As a Non Profit organization, it is our mission to create opportunities for our community to connect not only in person on Saturdays, but also HERE in our Newsletter Updates. To keep within this mission, we are delighted to invite our friend, Sienna Alfano, to interview our current vendors with the goal of getting to know the business owners, highlighting their products, and provide a unique insight to our readers. Check out her Monthly Features below!
August 2022
August heralds the dog days of summer and guarantees hot, sticky days of rain. Indeed, it
seems to rain every day of the month. Luckily, we’ve compiled some vendors to help you pull
though the heat. Presenting All Dried Up Snacks, Kürtós Chimney Cake, and Authentically
Lebanese!
All Dried Up Snacks forte is in dehydrated fruits and vegetables. They have been in business for
ten years, and originally started out as a dog treat stall. Then, someone asked the owner to start
selling human treats. The owner experimented, and All Dried Up Snacks was born. Today, the
owner offers delectable, fruity delights — like dehydrated watermelon and dragon fruit — as well
as vegetable snacks, like dehydrated zucchini and the best seller, pizza without a crust
(dehydrated tomatoes with pizza seasonings) which sells out quickly, so stock up while you can.
For those of you with a sweet tooth, All Dried Up even offers marshmallow bites! Most of the
produce is sourced from the United States. And you don’t have to worry about bad ingredients
and whatnot, because most of the snacks have just three or four ingredients. But if you do come
to this stand (and who wouldn’t) make sure to come early, as they sell out quickly.
Kürtós Chimney Cake is all about the twists. No, seriously! The tradition of Kürtós cake
originates from Hungary and it can come in many different flavors, from coconut to everything
bagel. And this stall does it all, wrapping dough around spits for cooking and rolling the finished
product in a variety of toppings. So what, exactly, drove the start of the stand? I spoke to the
owner’s friend who was managing the stall that day. The scents coming out of the stall were
amazing — all cinnamon and dough and sugar. The business was actually started by a
Hungarian entrepreneur, Anikó, who missed the delicious cakes of her childhood. She decided
to open a stall at the market, and Kürtós Chimney Cake was born. After opening a stall at the
market, Anikó opened their very own location, where they sell the best seller cinnamon and the
deliciously healthy kale salad sandwiches (this one is exclusive to the store). With just over
seven years at the market, this is a stall you’ll be sure to visit. The owner’s friend was kind
enough to give me a multi flavored kürtós (coconut, cinnamon, and walnut) to sample, and it
was delicious — read on for more details.
The entire cylinder of cake, wrapped in coconut, cinnamon, and chopped walnut seemed to pop
out at me from afar. As I examined it, I pondered how to eat it. Did I tear off a strip? Did I bite in,
or cut it off? Eventually, I compromised on sampling the coconut, cinnamon, and walnuts layers
in little squares. The coconut was a very delicious layer, the crunchiness of the coconut
contrasting with the chewy dough — texturally wise, it was like a Mounds bar — chewy and
crunchy at the same time. At first glance, the cinnamon seemed to shimmer in the light, and this
one was also chewy and crunchy. The cinnamon was not just sugary like most so-called
cinnamon products; it was less sugary and more cinnamon flavor, cloaked in mystery. Finally, I
tried walnut. This one had the same base as the other flavors, but it was enrobed in chopped
walnuts. The walnuts add an interesting crunch to the cake; right when you think you can relax
with the cake, crunch go the walnuts! What I found interesting about all the flavors, though, is
that they all had a hint of orange. Maybe there was an orange glaze? Anyway, it was delicious.
All those flavors in one cake!
Authentically Lebanese is, true to its moniker, creating authentic Lebanese cuisine. The owner,
Pam, grew up surrounded by Arabic cultures and traditions. Sadly, most “authentic” hummus
and baba ghanoush available at the common grocery store contain not so authentic ingredients
— preservatives, gums, and syrups, to name a few. But the hummus here is different. With all
natural ingredients, it’s perfect for dipping vegetables in and even in sandwiches instead of
mayo. Inspired by walking at the market one day, Pam decided to open a stall. And now, instead
of just hummus, they sell hummus and baba ghanoush. Pam was kind enough to give me both
hummus and baba ghanoush to try. Both had notes of garlic and tahini, and the eggplant in the
ghanoush was definitely noticeable, not overwhelming or underwhelming like store brands. The
hummus, though, was the star of the show, mellow, smooth, and (most importantly) delicious.
August 2022
So here are some vendors to quench your thirst for deliciousness. Come one, come all, and
don’t forget your umbrella.
Disclaimer: Even though the cake, hummus, and baba ghanoush was complimentary, all opinions are my
own and were not influenced in any way.
So what are you waiting for? Celebrate your summer at the Market, rain or shine, 7 A.M to 1 P.M.
