There’s something new at the Bradford Farmers’ Market.
The aroma of fresh brewed coffee has joined the smells of fresh produce, ripe strawberries and fresh baking now that the Lake Simcoe Coffee Co. has joined the vendors at the Bradford market every Saturday morning.
Coffee, espresso, lattes, Italian sodas, and strawberry lemonade — Matthew Brady and Krista Barclay have partnered with a roastery north of Beaverton to bring their fresh brewed coffees and other refreshments to farmers’ markets in Bradford and Georgina every weekend, and to the artisans’ festivals at the Innisfil Farmers’ Market.
The booths are just a step toward a bigger goal, Brady said.
“We hope to start our own roastery in Georgina at the end of the summer, or in the fall.”
Last Saturday, he was joined by friend Jeremiah Allen, serving and brewing coffee for market visitors, who picked up fresh produce, artisanal cheeses from Say Cheese!, farm-fresh eggs, Cold Creek heritage meets, and baking at Kazak-stand, Sweet Annabella’s and The Polish Bakery.
Ryzsard Surdyk of The Polish Bakery once again offered classic rye breads, bagels and strudels, but also over-the-top takes on the traditional.
A weekend picking wild strawberries was translated into strawberry perogies, and chocolate chip pretzels were available alongside the regular kind.
Surdyk said he gets his most creative ideas at 3 a.m., and then he tries to translate the concepts into reality.
“Sometimes it’s a hit. Sometimes it’s a green bin thing,” he admitted, but only the successful experiments make it to the market.
The Bradford Farmers’ Market meets every Saturday morning in the parking lot beside the BWG Public Library, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Coming up on July 21 is the market’s Caribbean Festival, with steel drum music.
Surdyk is already planning to make hot pepper jalapeno bagels for the event, but he reassured shoppers: “It doesn’t have to be drop-to-your-knees-and-cry-for-your-momma hot… The flavours, the taste — that’s the whole idea.”
