Tasty treats will be filling The Bakery at Riverside Farm‘s baskets. Give a gift of Double Ginger Gingerbread, Cuccidati (a Sicilian holiday fig cake), or a favorite loaf of sourdough bread.

Elizabeth Eats will be selling two new products, as well as crowd favorites: Turmeric Almond Milk, Cashew Nut Nog, Strawberry Chocolate Fudge, Coffee Bites, Vanilla Cake Bites, Mint Chocolate Bites, Tropical Bites, Savory Nut and Seed Bread, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Butter.

Christmas cookies galore is what Flour Child Bakery is bringing to market: gingerbread men, spritz cookies, chocolate crackles, gingersnaps, molasses cookies, red velvet cookies, and more! Plus they will have their usual assortment of made-from-scratch pies, apple cake, scones, doggie treats, brownie bites, & more!

Jubilee Seafood will be at the market with oysters in a shell, oysters shucked, frozen local crabmeat, scallops, and littleneck clams. Grab some fresh oysters for the grill or shucked oysters for oyster dressing. Crabmeat is frozen from October and local. Pre-order if possible.

Sixteen organic veggie crops at Mattawoman Creek Farms‘ stand on December 16! Stock up on their organic arugula, kohlrabi, broccoli, collards, lettuce, bunching onions, bok choy, turnips, purple mizuna, kale, spinach, black radish, tatsoi, onions, potatoes, and butternut squash. You can also sign up for their recently opened 2018 CSA programs at the market Saturday or at their website, MattawomanCreekFarms.com

Perk up with North Star, Three Ships Coffee’s holiday coffee. This is their third year selling this holiday coffee and it has become very popular among regulars around the holidays for gifts or for personal pleasure. It is only available for a limited time. This year’s bag hand printed by local artist and former Old Beach Art Market regular Lara Marie Smith.

New Earth Farm will have eggs, watermelon and purple daikon radish, purple top turnips, bbok choy, brussel greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, scallions – and hopefully some salad mix and arugula, depending on the weather. They will also have some handmade wreaths.

Sandi’s Sandies will offer an assortment of cookies: Sandies, Gingersnaps and Gluten-free Oatmeal. The small bags of each delicious cookie make a great gift or stocking stuffer.

TAKE NOTE

We at Old Beach Farmers Market invite you to join us and StandUp Kids, Christmas stocking and gift drive for homeless and at-risk children and young adults at the Oceanfront.

Pick a tag with a child’s name on it from the giant snowflake (crafted by Betsy Hardy) in the lobby of the TowneBank Pavilion II at 600 22nd St. Drip off gifts by 3 p.m. on Dec. 16.

Mark Stevens, owner of Zero’s at 17th and Cypress Streets, heads up the local chapter of StandUp for Kids and says demand far exceeds supplies. Coats, hats, gloves, socks, underwear and toiletries are always needed. The organization provides food, clothing and mentoring at the Crow’s Nest, a drop-in center within the ViBe District for youth living in tents and hotels.

A list of items needed can be found at www.StandUpForKids.org/HamptonRoads/wishlist

WELCOME

Welcome new OBFM vendor, Doughminion Donuts!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What’s a snowman’s favorite Mexican dish? … Brrr-itos !!!

TELL US!

What do you love most about Old Beach Farmers Market? Let us know and we’ll share your thoughts in an upcoming newsletter. Send your note to PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com

RECIPE

SNAPPY BOURBON BALLS

Colloquially referred to as southern truffles, these confections are found across Virginia and the South, especially during celebratory times. Just a hint of mint makes these sweet treats sing.

They are great for holiday entertaining and gift-giving.

Finely crush 12 ounces of gingersnaps (from Sandi’s Sandies) to make 2-1/2 cups and add  to a large bowl. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup toasted and chopped  hazelnuts, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder together; stir to incorporate. Whisk 2-1/2 tablespoons corn syrup, 1/3 cup bourbon and 2 tablespoons hazelnut syrup (found in coffee shops) together in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the gingersnap mixture, then stir well to completely incorporate. Refrigerate the mixture for 5 minutes.

Pour 3⁄4 cup confectioners; sugar in a large bowl. Scoop the gingersnap–bourbon mixture into 1-inch balls (the larger end of a melon scoop is just the right size), and roll in the confectioners’ sugar.

Transfer the balls to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 day or up to 3 weeks before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Roll in additional confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Yields about 4 dozen

Recipe from Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton

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VENDORS

The Bakery at Riverside Farm

Beach Biscotti

Brentwood Farm

The Butter Brothers

The Creative Wedge

Croc’s 19th Street Bistro

Cromwell’s Produce

Crunchy Carrot

Doughminion Donuts

Elizabeth Eats

The Farm Life

Flour Child Bakery

Full Quiver Farm

Give, Treat, Love

It Started With A Fig

Lamia’s Crepes

Mattawoman Creek Farms

Max The Knife

My Vegan Sweet Tooth

Pelon’s Baja Grill

Pendulum Fine Meats

The Prissy Pickle

Sandi’s Sandies

Speedy’s Hot Sauce

Sunnysnacks Organics

Tasha’s Own

Three Ships Coffee

Udder Chaos Farms

Whole-ly Rollers