Weekly UAE Farmers Market to begin in December

Baker & Spice Dubai and Emaar Malls Group have teamed up to launch the winter season of the UAE Farmers Market from December 10, 2010.

Following on from its launch success in April, the market will be held at Souk Al Bahar every Friday during the cooler months (excepting December 31) from 10am-7pm.

It is a selling market and all proceeds go directly to the farmers, which include: Abu Dhabi Organic Farm; Dar al Fatah Farm from Al Ain and Liwa; Salata Farms from Ras Al Khaimah; Nasser Al Refaee, bringing fresh produce from farmers in the UAE and Oman; Alfoa organic dates and sugarless date syrup from Abu Dhabi; and Showeib Organic Farms.

Baker & Spice food consultant Yael Mejia said: “It’s a great day out for all the family and an opportunity to get to know local produce grown in this region. You will definitely taste the difference of buying local”.

The market promises to deliver native produce, all picked and plucked just hours before the market, with seasonal fruit and vegetables currently including aubergines, red, yellow and cherry tomatoes, cucumber, courgettes, mini mumpkins, grapes, lemons, limes, coriander, parsley and mint.

Baker & Spice has also recently announced the opening of a new kitchen and artisan bakery in Dukkan Al Manzil, Downtown Dubai.

Located in the souk behind Al Manzil Hotel, Baker & Spice will specialize in bread and offer a small retail shop and café as well as home delivering and party catering.

Mejia said, “All around the world bread is one of life’s staples and good bread is a perfect accompaniment to any meal, sometimes a meal in itself. At Baker & Spice, we bake fresh bread daily on the premises, using only the finest chemical-free ingredients, traditional artisan methods and recipes which we originally developed in London for that delicious homemade taste.”

“We know how difficult it is to find exceptional raw ingredients in Dubai, so the shop will retail everything from our store cupboard as part of our campaign to improve on what home cooks can obtain in the region. We have made it our mission to obtain raw ingredients with maximum consideration for environmental issues. We always insist on buying food with integrity at source,” he added.