Some say the way to robust health is to eat the way of our ancestors: Off the land.
That makes sense, too. We were foragers once, waking up to gather breakfast rather than stumbling cockeyed to the coffee machine before fumbling through the fridge every morning. The fastest way to emulate that these days tends to be by way of farmer’s markets and farm stands. Both take all the guess work out of what’s in-season, and what’s likely to make an appearance in the chili’s and stew’s we’re about to consume while screaming at Monday Night Football and huddling around crisp fall bonfires.
So, a few in-season basics: Sweet and spicy peppers (including the almighty chile) are harvested in late summer/early fall. Mushrooms, beets, onions, zucchini and squash are all ripe for the slow-cooking. Carrots, cabbage, cauliflower and celery all flourish in cooler weather, while garlic, rosemary, parsley, thyme and sage will be ripe for the seasoning. Throw some sweet potatoes in a meaty soup, and for a different spin on chili, don’t forget pumpkins – there are some seriously taste-bud shattering pumpkin chili recipes floating around.
Now for nature’s candy, fruit. We tend to forget that apples actually have a best season. Well, that season is now, and adding slices to warm oatmeal or moist pies is the most direct route to a pure, unadulterated mouth orgasm. Combine some pears, cranberries, figs, persimmons, pomegranates, spinach, kale, and free-range chicken or steak for a different take on salad.
Now is the time for change: Changes in routine, pace and diet. Screw New Year’s resolutions. Use the turning of the season (and all its delicious bounty) to shake up the summertime culinary coma left over after an endless barrage of burgers and hot dogs and ribs and corn on the cob and coleslaw and…
The point is just throw the best of summer and fall in the crock pot after acquiring your goods from a local, fresh, organic farmer’s market and their ilk, set it, and forget it.
For the farm stands and farmer’s markets nearest you, check out Boston Farmers Market and Mass Farmers Markets.
