The Sounding of Two Canons

The Farmer’s Market is really catching on.  We’ve been so busy this summer that we have not had a chance to spend a nice Saturday morning Downtown with Farmer Matt and his crew, but we have promised ourselves we will do so before this summer ends.  We hear from friends that it is has been very well attended lately, and we are so excited that it has become so successful. 

What’s even better than the Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning?  Coffee!!!  This week, the paper published a story about a Midland couple known as the Midland Brew Crew.  The Kennedys took over sales at the Midland Downtown Farmers’ Market of fair trade coffee shipped from the Big Bend Coffee Roasters in Marfa just more than a month ago, taking over coffee sales for Farmer Matt so he could concentrate on organizing the market.

According to Big Bend Coffee Roasters, which describes itself as a small, independent operation, more than 90 percent of the coffee sold in the U.S. is stale. They say they try to combat that by offering only the freshest, which they roast in “tiny batches” to make sure each bean receives the attention it deserves.  Once a small operation, Manager Erica Billingsley said they now roast 200 to 300 pounds of coffee every day and ship most of that to retailers around the country, including the Midland Brew Crew as well as the Midland’s Natural Foods Market. Other retailers span from New York to Colorado to Houston, she said.

The Kennedys order a new shipment of coffee each week, receiving beans roasted on Wednesday in time to sell at Saturday’s market, hoping it will be the freshest place in Midland to buy coffee.  They pick at least one blend to brew each Saturday morning so customers can purchase a cup to enjoy while they shop or get a taste before buying beans.  In addition to coffee, Kimberly Kennedy said she also gets up at 5 a.m. each Saturday to make fresh-squeezed lemonade and limeade to sell alongside the hot drinks and coffee beans.

Finally, we saw that Fleur de Lis Foods catering, who has been serving breakfast at the MDFM for $10.00 every Saturday this summer, served vanilla ice cream french toast, potatoes, pork sausages, scrambled eggs, and pure maple syrup this past Saturday.  Yum.  C&C

Midland couple finds niche in community through Fair Trade Coffee

http://www.mywesttexas.com/business/article_f6fa1a39-0b6e-58c2-96b7-9323a6f1c3d9.html

By Kathleen Thurber, MRT

Helpful links:

Midland Downtown Farmer’s Market

http://www.midlanddowntownfarmersmarket.com/

Midland Brew Crew

http://www.midlandbrewcrew.com/

Big Bend Coffee Roasters (Marfa)

http://www.bigbendcoffee.com/

Natural Foods Market and Strawberry Field’s Café (Midland)

http://www.naturalfoodsmkt.com/

Fleur de Lis Foods (Midland)

http://www.fleurdelisfoods.com/

Looking for something fun to do tonight?   Check out the Lawn Concert tonight at the Museum!  Every week on Sunday nights, starting at 7:45.  Playing tonight is “Jazzbird” - smooth jazz at its finest.

It’s now the 23rd Season of Summer Lawn Concerts at the Museum of the Southwest.  They’re Fun! They’re Free!  They’re For the Whole Family!  Bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Many bring their dinner or snacks.  Hot dogs on sale, partial proceeds go to the Museum.  Don’t miss it!  Schedule for tonight, and till the end of the summer.  C&C

July 25th – “JazzBird”

Smooth Jazz at its finest!

Sponsored by The Bosworth Company/Hosted by KODM 98

August 1st– Kori Jean Olsen & Band

Country/Country Pop

Sponsored by Corey Sly Electric Service/Hosted by LoneStar 92

August 8th– “Midnight Stampede”

Country & old time Rock n’ Roll

Sponsored by Corey Sly Electric Service/Hosted by KODM 98

August 15th –“The Shades”

Midland’s Party rock band

THIS CONCERT WILL BEGIN 7:15 p.m.

Sponsored by House of Printing/Hosted by 95.1 BOB FM & 97 Gold

Museum of the Southwest

1705 W. Missouri Ave. Midland

Phone 683-2882

ALL CONCERTS are 7:45 PM - 8:45 pm (No concert in the event of rain)

This is something we keep forgetting about!  We both work in Downtown Midland, and we have yet to check out the lunch vendors who have set up shop in Centennial Plaza this summer.  According to this MRT article, a new city ordinance allows vendors to set up on Texas Street at Centennial Plaza from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Vendors may remain at the plaza for the week and then must spend a week elsewhere before returning to the Downtown location.

As the Downtown trifecta of restaurants seem to be full at 11:30 on the dot for lunch these days (being Luigi’s, Cancun Grill, & Wall Street), this could be a great option during the busy work day.  For what it’s worth, we both went to a party last summer which Dog Gone It Hot Dogs catered, and their food is delicious (a little too delicious).  We have also heard excellent things about Brown’s BBQ, which usually is a fixture on the corner of “A” and Wall Streets.  Please enjoy lunch Downtown in the plaza this summer, and let us know how it is!

C&C

Food vendors at Centennial Plaza welcome addition to lunch hour options

http://www.mywesttexas.com/life/article_090b028a-f7b0-5c88-909d-51ed4c1781d9.html

A sampling of food from Centennial Plaza

http://www.mywesttexas.com/life/article_c2ef3028-89f8-11df-804d-001cc4c03286.html

“Dog Gone It” Hot Dogs – Photo courtesy of the MRT