CHRISTMAS TREES AND A CAKE FOR BOB GREER

   Thank you to everyone who's come into the market for a Christmas tree or a wreath, or just to smell the season. For those of you who walked into the market with a stark look of incomprehension and said, "Um, where are the apples?" well, thank you for giving us the opportunity to explain the seasons of our market to you!

   We sell Christmas trees and festive greenery in December, and it's just us, the fruit market folks, bundled up in insulating layers and waterproof gear. In 2016 we'll be back as a fruit market wearing our green aprons on Wednesday March 2 at 6 a.m.

   So let's talk trees! Washington State is the third largest producer of Christmas trees in the US and Canada. We think Washington State produces the best Christmas trees, and that's where all our trees are from. Makes sense for a market where the focus is on the local and the seasonal, right?

    This year we have trees from near Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, and the Olympic Peninsula and Hood Canal areas.

   Like a bouquet of fresh cut flowers, Christmas trees need special care to prolong their indoor lifespan. Each tree is unique, and every indoor situation is unique, but your tree will stay fresher longer if you follow a few simple steps. Here's the "Dos":

   1. Start with a clean tree stand, washed in hot, sudsy water. Make sure your stand is adequate for the size of your tree.

   2. No more than 30 minutes before putting the tree in the water, place a fresh cut on the base of the tree. 1" is fine; more is ok if desired. 

   3. Use warm water in the tree stand.

   4. We have always used tree preservative. "Keeps It Green" was subjected to a test at WSU and was the only brand of preservative shown to prolong the freshness of the tree. 

   5. Place the tree in the coolest spot possible, away from all sources of heat and ignition.

   6. Use LEDs or lights with tiny bulbs which produce less heat. Turn off the lights when you're not admiring the tree.

   7. Never let the tree stand run dry. In the first 48 hours it's normal for the tree to draw a lot of water, so especially in the first few days, check and fill the stand frequently. After that, the tree's uptake of water may slow down, and that's normal, too.

   For the "Don'ts:"

   1. Don't shave the bark off the base of the tree to fit the tree into your stand or you will compromise the tree's ability to draw water. Lots of folks bring their stands into the market to make sure the tree they choose will fit their stand.

   2. Don't let the stand run out of water. If stand has been dry for too long, you've compromised the tree's ability to draw water, and a fresh cut  on the base will be needed.

   3. Homemade preparations in the water such as sugar or pop encourage the growth of yeast, mold and bacteria, so just don't. Your tree doesn't have a headache, so it doesn't need an aspirin, either.

   Until you cut the base of the tree and bring it indoors, the tree is literally asleep---dormant (from the old Latin, dormire, to sleep). Once awoken, even the freshest of fresh cut trees have a limited lifespan, but with your proper care you can extend it. 

   Last year I was determined to see how long the 2' tree I put in my kitchen would last, and I'm here to tell you that I decorated that tiny tree for Valentine's Day in February, by which time I was actually pretty tired of it, but the tree still looked good. A drafty, old house is probably a good thing in terms of keeping a tree fresh!

   

    SORGHUM GINGERBREAD inspired by Bob Greer

---Sorghum is a sweet syrup made from the sorghum plant, and can be used interchangeably with molasses, which is made of sugar cane. At the market we've sold  Bob Greer's Sunny South sorghum for decades. This year we lost our old friend Bob, a true gentleman. His daughters have taken over his business, and the sweetness continues.

1 1/2 cups flour (can be half whole wheat)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup shortening (can be part or all butter)

1/2 cup sorghum

1 egg

1/2 cup apple cider

   Sift dry ingredients into bowl of an electric mixer. Add shortening, sorghum and egg, mix until just combined, then with mixer running, gradually pour in cider.  Beat on high for about 2 minutes. Line a loaf pan with waxed paper, pour batter in and bake at 350 about 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. You may want to check and see if cake is browning too quickly at about 25 minutes in, and cover with foil if necessary.

   Sprinkle cooled cake with powdered sugar or frost with your favorite buttercream, or glaze with a mixture of cider and powdered sugar, stirred together until lumps of sugar are gone.

  

 Recent events of this season have shown us that the world needs our light and love, so since I celebrate Christmas, I'll wish you a merry Christmas, and  I'll be honored and blessed to receive the best wishes of the holiday you celebrate in return. 

"Light A Candle," painted by Ted Pankowski

Fruitfully yours,

Karin