"I'll throw in the bees for free," said Simeon Cook as I alerted Ed to the bees buzzing the sunflowers around the Cook's Farm and Bakery stand at the Copley Square Farmers' Market.
This time of year, markets are ablaze with the glorious glow of sunflowers. Anyone who's bought these beauties straight from the farm will tell you that, just like the other market goods, they last longer than their mainstream counterparts.
Have you ever dined on sunflower? We did a couple of years ago at Erbaluce. Wicked Tasty Harvest wrote about that dish here. You have probably also enjoyed sunflower seeds and sunflower oil. Plus, you may have eaten Jerusalem artichokes – a species of sunflower.
This makes me wonder if some of the masses of sunflowers at the market are being turned into meals by savvy cooks. If you are tempted to try, please read the tips in the Wicked Tasty Harvest post.
The Word from the Farms & Markets
Ben Sommer, Copley Square Farmers' Market Manager writes, "Just because the summer is almost over, don't think that the season is. The first few weeks of September are some of our farmers' most bounteous weeks, when they still have all that great summer produce like tomatoes and stone fruits, but are also starting to get those colder weather crops as well, like apples and broccoli."
Mass Farmers Markets September newsletter included this advice, "Instead of rushing through the market to stock up on the familiar corn, apples and tomatoes which are traditional and nutritious, think about adding items to your shopping list such as kohlrabi, husk tomatoes, purslane, and Brazilian cucumbers. These are just a few of the unique options available at a farmers market near you during the month of September. Give one or more of these a try this month, you it will be worth the adventure!"
In Season, Right Now!
Each week, more apple varieties appear. Be sure to talk with your farmer and try a few of the heirloom apples. They may not be as pretty but they are full of flavor. Have you tried a crab apple lately? They come in both tart and sweet varieties.
Get Some Before It's Gone!
Tomatoes and Sweet Corn always disappear before I'm ready to give them up. This time of year, I buy some at each market.
Coming Soon!
Winter squash, potted herbs for winter windowsills.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino (from Cook's Farm and Bakery, and Siena Farms)
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