Del Ray Farmers' Market in Fall -- A Feast of Rich Colors, and Flavors

Love your neighborhood farmers' market. I am quite a lucky duck that this one is right in my neighborhood.

Hot Royal Black Peppers -- could they be more beautiful?  Too hot for me to eat, though.

Some peppers I (my mouth) can handle (maybe)!  Such a gorgeous fall mix of them.

Heirloom tomatoes, San Marzanos in the basket, and heirloom peppers.

All of the above photographed at the Vine Ripe Farm area at the Del Ray Farmers' Market:

Then over to Three Way Farms:

Little hands picking tomatoes.

Friendly help at Three Way Farm. Picking out heirloom "chocolate" cherry tomatoes for me! So called because of the coloring.  Have a wonderful deep tomato taste.  If they tasted like chocolate, that would have been just fine, too.

Friendly folk at Three Way Farm!  Thank you!

Radishes, green beans, and onions, all just begging me to be roasted and used in silky fall soup.

Another fab vendor at the Del Ray Farmers' Market, Toigo Orchards ... 

mmmm tomatoes as far as the eye can see:

One last caramel apple with fall sprinkles at Ashbank.

Weekend macaron flavors at Mariannas Macarons. Two each of rose, vanilla and Nutella...heaven!

Time for some easy, delish fall recipes that look beautiful, too, friends!

 Hope you're having wonderful weather this weekend in your neighborhood.

Love,

JPV

Last Call For Fresh Peaches! From My Blog to Your Belly: What The Farmers Say To Buy This Week

Every time I hit the grocery store, I wonder what exactly fruits and veggies are "in season" and when. Prices (high when I buy what must be out of season) are my one indicator.  Now that I frequent the farmers market (mostly my favorite, in my hood, the Del Ray Farmers Market), I thought I would go straight to the source, and ask the farmers. Duh, could have thought of that one sooner.

I thought you might like to know, too.  So here is the first installment of what to buy this week farmers market or grocery store.  I live in Northern Virginia/Metro DC area, so I expect this will be different in other climates.  Cheat sheet below the pics for you to cut and paste.

LAST CALL:  Peaches! 

This is really the last week.  After this, it'll be those nice little frozen ones for your smoothie til next summer.

Below, here's what's new, from Golden Goose Farm & Bakery "Everything Good Under the Sun."  From Roy, working the table, and owner/baker/chef Mary Ann Corvin.  (I love that the Golden goose website calls itself "a family owned agricultural adventure.")   

UP AND COMERS:  Fall squashes!

Acorn squashes looked beautiful and had been mostly scooped up when I arrived

And the butternut squashed went so fast I only got a photo of the empty basket. Totally sold out.
No worries, many more months to come of those beauties to come!

Over at Schlagel Farms, all the melons were still looking great.
I'll find out this weekend how much longer we've got for fresh melon!

One of the nice guys at the Shlagel Farms counter ringing up my corn told me told me to expect corn until the first frost.  Trying not to sound like the gardening dunce I asked, "That would be when?"
"November," he answered, politely. Their motto is, "From our farm to your family."

My motto is, "From my blog to your belly!"

CHEAT SHEET
LAST CALL:  Peaches
STILL STRONG: Melons, corn, tomatoes
OPENING SEASON:  Fall squashes;  acorn, butternut, grapes
ALWAYS IN SEASON: Mariana's Macarons, Vera's Bakery (the coffeecake ... omg! scones, and presently fresh o.j.)
Have fun, eat yummy,
xoxox JPV

Here is an article from Whole Living on how buying what's in season means it is fresher, tastier,and more nutritious, and you avoid the exorbitant prices that you pay, for example, for tomatoes from in the middle of winter from who knows where.