In addition to the seasonal foods offered at the Seaside Farmers Market, you can find gifts for the people on your Christmas list. We’ve rounded up some of the market vendors' suggestions for the holiday season.
Register Family Bee Farm
It’s easy to spot the sunny yellow products at Register Family Bee Farm’s canopy tent, where Melissa Register sells her family farm’s honey and beeswax products. All make great gifts that support a local bee farm.
Tupelo honey is made in the Apalachicola River Basin. “It doesn't crystalize, and it’s the best honey for those with blood sugar concerns,” says Melissa. “It’s mostly famous for its extremely mild taste. A unique gift to give anyone who cares about health and nutrition or just loves honey.”
If you prefer a robust honey taste, consider the wildflower honey. It has multiple nectars and pollens, and is great for help with seasonal allergies, Melissa adds.
Also look for the farm’s 100-percent beeswax candles. “These are really incredible to burn all year, but especially around the holidays,” Melissa says. “They are brighter and longer burning than other waxes. They clean the air in the surrounding space, and produce no smoke or scent. They burn into themselves and glow, which is just absolutely gorgeous to watch. It makes a great atmosphere in your home for the holidays.”
Register’s skin care products include natural beeswax and honey soap, lotion bars and honey lip balm. “The raw honey is naturally anti-microbial and the beeswax is known as a natural humectant, holding in moisture to your skin,” Melissa says. “These are a must have in the winter, for anyone who washes their hands often or has cracked heels.”
Noli South Kombucha
Locally brewed in the Florida Panhandle, Noli South Kombucha makes small batch USDA certified organic kombucha. The fermented tea is crafted by husband and wife entrepreneurs Steve and Summer Kole.
Kombucha is a lightly effervescent, fermented tea beverage. Its origins are linked to China in 221 BC, but other accounts point to roots stemming in Eastern Europe, Russia and Japan.
For the holidays, the company is launching a T-shirt line featuring artwork that matches Noli’s seasonal kombucha cans. “Our seasonal flavor is fruity and aromatic cacao nibs, warm and spicy ginger, married together with velvety vanilla,” Steve says. “A flavor so warm and cozy it’ll have you ready to soak in all the winter vibes, and inspire you to cuddle up around a fire, roast some marshmallows and pop one open.”
Martin Abel House Bakery
Named for retired pastry chef Wendy Martin and her daughter, Amanda Abel, Martin Abel House Bakery specializes in gluten-free baked goods. “My mom created the flour mix I use,” Amanda says. “All my recipes go through her for approval.”
Make your holidays sweet with decorated sugar cookies, assorted fudge and muffins. Amanda will even provide gift boxes, too. In addition to sweet treats, Amanda sells fresh eggs and raw goat’s milk at the farmers market, produced at Wendy’s farm, @wattlesburg_freedomhillfarm.
Derryck’s Pastries
Derryck's Pastries’ unique cuisine offers guests to sample the spice of a Sri Lankan life, and Chef Derryck Adams is happily waiting to serve up a dish to the line of guests that often gathers in front of his table. Roasted eggplant and legume, Sri Lankan curries, and kadala parippu, a mixed lentil salad that sets the taste buds on end. Adams describes his culinary work as "fresh, sweet, exotic and made with love," something made evident from the first taste of his Sri Lankan delicacies.
But Derryck excels at much more than traditional Sri Lankan cuisine; he is also an in-demand pastry chef, specializing in wedding and special event cakes. Some tempting offerings include vanilla and fresh fruit, chocolate, vanilla buttercream, mocha, red velvet, chocolate mousse, coconut, cappuccino and many more, all whipped into beautiful cakes that leave guests lingering for a second piece. For the holidays, Derryck suggests a chocolate yule log (busch de noel) and English fruit pie.
Nativa Argentine Flavor
If you love Argentine foods, stop by Nativa Argentine Flavor, where Giorgina O’Drain brings freshly baked goods to the market each week. Choose from traditional homemade foods, including tarts (coconut and dulce de leche, peach, blueberry and strawberry), lemon cream cheese blueberry bread and banana cream cheese bread. For the holidays, try Giorgina’s corn starch alfajores, chocolate alfajores and Christmas cookies. Giorgina provides Christmas packaging for all products.