tailgate Market), adding kimchi or pickled radishes from Serotonin Ferments (North Asheville and River Arts District Markets) or Fermenti (Weaverville Tailgate Market), or sprinkling zesty microgreens from Winter Greens Farm (Asheville City Market) or Second Flora (North Asheville and River Arts District markets).
Have you ever made your own soft-boiled ramen eggs? Otherwise known as ajitsuke tamago in Japanese, ramen eggs are super easy and make for a delicious protein addition to your ramen. Some believe ramen is incomplete without ajitsuke tamago! Plus, you can find eggs at every farmers tailgate market, year-round. If you are planning for ramen, these eggs are better when they are made the night before or morning of your dinner plans. Start by boiling a pot filled with enough water to cover the eggs, a dash of salt, and a tablespoon of vinegar (to help break down the shells, making the eggs easier to peel). Carefully place six eggs in the pot with a spoon or ladle and boil for 6 ½ minutes, reducing heat to a gentle boil. While your eggs are boiling, find a container or jar that can fit your eggs–a quart jar works perfect for six eggs—and fill it with a fourth cup of soy sauce, a fourth cup of mirin, a teaspoon of brown sugar, and water (enough to cover your eggs). Prepare an ice bath for your eggs for when they are finished boiling and let them cool in the iced water for up to 15 minutes. Gently peel your soft boiled eggs, rinse them of any remaining shell bits, and place them in the marinade for eight hours or overnight. Use eggs within three to hour days, and discard your marinade or add a splash to your ramen broth.
During this time of year, markets may need to make adjustments or cancellations due to unpredictable weather. Keep up-to-date with your favorite markets through their social media and newsletters.
Area farmers tailgate markets take place throughout the region. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) invites you to join us at the table in support of local food and farms on Friday, April 25 5 - 8:30 p.m. at Yesterday Spaces.
For more than 20 years, ASAP has been creating connections between our region’s farmers, restaurants, and community. Now, we’re celebrating the ways our community has come together to rebuild, grow, and discover our resilience.
Enjoy a tapas-style dinner of four small plates and a plated dessert. Plus, chat with the chefs and farmers that created each dish! Get your tickets here and contact Nora Scheff ([email protected]) with any questions regarding this event.
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Photo Couresy of Jason Mogen (pictured on the left)
With multiple location changes over the last year, including due to impacts from Helene, North Asheville Tailgate Market's Executive Director, Jason Mogen, spoke with Mountain Xpress on a Year in Review.
When asked about his most impactful conversation during all the changes, he shared that, "While we were rushing to find a temporary home, one of our farmers reminded me “food is essential,” hopeful that a community partner would quickly emerge to support the market. Having witnessed the joy from reconnection and the gratitude for something as fundamental as fresh produce and food, those words will stay with me for a long time."
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