farmers' market: last outdoor market
Last outdoor market of the season is always a little depressing, not least because many vendors don't show up: it's cold by now, so it's uncomfortable to be out for hours and there are fewer buyers.
But most of my stalwarts were out, so I still did all right.
More sunchokes, a mix of red and white this time. Onions, red and white. Carrots, orange and yellow. Lots of porcelain garlic, which has been excellent this season. Parsnips, turnips, rutabaga. Spinach. Almost got a bunch of lacinato kale but refrained. Also decided to wait on potatoes, since my favorite potato guy was late and I know he'll be at the indoor market next week.
And the last of the antique apples, since that vendor doesn't come to the indoor markets.
Got a few each of old and new favorites: Oxheart Pippin, Smokehouse, Spitzenberg, King David, and of course Wolf River. Also got a couple of pounds of Empire to go with last week's Northern Spy, since I discovered that a pie actually requires four pounds of apples. (Clearly it's been a while since my last attempt at a pie.) A couple pounds of Montgomery Ward McIntosh for applesauce.
And I picked up a few varieties that I haven't had yet this season:
Black Gilliflower: a very old variety (for America, anyway), dating from the 1700s in Connecticut. An oddly narrow, elongated apple, plum-colored cloak over green. They're often described as tasting like pears, but I just think they're sweet.
Golden Russet: Dark yellow and quite small. Very dense and rich, with a wonderful honey taste.
Winesap: Small, crisp, rather tough-skinned. More sweet than tart, but with a nice edge to the flavor. Apparently they're usually a bright dark red, but the ones from this orchard (which are the only ones I've seen personally) are more of a plum color, quite subdued. Often used in cider.
And now I'm off to the co-op to get butter for pie crust, milk for drinking, and basil for squash curry.
But most of my stalwarts were out, so I still did all right.
More sunchokes, a mix of red and white this time. Onions, red and white. Carrots, orange and yellow. Lots of porcelain garlic, which has been excellent this season. Parsnips, turnips, rutabaga. Spinach. Almost got a bunch of lacinato kale but refrained. Also decided to wait on potatoes, since my favorite potato guy was late and I know he'll be at the indoor market next week.
And the last of the antique apples, since that vendor doesn't come to the indoor markets.
Got a few each of old and new favorites: Oxheart Pippin, Smokehouse, Spitzenberg, King David, and of course Wolf River. Also got a couple of pounds of Empire to go with last week's Northern Spy, since I discovered that a pie actually requires four pounds of apples. (Clearly it's been a while since my last attempt at a pie.) A couple pounds of Montgomery Ward McIntosh for applesauce.
And I picked up a few varieties that I haven't had yet this season:
Black Gilliflower: a very old variety (for America, anyway), dating from the 1700s in Connecticut. An oddly narrow, elongated apple, plum-colored cloak over green. They're often described as tasting like pears, but I just think they're sweet.
Golden Russet: Dark yellow and quite small. Very dense and rich, with a wonderful honey taste.
Winesap: Small, crisp, rather tough-skinned. More sweet than tart, but with a nice edge to the flavor. Apparently they're usually a bright dark red, but the ones from this orchard (which are the only ones I've seen personally) are more of a plum color, quite subdued. Often used in cider.
And now I'm off to the co-op to get butter for pie crust, milk for drinking, and basil for squash curry.