LEPP FARM MARKET

When I hear about a new local place to visit for  great food or specialty items I am all over it. For a long time my coffee group would head out on road trips for the day and come home with bags of delicious local foods, cheeses, coffees, and vegetables. Corn on the cob was always high on that list and our favorite place was a little corn stand in an area called Abbotsford. The Lepp family has had a stand there for 15 years. The young ladies working there were always so pleasant but the corn was worth the drive all on its own. Well the corn stand is gone but look at what they built in its place. Lepp Farm Market.

Now that property has a market on it and it is soooo worth the drive out there. I went there on Saturday because I had heard from one of my friends how good it was. Off I went and I was not disappointed.
First of all I asked permission to take photographs in the store. One of the owners, Charlotte Lepp was immediately welcoming and agreeable to my taking pictures in their store. I would have taken many more if my batteries would have held up but those rechargeables lose their juice just sitting.

The wonderful thing about this market is that they raise their own chickens and hogs. Their meats have no growth hormones or antibiotics in them. Their animals are fed no animal byproducts.They also have beef raised for them that meets all of their guidelines.This crown roast of pork would have been perfect for Easter dinner wouldn't it? I know....look at that presentation.

I went with one of their ginormous...not a word I know....roasting chickens. The ones from the grocery stores are so puny you can't even make good gravy with them because they cook so quickly. This beauty cooked up a glorious brown with a nice rich brown base on which to make my gravy. It was so good. My BB Guy is going to make sure he has some with him for the next trip to the cabin.

Just look at this meat counter. Fifty feet long. Besides the chicken I bought a pork roast, stewing beef, in-house made andouille sausages and some pepperoni. We had the andouille in a pasta dish tonight. Smoky paprika flavour. Oh my. I had a nice chat with a fellow genealogist who worked behind the counter. Great service.

I wanted some of their olives and decided on one that I had never had before. After a sample I went with the Caserecce Schiacciate. They are really fruity and don't be fooled by the colour of my photo. They are a lovely green olive. The pits are in still but they easily release the stone from the fruit in your mouth.

I also bought a few sticks of their pepperoni. All this shopping has built up an appetite so I went to their lunch counter/studio kitchen. Oh yea, they are going to have classes here too. That is Charlotte in the middle. 

Hi Charlotte.

They have this beautiful water cooler on the counter for you to help yourself to ice cold water. Lots of moist towelettes too because the best thing to have for lunch in my opinion is a pulled pork sandwich. Several napkins and a towelette later I was full.

 Yup I ate the whole thing, myself, alone. Okay cut me some slack...I hadn't had breakfast and this was lunchtime. It was so good. My BB Guy will be getting some of this to go for sure.

On the left is the garlic cheese loaf I bought. That didn't last long at home. I only wish I had room to have a cinnamon bun or scone too. I do have my limits.

 Here is something unusual and unique. I have never seen these before. Sardines. Yup, sardines...made of chocolate. What a cool gift these would make in their little tin boxes. I love these. They have many other specialty items in the store. A produce section, a dairy section, cheeses, frozen items like their soups and chicken pies. Spices and condiments from all over the place. They have Farmhouse cheeses which I have written about before along with the Backporch coffee.

I bought some of the Himalayan Crystal Salt. It is pink and really tastes of the ocean though I don't equate the Himalayas with the ocean for salt. We love different salts and always try new ones.

 Once again thanks to Charlotte and all of her staff for being so friendly, welcoming and fun. I had a great morning and have been recommending this market to anyone and everyone. I can't wait to go back. They have a great website. Click here to see it and maybe grab a few recipes even though you can't visit in person.

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