What makes you happy? A profusion of dazzling fall peppers gathered on a early fall morning? The thought of smoky roasted peppper salsas to come? Read on...
Sometimes it comes down to a choice: Ultra-chic Chloe boots, or a carload of glorious fall peppers?
What will make you feel really, really good?
The boots, I must say, are divine. Pebbled Italian leather, supple as can be, in the most delicious shade of rich dark chocolate—kindly ignore the hue in the photo—with a brushed antique gold buckle and a 2-inch stacked wooden heel.
These boots are made for walking, but also for, dare I say it, showing off. At their full, recession-be-damned price tag, the cost works out to $83.33 for each of the dozen or so times I’d frolic down Franklin—or maybe Newbury—Street this fall.
That’s a lot of peppers.
Last Saturday I arose early. The air was fresh and cool, droplets of dew still clinging to the splashy tropical leaves outside the backdoor. Yoga? Mmmmm….not today. Not quite ready to give up all my worldly attachments. In fact after a cup of bitter green tea, I knew just what I wanted to do: go shopping.
The fall Carrboro farmer’s market is seductive. The throngs of low-carbon-footprint shoppers have, well, not faded away—but there are fewer of us scrambling to fill our reusable (OK, when I remember) shopping bags with locally grown heirloom tomatoes.
Even better, there’s no torrid sun reducing me to a puddle of ghee. Just before nine, the sun casts a golden light over the bronzed scuppernog grapes and early pumpkins, but the angle is low and the heat is almost silken.
Peppers, sweet and hot, are the lure of the early September market. They glow like jewels in their boxes: cherry red, pale green, golden orange, deep purple—so electric they very nearly vibrate in the morning sun. Some have names like Cherry Bomb and Paper Lantern, but it’s getting harder and harder to keep them apart —some farmers have just given up and are selling mixed “hots” and “sweets.”
I went shopping with abandon.
I bought these fiery peppers from McAdams Farm--mostly various serranos, jalapenos and habaneros--as much to pile up in my Chinese blue bowl as to chop for every known variety of salsa.
Mild green Cubanelles and red Carmens are luscious when roasted. You can eat them with fresh mozzarella in a light vinaigrette, or with grilled onions, alongside fajitas or brined pork chops.
Sweet red and yellow bells at Peregrine Farm, plus lots of spicy green Poblanos, Shishitos and Padrones not visible here…all irresistible.
Mix up a few pounds of peppers and Alex will roast them for you in his propane- fired barrel roaster from Arizona. The charred scent of fruity peppers, dancing in the flames, always drives me mad with hunger…
Entering scorched earth territory with these pale orange habaneros from Turtle Run Farm, thoughtfully mixed with more benign ripe red jalapenos…
I loved these bundles of cayenne peppers at Flat River Nursery—they’ll dress the Thanksgiving table, hang on the door with a big red ribbon at Christmas and—who knows?—maybe warm up a lamb stew when it gets cold...
One last purchase from McAdams Farm: Bunches of gorgeous heirloom sunflowers. These multi-petaled beauties have beenin the family for 50 years, ever since Karen McAdams' granddaddy Wesley Jones, who farmed near Pinnacle, NC, got the seeds from a neighbor.
So, on the feel-good barometer: boots, or a carload of peppers and sunflowers?
I know where I come out. How about you?
Here's what to do with all those peppers you bought:
Autumn's Red Peppers, Sweet and Hot, for Harissa: Not Your Mother's Chile Paste
Soupy Pork and Green Chile Stew
Summer Squash with Sweet Corn and Roasted Green Chilies
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Fresh Peppers and Ancho Peanut Sauce
Roasted Tomato Salsa with Onion, Garlic and Jalapeno
Comments (2)
superfun and happy peppers. i have been making a pepper and parsley, olive oil and salt pistou. not really a pesto. no cheese or nuts. or garlic. it is awesome to add a spoonful to this or that or just on an apple or a wasa crisp.
i invented this last week because i went to a demo that a guy who runs an organic farm did. and i ate a bunch of roasted garlic and garlic bruchetta. the cloves are the size of brazil nuts.
i was trying to counteract things by eating parsley. i had candles all over the house burning for two days and i ate many a wasa cracker with this invention on it.
Posted by marie | September 15, 2009 6:04 PM
Posted on September 15, 2009 18:04
Marie--Your adventures in foodie land are so much fun--they keep me smiling! Parsley and garlic are such a classic combination--even Domino's "breath treats"--actually tasty bone-shaped biscuits--have lots of parsley in them. Not that it helps much....I'll have to try your wasa combo (which the omnivorous dog would love!) :)
Posted by Courtenay | September 16, 2009 6:07 PM
Posted on September 16, 2009 18:07