Farmers Market Update: Autumn

by | Oct 16, 2011
Winter Squash

Winter Squash

Alright Mother Nature, you win. It’s autumn now and I’ll accept it, even if San Francisco only had about five days over 80 degrees this year. I don’t need summer when I have produce like this.

Thompson Grapes

Thompson Grapes

Bring on your autumn grapes. Grapes have never been my favorite fruit, but they are so sweet and crispy this year I can’t resist them. I like wine too, and harvest is soon. Grapes are ok with me.

Flame Grapes

Flame Grapes

I’ll take your apples too. These heirloom varietals don’t taste anything like the overly sweet fujis I grew up with. These apples remind me of what I’ve always wished apples tasted like whenever I have apple cider.

Autumn Apples

Autumn Apples

And these little wickson apples, the size of golf balls, are as complex as a glass of wine.

Wickson Apples

Wickson Apples

Of course I don’t mind the sweet white pomegranates, with their pink seeds and delicate flavor. They aren’t as sour as the red ones are this early in the season, and the seeds aren’t nearly as tough and woody.

White Pomegranates

White Pomegranates

I finally gave in and got some brussels sprouts too. Sure I used to hate them, but once I learned the secret to cooking these little guys they became a welcome guest on my dinner plate. I’m especially fond of the smaller sprouts like the ones I found today, because they are almost never bitter.

Early Brussels Sprouts

Early Brussels Sprouts

With Halloween approaching not even the winter squash offend me, but these days I eat them instead of carve them.

Sugar Pie Pumpkins

Sugar Pie Pumpkins

Yes I’ll miss summer—or at least the idea of it. I’ll miss the peaches and plums.

Peaches

Peaches

I’ll revel in the last of the figs and melons.

Brown Turkey Figs

Brown Turkey Figs

Maybe if I’m lucky you’ll give me a few more weeks of eggplant.

White Eggplant

White Eggplant

Perhaps the sweet peppers will last until my birthday next month.

Sweet Peppers

Sweet Peppers

Or maybe the spicy ones will?

Hot Peppers

Hot Peppers

What always breaks my heart most is the tomatoes. I can live a few months without strawberries, but the tomatoes really get me. Everything is better with a dry-farmed early girl tomato on it. It will be hard to see them go.

Organic Cherry Tomatoes

Organic Cherry Tomatoes

But I love my cauliflower. (Pretty much everyone loves my cauliflower). And it will keep me company as fall rolls in and winter approaches.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower

I’ll embrace your root vegetables as they sweeten in the cold.

Beets and Carrots

Beets and Carrots

I’ll give you some time on the persimmons though, I don’t think they’re quite ready yet.

Hachiya Persimmons

Hachiya Persimmons

Today’s purchases (~$40):

  • Heirloom kabocha squash
  • Savoy cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Leeks
  • Red Russian kale
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Wickson apples
  • Daikon
  • Ginger root
  • Garlic
  • Dahlias

Is your farmers market still running?

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15 Responses to “Farmers Market Update: Autumn”

  1. Ken H says:

    Wow great pictures & I wish I could stop by for dinner! 🙂 Enjoy all of that wonderful produce and keep up the good work!

  2. James says:

    This prices are insane! in live in Israel and can buy perfect apples for $3 for 2lbs. Pomegranates cost about $1 per 2lbs. (1kg)

  3. A girl after my own heart! I LIVE for my weekly farmers market outings, and I’m spoiled living in Southern California where practically everything is seasonal year-round and the market hardly ever closes (Christmas week only I think).

    Here’s my $35 bounty from today:
    Bunch of curly kale
    Bunch of dinosaur kale
    Bunch of collard greens
    Bunch of arugula
    Bunch of Mint
    Bunch of Parsley
    Bunch of cilantro
    Couple pounds of flame grapes
    Couple Honeycrisp apples (as the farmer said “yes, they’re the most expensive, and yes, they’re worth it”)
    Red Onion
    White Onion
    Bunch of green onions
    Bunch celery
    Head of garlic
    Couple Japanese yams
    2 adorable Delicata Squash
    And last, but defintely not least, Locally made Tempah (or what I like to call, my drug of choice)

    If you have time on Wed, check out my site MyMiBoSo dot com – I’ll be doing a post on “Body: Healthy Eating, Not Just for the Rich” this week, and there will certainly be a nod to our love for all things Farmers Market 🙂

  4. The farmers market in my Sierra foothills community (El Dorado Hills) is still going with urgings they continue as long as possible. With the peaked interest in buying local produce we are hoping an owner of an empty building in Town Center will offer it for the farmers market as the weather becomes colder and wet.

  5. Beach Girl says:

    Is that a turquoise pumpkin?!

  6. Katherine says:

    Here in Montreal, my tiny very very local farmers market has one week left (tears). I will seriously miss it. There is still Jean-Talon market which you featured about a month ago that is open all year but the quality goes down in winter and most of the produce is from wholesale. I did sign up for a winter CSA basket. We’ll see how that goes…

  7. Gretchen says:

    I live in Santa Barbara where we are fortunate enough to have a Farmer’s Market around town everyday of the week, year-round. September/ October is my absolute favorite time of the year because we can still get a lot of the summer crops, and all of the gorgeous early fall peppers, winter squash, etc.

    I just found your site yesterday for the first time and I love it. I will be following it regularly for recipe ideas and inspiration.

    Here is a pic I took a few weeks ago of some of the peppers at our Farmer’s Market:

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/117321522765125194699/posts/fQPBFLnxrhK

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