The Urban Growers Market - Uptown Vancouver

There's a new outdoor market coming to town and I am really excited about this one. Part local artisan vendors and part locally grown food...with an emphasis on VERY locally grown...like in your backyard.  Here's the skinny from the Urban Growers Market Facebook page:



We are a non-profit based in Vancouver Washington. Our board of directors are: Liz Halili, Sunrise O Mahoney and Chris Stevens. We are an experiment in a new kind of farmers market creating a marketplace for small and backyard growers and gardeners. We will also feature a marketplace for local crafters and artisans to sell their wares. 


Our mission is to create a place for smaller and backyard growers to sell at creating an even closer circle of "buy local". 


Our focus is on sustainability, food safety and availability and community involvement.We are looking for growers of produce and plants for everyday use, food vendors and sellers as well as local artists and crafters.


The Urban Growers Market will be looking for volunteers in the coming months.  All you Westsiders and inner-Eastsiders who want to play a part in this new chapter of the Southwest Washington homegrown, food system security revolution keep your ears open and please heed the call for help. This is going to be the coolest thing in local food since Neighbors Markets opened.


The Urban Growers Market@ Facebook...website coming soon!

Spooky Spaghetti @ Mint Tea Bistro

From Jenna & Abdul @ Mint Tea

Hello Friends, Ghouls & Ghosts ~

We're planning an extra-ordinary Halloween Pasta Special to begin
tomorrow, Oct. 31st and will last as long as the Spooky Black
Spaghetti does. Because we love a good tongue teaser, Anna's Scary
Sauce, with a touch of witch's brew, will be left a secret except to
say it is vegan friendly (in other words, NO road kill involved). But
here's the catch, whoever can guess the 3 main ingredients of our
scary sauce correctly will receive a free lunch on us! Yep, a free
lunch on us just for identifying the 3 main ingredients! Sooo easy.

In our endless search for really good, locally made items, we are now
carrying decedent cakes by Piece of Cake, a bakery out of Portland who
specializes in Wheat and Gluten free desserts. True to the season
we've chosen to try her lip smacking Pumpkin Cake and
Apple-Marionberry mini Pies first.
I'm quite certain Anna and Rachel didn't really mean their sample
piece wasn't any good since they finished it all and were checking
the cooler case today to see if there was any left.

And finally, following up on our very successful Oktoberfest we
wanted to let you know that the race to be the winning wiener has
been a tight race indeed. Over the past 10 days since beginning Mint
Tea's first (annual?) Oktoberfest, each of the 4 contestant wieners
has shown a strong lead, only to be overtaken the following day. As
of this afternoon, Daffy's Mushroom Maddness has a slight lead over
Jackalope, but like we said, tomorrow's another day.
If w've piqued your interest here, or simply that you're a sausage
lover at heart, Oktoberfest as were running it ends this coming
Sunday, November 2nd ~ Just 2 days before the real vote occurs!!
So come on in and as this mantra goes, vote with your mouth for the
winning wiener.

p.s.t.t. A challenger has contacted us requesting to take on the
winning wiener once Oktoberfest is over. Baaaaa-d idea or good?...
We'll keep you all posted.

Outside the window from where I sit an amazing explosion of autumn
color captures the eye ~ better go enjoy it while its here.

In health and happiness we hope to see you soon,

jenna & abdul
Mint Tea
2014 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
Tel. 360-699-4991
www.MintTeaImports.com
Hours:
Monday Saturday 8am to 6pm, serving food from 8-4
Sunday 10am to 4pm, serving food from 10-3

Oktoberfest @ Mint Tea Bistro....mmmmm...sausage

From Jenna & Abdul

Oktoberfest at Mint Tea
October 20 – Nov. 2nd

The idea came along in honor of the all-natural, handcraft, artesian
sausage company (no Nitrates, no MSG, no Crap!) we buy from in
Portland. To date everyone has been thrilled with the various lamb,
chicken and turkey sausages we've been serving since opening our
bistro just over 2 months ago. But what about Jackrabbit? Antelope?
Venison? or Alligator sausages? Who knows, right?

So we're taking a vote on these somewhat obscure meats, letting you
try them, perhaps for the first time, complete with a big sausage bun
and toppings/sides of your choice: braised sauerkraut with fennel,
organic grilled onions, warm potato salad or sauteed spinach. You
choose.

Two weeks of Oktoberfest, starting today, October 20th, may even give
you enough time to try out a few of them. And at the end of the two
weeks we'll see which wiener is the winner! Now that's voting with
your mouth.

“Vote with your mouth for the winning wiener”

Jackalope - Jackrabbit, Antelope & Pork
Daffy’s Mushroom Maddness - Duck w/ Mushroom
Deer John - Venison
Wally’s Gator - Alligator & Pork

All of our sausages and sides are 100% natural & hand made

Prices include a 1/3 lb Sausage

Easy does it (plus 1 side) $6.50
Crowd Pleaser (w/ 2 sides) $8.00
Fill’er Up (includes all 3 sides) $9.50

Sausage Bun, Mustard & Fun are all available at no additional cost.

jenna & abdul
Mint Tea
2014 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
Tel. 360-699-4991
www.MintTeaImports.com
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 8am to 6pm, serving food from 8-4
Sunday 10am to 4pm, serving food from 10-3

Mint Tea Bistro Revisited

I told you I was going to Mint Tea Bistro for brunch today and so I did. For those of you who weren't lucky enough to have spent your morning relaxing on a cool patio, sipping mint tea, and enjoying challah french toast served with a cup of yogurt and house made, plum infused syrup...there's always tomorrow.

Mint Bistro
2014 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360)699-4991
Serving Breakfast & Lunch
Monday-Saturday 8am to 4pm
Sunday 10am to 3pm
Website
Map to Mint