Ballard Sunday Farmers Market
Ballard Avenue
206.781.6776
Sunday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. (all year)

After the bars and restaurants close on Saturday night – and not very long after – those responsible for bringing us the Ballard Farmers Market roll into action.

Held on tree-lined and historic Ballard Avenue, this farmers market is by far the most scenic and pleasant neighborhood market in town. Parisian in appearance, this is the one that trumps them all.

Pretenders set up in parking lots, but the boss market dons its gay apparel in the middle of a beautiful urban street atop cobblestones and between old brick two-stories facing each other as though to say hello, Ballard style.

In addition to organic fruit and vegetable sales, the Ballard Farmers Market offers much more: free range eggs and poultry, artisan breads and cheeses, hormone-free meat, sustainable seafood, seasonal flowers, hot dogs with grilled onions, and a trace of attitude to boot.

Ambiance is queen here with the salient presence of local musicians, including everything from kids playing violins to rock trios. It must be stated that some of the musical acts are extremely annoying. But, that's part of the fun, listening to the wide range of music, from the first hints of innocent rawness to the same old, same old Beatles songs via accordion.

It's always a dog show, with a variety of breeds showing up on a regular basis, walking their owners around. Some of the dogs are as large as horses, some as small as ants.

The market is a carnival of colors, sounds and smells. In addition to stocking the larder, ready-to-eat hearty and healthy prepared food is available.

The enticing aroma of grilled vegetables from the Patty Pan Grill curls down the rows of neatly stacked produce and draws in hungry shoppers.

Quesadillas and piles of grilled vegetables ($4-$6) are consumed immediately, and tamales are available to take home ($8 for three).

For the second course we recommend the crab bisque with Dungeness crab ($12) from "Got Soup?" Soups vary by seasons and are listed on the Web site.

Maybe not quite as healthy, (but, in fact maybe more healthy than we'll ever know, circa Woody Allen's "Sleeper" film where we learned that everything we know about food is backwards), the franks at Dante's hot dog cart are 100 percent beef, the bratwurst and chicken sausages are Cascioppo Brothers (no preservatives added), and vegetarian options are featured as well.

Remember the smell of the state fair when you were tiny? One can wander up to the north end of the market and relive those days.

For the last few months, a new donut machine is located opposite Anselmo's produce (our favorite vendor, and we are extremely saddened to report that Arlene recently died).

The friendly and petite donuts are so small that any calories contained in them obviously do not count, and when you add one to another, it equals minus calories. Less than zero.

The donuts are pumped out of a cute little machine (if machines can be cute) as fast as they can sell them ($1.75 for half a dozen), so enjoy the treats fresh and hot.

Eat plenty of organic vegetables that night, and it'll all be OK. We suggest using the "sandwich" model, where you start with vegetables, go wild in the middle, then finish things off with more vegetables. When you climb this ladder, a stairway to heaven cannot be far away.

The Ballard Food Police visit all establishments anonymously and pay for all food and drink in full. Know anything we should know? Tell the Ballard Food Police at ballardfoodpolice@gmail.com.