November 1, 2009
Posted by Claire Sellers, October 17, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Photo: Lady_Fox
Pumpkin, versatile and delicious, is one of the quintessential fall vegetables. A member of the genus Curcubita, pumpkin comes from the same family as gourds and squash. Characterized by a bold orange or yellow color, round shape, and thick skin, pumpkins make the perfect fall decoration, or their seeds can be used for snacking, and flesh as an ingredient in countless dishes. In the United States alone, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkin are produced each year, in crops that are planted in late July just in time for the fall harvest. I think it's safe to say Americans are pounding some serious pumpkin!
Pumpkin recipes and tips, after the jump.
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Posted by Claire Sellers, October 10, 2009 at 3:00 PM
[Flickr: WhitA]
As the leaves turn to beautiful shades of gold, orange, and berry, a whole new selection of squash replace the summer squash we loved so much.
The many varieties of winter squash come in all kinds of shapes—round, elongated, oblong—and colors from honey to bright orange. Some of the most popular varieties are the acorn, amber cup, and butternut. No matter the variety, squash is a great fall vegetable and an excellent ingredient for all your delicious fall recipes.
How do you like to celebrate autumn and winter squash?
Posted by Claire Sellers, September 26, 2009 at 3:00 PM
[photo courtesy of xerones on flickr]
Those who grew up knowing only the figs that came in Newtons have a lot to learn. Figs are undoubtedly one of the most luscious fruits on earth, and they're now in season--get 'em while they're ripe.
Rich in taste, figs are even richer in history. The fig tree was a common theme in the Bible, and the Egyptians considered figs to be sacred, often burying the dead with baskets of figs. In ancient Greece, Plato wrote that athletes were fed figs to make them stronger. Fig culture spread to the northern Mediterranean and Adriatic shores until it reached southern Italy, and then the rest of Europe. When the Spanish planted figs in Mexico, and the Franciscan monks moved northward with pockets full of figs--that's when they came to the States.
Some figgy recipes, after the jump.
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Posted by Claire Sellers, September 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Photograph: sling on Flickr
As summer comes to a close and we kiss the warm, carefree days of summer goodbye, we can console ourselves with a whole new crop of early fall vegetables perfectly ripe and in season. One of those fall treasures is the bell pepper, which hit their peak during the months of August and September. Originating in South America in 5000 B.C., universally popular bell peppers are a member of the nightshade family, which also include potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants.
The color bell pepper you choose will bring a unique taste to the table: the green and purple bell peppers have a somewhat bitter flavor, while the red, orange, and yellows are sweeter and almost fruity. Bell peppers are great because they can be eaten alone, used as a dipping apparatus, or be cooked in countless dishes.
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Posted by Carey Jones, September 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM
©iStockphoto.com/tacojim
In many parts of the States, we're headed into the last gasp of tomato season. It happens every year, as sure as the first fallen leaf and the first day of school--one week, the markets are overflowing with swollen red tomatoes, still smelling of the vine they grew on; and the next week, they're gone, and with them, the final days of summer.
In the Northeast, this hasn't been the greatest tomato season. But no matter where you are, it's worth celebrating the best of the last crop. Recipes to make the most of your tomato haul, after the jump.
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