Three must-visit vendors at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market

With over 130 stalls featuring locally grown produce, specialty foods and arts and crafts, you’re likely to find exactly what you’re looking for (and maybe something extra, too) when you head to the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market off of Whyte Avenue.

YEG has an incredible food scene in the city limits, but did you know that the greater Edmonton area has some of the best soil to grow wheat in the province? This rich soil helps farmers produce high-quality grain to be shipped around the world, but you can also find it at your local farmers’ market. We rounded up some of our favourite vendors from the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market with wonderful wheat products for the next time you visit.

Confetti Sweets

We’re not kidding when we say these cookies are Oscar-worthy. It’s true, these totally awesome cookies were enjoyed by celebs at the Oscars! Starting with just one woman, Kathy, baking out of her kitchen, Confetti Sweets has grown into a local cookie empire with stores in Edmonton and Sherwood Park, and stalls at farmers’ markets like Old Strathcona. Using only the best butter, sugar and of course, flour, these cookies are not like the cookies you’ll find in the box at grocery stores.

Their best sellers (and the flavours they brought to the Oscars) are the chocolate chunk and coconut, but our favourites are the oatmeal raisin and their rainbow sprinkled sugar cookie. Delicious!

The Happy Camel

Ask an Edmontonian where to get some good hummus, and you’ll likely hear about the Happy Camel. The Happy Camel started in 1998 with Gerald and Sara selling Mediterranean dips and salads at local farmers’ markets and took off once they secured a permanent stall at the Old Strathcona market.

They knew it was time to expand, so Sara travelled to her home village in Israel to learn the secrets to make the perfect pita bread—and the rest is history. The Happy Camel pita bread and hummus brings a taste of the Mediterranean to YEG with fresh, nutritious ingredients. Our picks are the classic white pita with the roasted garlic hummus.

Hendrickson Bagels

Ron and Pam of Hendrickson Bagels have been selling their famous bagels and cream cheese at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market since 1997. A staple at the market, make sure you head there early to get your pick of the 11 varieties offered, including everything, cheddar and cinnamon raisin. Our bagel of choice is Ron’s classic whole grain, which includes some of our favourite ingredients like whole wheat flour, flax, oats, rye flakes and sunflower seeds.

And of course no bagel is complete without cream cheese. Make sure you grab Pam’s homemade spreads. We recommend the Saskatoon berry!