Throw fresh fish on the grill HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Copper River salmon is sailing into stores.

Memorial Day Weekend seems like the official start of summertime in Alaska.
For many, it means a chance to hook their own king salmon. For others, it's a time to fire up the grill. Those in the latter category should be happy that commercial fishermen are landing plenty of Copper River salmon.
Here are a couple reports:
Dannon Southall at 10th & M Seafoods: "Copper River is still the talk of the seafood world. Looks like fishing for sockeyes has been good to say the least over the past few openers. The fishermen have been catching a good number of sockeyes with a few kings mixed in."
John Jackson at New Sagaya Markets: "The initial news we are hearing from the opener yesterday that over a million pounds were caught on the reds out of the Copper River. This has brought down the pricing quite a bit and this will translate to good prices for our customers. ... Copper River kings have been another matter, catches have been low and pricing is staying steady, if you can find any. This brings up the fresh Alaskan troll kings as a great value, the fish have been getting bigger and the quality has been top notch and pricing is quite a bit lower than the Coppers."
There you have it -- get some fresh fish and get it on the grill.
Southall says 10th & M will have fresh headed and gutted Copper River sockeye salmon for $6.95 per pound, with the fillets at $9.95 per pound. Additionally, they will have Prince William Sound side-stripe shrimp for $9.95 per pound.
"There is no better way to celebrate this long weekend and the beginning of summer than by pairing these two amazing Alaska seafood products on your grill," he says.
The Copper River kings are $23.95 per pound for fillets. They also have troll kings from Southeast for $12.95 per pound for head-on fish and $16.95 per pound for the fillets. Other seafood options include fresh rockfish, cod and Dover sole fillets.
Jackson says New Sagaya also will have fresh Alaska ling cod in the store. Whole headed and gutted fish will be $4.99 per pound. "When it is fresh it is some of the best eating white fish in Alaska," he says.
Other seafood options at New Sagaya include cod ($5.99 per pound), side-stripe shrimp ($10.99 per pound) and fresh Southeast oysters.

Farmers markets
Fresh seafood can also be tracked down at the South Anchorage Farmers Market on Saturday.
Arctic Choice will have fresh Copper River king and sockeye salmon fillets, along with plenty of their other fresh seafood options: halibut fillets and cheeks, troll-caught king salmon fillets, sablefish fillets, cod fillets, rockfish fillets and side-stripe shrimp.
Some of the other vendors at the market this week include:
South Fork Jams and Jellies: A large variety of heirloom tomato plants will be available at the market, along with a growing expert to explain the needs of heirloom plants. Also available will be early jams and jellies.
Glacier Valley Farm: Hanging strawberry baskets and hanging tumbling tomato planters.
County Garden Farms: They will have 100 percent nugget Kentucky bluegrass sod in easy-to-handle 2-foot-by-5-foot rolls, ready for small or large landscaping projects. Customers can shop online at www.countrygardenfarms.com, call them at 344-2088 to reserve sod or pick it up at the market.
Bearsden Gardens: A large variety of herb plants, including: Genovese, lemon, cinnamon, Thai and globe basil; dill; parsley; cilantro; tarragon; spearmint; and peppermint; along with artichoke, pepper and tomato starts.
Gray Owl Farm: A huge variety of plants for baskets or planters, including exotics and hard to find elements.
Heart of the Mountain Organics: They will have lots of starts and items that can be used right away, including: red and green lettuces, arugula, herbs, Cherokee purple tomatoes, kale, collards, large pots of rhubarb and fresh herbs (thyme, oregano and chervil).
Matanuska Creamery: They will have cheese, cheese curds, ice cream and home-churned butter, including lemon butter.
The big news this week for the Center Market is a new location. While still in Midtown, the market is moving from University Center mall to the Mall at Sears. The market will set up at the corner of Benson Boulevard and Denali Street. According to market organizer Alex Davis, the new location may result in more vendors: "Our hours of operation will be the same, and it looks like we are going to pick up several new vendors due to the change."
Davis says Fat Boy Ribs plans to be at the new location Saturday. And marketgoers can plan on a hearty lunch. "We are hoping to introduce an Alaska burger with Alaska-grown beef and Matanuska Creamery cheese, all on a bun baked by French Oven Bakery. My mouth is watering just over the thought of it," Davis says.
Davis will have certified organic vegetable starts, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce, along with pork products, jams, goat cheese, and duck and chicken eggs. He also has a 73-pound barbecue pig available and he continues to take reservations on fall-butcher pigs.
Duane Clark will be at the market with grass-fed local beef, frozen Alaska seafood, French Oven Bakery products and information about locally constructed outdoor furniture. Clark says Matanuska Creamery and the Coffee Roastery will be joining the market this week.
The Anchorage Market and Festival has a new farm booth featuring products from the Whittier Community School. Market organizer Bill Webb says "the school kids have built and operate a hydroponic garden ... we were amazed at the quality and variety last weekend." The money raised at the booth goes back to the project and the school. The booth should have parsley, cilantro, spinach, kale, snap peas and green beans this weekend.
The Anchorage Farmers Market will have many of the same vendors as previous weeks, including Arctic Organics, Seldovitsch Family Farm, Persistent Farmer, Matanuska Creamery, Bushes Bunches, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Turkey Red Cafe, Three Bears Farm, Matanuska Gardens, Arctic Sun Gardening and Floriponics.
Arctic Organics will have the season premiere of greens mix and wild arugula, along with fresh basil from the greenhouse. They also will have overwintered German butterball, yellow Finn and russet potatoes. They also will have plenty of vegetable and flower seedlings, along with tomato plants in gallon pots for $13.50, including Siberian types bred for growing outdoors and classic greenhouse varieties too.
The Spenard Farmers Market is highlighting garden starts and tree seedlings Saturday.
Many vendors will have Alaska-appropriate plant and vegetable starts. Additionally, the market is featuring TREErific Anchorage, a volunteer group with the goal to enrich the community through the planting, caring and promotion of trees. Volunteers will be handing out information about tree planting. There also will be an opportunity to purchase native tree seedlings, sponsored with the Society of American Foresters, with proceeds going toward scholarships for University of Alaska Forestry students.
A couple of vendors to look for this week include: Babbling Brook Farm with herb starts, organic vegetable starts, flowers and hanging baskets; and Haiku Heritage City Farm with baby chickens and organic plant starts.
Salad greens are getting easier to find at the local markets, so try this simple dressing.

Basil vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (about 1 cup packed leaves)
4 large shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil
Whisk together the first seven ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Gradually add olive oil, whisking continually until blended.
Source: "Farmers Market Cookbook: A Fresh Look at Local Flavor" by Southern Living magazine (Oxmoor House, $29.95)

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Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. If you have a suggestion for a future Market Fresh column, please contact him at sedwards@adn.com.

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Local farmers markets
Today: Center Market, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

Friday: Palmer Friday Fling, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Pavilion across from Visitor’s Center

Saturday: Anchorage Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 15th and Cordova in the Central Lutheran Church parking lot; Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Subway/Cellular One Sports Center at the corner of Old Seward Highway and O’Malley Road; Spenard Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Spenard Road and 26th Avenue
Sunday: Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets