The Dirt: What To Get At The Farmer’s Market This Weekend

Finally! It’s starting to feel like fall around here…

On the way out…

–     Green Tomatoes: Fry ‘em or pickle  ‘em or make a salsa!

Right now!

–     Apples are hitting hard at the moment, with early varieties giving way to some real favorites including Gala, Nittany, Staymen Winesap, Jonathan and, the favorite of favorites, Honeycrisps. If you see them, pick up some red and green mottled Arlet apples.  Though not as sweet as Honeycrisps they’ve got a great,  tart yet round flavor.

–     Tatsoi this relative of bok choi maintains a pleasant, juicy crunch even when cooked. Look for whole, dark green heads or the little spoon shaped leaves in salad mix.

–     Carrots are coming out of the fields now. And while they’ll be around for weeks, they’ll be at their juiciest and sweetest right now. If you buy them with their greens (a sure sign that they were harvested within days) but you’re planning to keep them around for a while,  clip or pull them off before storing them in the fridge. If you don’t, the greens will keep pulling energy and moisture from the roots and your carrots will get less sweet and crunchy.

Upcoming

–     Broccoli Raab:  Nothing feels more nutritious than this juicy, bitter green. Blanch it and then sauté it with chili flake and lemon zest.

–     Brussels Sprouts Why is it that cabbage can seem boring, but teeny tiny cabbages are so irresistible? It may yet be a week or two, but keep your eyes peeled for these sweet little sprouts.

Food Lover’s Guide – Produce & Farmer’s Markets [Phillymag]