We officially entered fall, and what’s a better way to ring in the new season than with delicious seasonal flavors from our local farmers markets? This week, you can welcome the cool temperatures and changing leaves with fall favorites such as apples, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and more!
One of the first signs of autumn is the arrival of apples at markets! While you can purchase freshly pressed apple ciders from farmers markets, nothing beats a warm cup of apple cider made from scratch! To a stockpot, add ten or so chopped apples (any variety will do!), two chopped oranges, four cinnamon sticks, one tablespoon of whole cloves, an inch of fresh ginger, one whole allspice, and one whole nutmeg. Cover your ingredients with water, leaving about an inch or two of space at the top of the stockpot. Bring the cider to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer for about two hours. Mash the apples and oranges with a potato masher or a wooden spoon against the sides of the stockpot, then cover and simmer for another hour. After your cider is done cooking, strain out any solid ingredients using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and discard the solids. Sweeten with maple syrup or brown sugar to taste, then serve warm! Not only will the recipe make a delicious seasonal drink, but will make your space smell amazing! You can find apple varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith, and more from
Creasman Farms (
Asheville City,
Black Mountain,
North Asheville, and
West Asheville markets) and
McConnell Farms (North Asheville Tailgate Market).
Pumpkins are an obvious autumn staple, but don’t forget about the other varieties of winter squash available at farmers markets! If pumpkins are gone by the time you arrive at markets this week, kabocha squash makes a good substitute for both flavor and aesthetics! Also look for butternut, acorn, honeynut, spaghetti, delicata, jester squash, and more. Not only are these squash delicious, but offer festive fall decor as well! You can find pumpkins from
Sleight Family Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market), and more winter squash from
Full Sun Farm (North Asheville and
River Arts District markets).
The sugary, rich, and spicy flavor make sweet potatoes another perfect fall vegetable! A great way to treat friends and family (or just yourself) on a chilly fall morning is with these delicious sweet potato pancakes. In a large bowl, whisk together one-and-three-fourths cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, half a teaspoon of baking soda, two tablespoons of brown sugar, a teaspoon each of salt and cinnamon, and a quarter of a teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger. In a separate bowl, whisk together one-and-three-fourths cups of buttermilk, puree of two sweet potatoes (roasted and pureed or mashed until smooth), two eggs, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Combine ingredients and stir until well combined. Melt butter onto a skillet over medium heat, then scoop half a cup of pancake batter onto the pan and cook for about three minutes on each side. Serve your pancakes with a bit of syrup and maybe some toasted pecans, and enjoy! You can find sweet potatoes from
Flying Cloud Farm (North Asheville and River Arts District markets) and
Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville city, Black Mountain, East Asheville, North Asheville, River Arts District and West Asheville markets).
At farmers markets now you’ll also find corn, peppers, okra, muscadine grapes, Asian pears, potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, mushrooms, and greens like lettuce, kale, and bok choy. Markets are also stocked with a variety of plants, meats, cheese, rice, pasta, bread, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region in ASAP’s online
Local Food Guide.
