The Dirt: What To Get At The Farmers Market This Weekend

The trees are starting to turn, and even with warmer temperatures lingering it’s finally starting to look like Autumn out there. Two Harvest Festivals, one at Reading Terminal Market and another at Awbury Arboretum, plus the Rittenhouse Arts and Crafts Fair means that you should have no shortage of opportunities this weekend to spend time outside and even enjoy some pumpkin and apple-themed festivities. If all else fails? A quick stop for a heavy dose of fall ingredients at city farmer’s markets will see you through.

Chestnuts – Fresh chestnuts are a rare local commodity, so if you’re a fan of their particular sweetness and crumble texture, be sure to stop by Beechwood Orchard (Rittenhouse, Headhouse) or Queen’s Farm (Headhouse) to pick up a pint.

Fresh Ginger – Beautifully blonde and tinged with pink, Blooming Glen’s fresh ginger root is back at market! It sells out quickly, so if you’re interested plan on arriving to Headhouse market early.

Treviso Radicchio – If you’re accustomed to radicchio being those sad, leathery, chips of bitter red in your standard salad mix, the treviso radicchio that Weavers Way farm is bringing to market will show you a complete 180º on what radicchio can be. Yes, it’s still on the bitter side, but this juicy green with its dynamic color and punchy flavor is worth learning to love. It’s especially good halved and grilled, or swathed in a dressing that has a little heft and fat to it. Caesar would be lovely.

Red Kohlrabi – Juicy, and with the snappy appeal of radishes minus that peppery bite, Savoie Organic Farm’s kohlrabi is back on the table. Strip the greens from the alien-looking bulbs and cook them separately, then peel the bulb and cut it into matchsticks for a juicy snack.

Cauliflower– Another fall favorite has returned, this time in all different hues. Look for cheddar—the color, not the flavor—cauliflower from Weimer’s Organics at the Bryn Mawr market, and for the plain old white stuff from Rineer Family Farm at Chestnut Hill.