LG Fish Market - Ceviche Parlor - Eric Papunen - Chef Juan C. Lopategui

There's a new sushi in town and actually it's an old favorite - ceviche.  This one's been coined "Miami or Floridian Ceviche" by chef Juan Carlos Lopategui who has partnered up with Eric Papunen at Yellow Green Farmer's Market.  Chef J.C. is out to create a ceviche revolution in other words ceviche for everyone with a fusion explosion of taste, color and ingredients.  There's shrimp watermelon: pink shrimp floating in a brine of fresh lime /orange juice, cilantro, red onion and jalapeno offset by morsels of sweet melon.  Keywest style mahi mahi local fish mellowed out by a blending of citrus and avocado.  Shrimp with Papaya has South Florida written all over it.  Chef J.C.  is the consummate maestro: conducting interviews between giving out samples, gauging customer feedback while espousing the merits of what local markets have to offer and why he looks to feature locally produced atypical items in his creations.  Eric found the perfect complement to his frozen fish offerings of tuna steaks, scallops, shrimp, tilipia, grouper and king fish.   He is gearing up to eventually bring in fish from the keys including stone crabs.  Chef J.C. was quick to jump on board when he called looking to expand his market offerings.  His Ceviche Parlor in Oakland Park is the springboard from where he does the three things close to his heart; providing wholesale, catering and participating in area farmer's markets.  Let the revolution begin.

Posh Gals/Baby Posh Garage - Julie Tenenbaum

A magical through the looking glass experience:  enter a fairyland of fantastic fluffy tutus looking like layers of spun sugar goodness, resplendent  rhinestone embroidered art depicting love/peace symbols and Komen pink ribbon emblems on t-shirts.  Intricate crafted flowers suspended on gossamer wings embellish the walls. The store's mantra is thus: "pick your size, pick your color and I'll gladly make it for you custom." They can rhinestone anything.  A kaleidoscope of luscious colors assail the senses - tantalizing tangerine, cotton candy pink, lemony yellow, magenta on cool mint.  An all black tutu is made vivid by orange laced streamers that adorn it.  A sea of NFL inspired hair accessories decorate a table like gaily colored bees.  Multi-colored head bands with life-like daisies will turn any little girl into daddy's princess.  No mass production here; everything is handmade!  Sales people just learned to make them though one does have a fashion designer background.  Turnaround is 3 - 4 days. All this inspired by an artistic single mom with a 4 year old.

That Way Hat - Bruce Byrd, Manager Florida Sales

What do you get when a real estate attorney visiting China on a research mission falls in love?  Unique stylized handmade hats done in small batches brought to the American market utilizing designs of manager, owner and existing models.  They are all there; the colorful sombrero, refined Sunday go to meetin, bejewelled fedora and Hawaiian cowboy.  The piece de resistance is the fold up flat hat.  There are also plenty of wide brimmed floppies perfect for the beach and to beat this Florida sun.  Owner Geoffrey Mintz decided to stay in China and woo his future fiance; proposing at a Buddhist temple in Thailand.  Their travels through Southeast Asia have spawned this innovative venture bringing the best of high quality hats to these shores.  Manager Bruce came on board when he answered a Craigslist ad. The website refers to the age old wisdom of protecting our heads attributed to Winston Churchill "First we shape our hats and afterwards our hats shape us."

Bottle Creations - Barbara and William

Here is business born of necessity; co-owner William needed a lamp for his desk - looked around, noticed an empty bottle and the rest is history.  This romantic duo has been in business one year and can make a lamp out of any kind of bottle whether it be liquor, decorative or water.  They can take custom orders if you have a bottle from a special occasion would like made into a lamp.  They get most of their raw material bottles from local establishments who recycle and donate.  Their most unusual bottle is the shoe bottle - wouldn't you agree?

Waggin' Tails - Lorraine Flock

The name says is all - what pet owner concerned with the environment and committed to green living wouldn't adore this booth "specializing in holistic, organic and earth friendly pet products."  Co-owner Lorraine exhibits a dedication to green throughout; the salmon jerky comes out of Alaskan sustainable fisheries, collars and leashes are made of renewable bamboo or hemp and even the bath products are human grade meaning the owner can use on self as well.  West Paw weather jackets can be returned by purchaser when shredded - they will be broken down and recycled into a new toy.  Planet Dog brand of chew toys 2% of all sales goes to a foundation which gives grants to service animals.  Dog beds are handmade locally and there is no banner for the booth yet: not until an eco-friendly version can be found.  This concept was nearly a year in the making, since previous opening date for YGFM.  Green connections have been made - Lorraine met Think Green Make Green at the market and is using their line of non toxic biodegradable products.  A green theme good for everyone keeps 'em coming back.

JJ's Organic Beauty Products - Deonte and his mom Jahnet

Deonte who is 18 and his mom Jahnet man this booth which specializes in beauty products and clothing from Africa; Shea butter from Ghana, Dashikis composed of mud cloth from Mali and Kenya. They alternate with mom working Saturdays and he on Sunday.  Mom was born in Ethiopia of a Creole French father from Louisiana.  A former 9th grade English teacher laid off from the Miramar school system she wanted to do something that encouraged her sons to relate to people while nurturing the earth using fair trade sustainable products.  It takes a Shea nut tree up to 45 years to bear fruit.  A mainstay is Black soap which gets rid of ring worms, is good for rashes, excellent for psoriasis and rosacea. Through her enterprise Jahnet has realized her dream of  providing precious bounty of the earth from the motherland.   

Fireman Derek's World Famous Pies - Derek and Joel Kaplan

Fireman Derek's dad Joel faithfully mans the fort when his son has to work 24 hour shifts as a firefighter in Miami.  The venue at Yellow Green Farmer's Market is doing well and if you get there late afternoon there is a good chance they will be sold out of perennial favorites like chocolate pecan or coconut cream.

Carlo's Lean Sicilian Sausage - Carlo and Jane Cerniglia

Touted as an all natural, hormone free lean pork sausage Proprietor Carlo adds that his creations are also low in fat and sodium.  His wife Jane likes him to be the one to get his picture taken with his sporty chef's hat.  A sausage connoisseur Carlo was hard pressed to find a lean sausage so he decided to draw upon the secret herbs and spices passed down from his Sicilian grandfather to fill the void.  He is not afraid to stand up to the competition and lists his comparison nutritional facts right alongside that of cottage cheese, traditional Italian pork, chicken and turkey sausage on his brochure.

Vietnamese Banh Mi/Jelly Tea Slush - Tai Nguyen

Here is an entrepreneur on the move!  Tai has been getting media coverage and he is completely selling out of his famous sandwiches.  Same goes for his unique bubble tea.  Instead of Tapioca as one of the ingredients he substitutes Aloe Vera for a healthier twist.  His business name is Yummy and by all accounts this is an accurate description of the food he offers.

Rockscapes - Vincent Palms/German Blanco

The artistry speaks for itself.  These two partners create masterpieces within a booth out of strategically placed rocks, wood railing, sand, carved wood and sod.  The result is luminous waterfalls, fantastical monoliths of stone looking like they escaped from a prehistoric wasteland vying with a rustic country porch swing adorned with iron and chains.  Coconut hull planters alongside eclectic primitive art plates.  Some of the materials are castoffs and salvage items - a side of a wine crate is varnished and transformed by hooks into a coat rack.  The past and present co-exist; an intricate carved painted table holds a portfolio of stone and brick pavers.