Artisans at the Harbor, ArtsFalmouth’s weekly summer art market, takes place Thursday, August 20, from 11 AM to 4 PM at the Lin Whitehead bandshell at Falmouth Marine Park, 180 Scranton Avenue. The Falmouth Fiddlers will perform old-time, country, and roots music from 1:30 to 3:30 PM.
In case of rain on Thursday, the market will be held on Friday, weather permitting. Artisans at the Harbor continues every week through August 27.
Katie Buehlmann of BFF Kitchen is one of the many artisans who can be found every week at Artisans at the Harbor. She sells dry rubs, seasonings, flavored honey, flavored maple sugar, and vanilla extract. She also shares recipes that use BFF’s unique spice blends.
She and her best friend, Linda Lowe, met 45 years ago on the first day of ninth grade in Stockton, California, and they have been best friends ever since. “Linda is the brains behind the flavors,” said Buehlmann. “Her dad owned a spice company when she was growing up, and he encouraged her to experiment. Linda still loves to be in the kitchen experimenting, putting the flavors together.”
BFF’s dry rubs can be used as rubs and also mixed with other ingredients, such as tomato sauce, vinegar, etc., to make a sauce, so that the rub and the sauce flavors match. They can also be used as salad dressings, marinades, dips, and sauces.
One of Buehlmann’s tasks is coming up with “sassy and silly” names for BFF Kitchen’s products. “Blissful Babe is one of our most popular barbeque flavors,” she said. She describes it as a “sweet hickory smoke rub with a quiet zing.”
Other flavors include Sunshine Girl Seasoning, a creamy yogurt and lemon mixture with French herbs and onion and Athenian Delight Greek Seasoning, which combines roasted garlic, honey, citrus, and Greek oregano.
“We don’t add preservatives, fillers, or dyes,” said Buehlmann. “Our products are low in salt, gluten-free, and wheat-free. Our vanilla extract contains no water. It is only alcohol and vanilla beans, and we add a vanilla bean or two into each bottle so that it will continue to infuse.”
The vanilla extract comes in three flavors, though only one of which is currently available: honey bourbon.
Recipes are available on the BFF website and also as handouts at the BFF booth at the market. BFF uses maple sugar instead of brown sugar in its recipes. “It’s better for us, and it is a better crop for the environment,” she said. BFF’s maple sugars come in three different flavors and can be used in cooking as well as in coffee or tea, on buttered toast, or in oatmeal.
Buehlmann enjoys being at Artisans at the Harbor. “I like meeting people and talking to them about our products and recipes. I learn a lot from our customers too,” she said, “which is a delightful benefit of the market.”
The Falmouth Fiddlers are the featured musicians on August 20. They will perform from 1:30 to 3:30 PM.
The Falmouth Fiddlers have been playing fiddle tunes and other acoustic music in and around Falmouth since 1998. Members play fiddles, banjos, bass, bodhran, guitars, mandolins, whistles, cello, and sing. Many of the Fiddlers met through the group’s founder, the late fiddler and luthier Jim Boyce and his wife, the late Ursula Boyce, at a Falmouth Fiddlers performance, in his Falmouth Night School fiddle classes, by word of mouth or chance, or were inspired by his former FCTV show, “Fiddlin’ in Falmouth.”
The Falmouth Fiddlers play a lively mix of old-time, country, roots, and Celtic music, as well as traditional songs, and they always welcome new members.
Bring beach chairs or beach blankets to sit and listen to the music.
For more information, visit artisansattheharbor.com
Notes on The Arts 