Fall has arrived. My furnace came on this morning. I hate that smell.

at 6:45 a.m. I could wait until after 7 to go to the Waverly Farmers Market

You people are maniacs. Why can't there be a farmer's market for lazy people who go out on Friday and Saturday? Say around noon to six.

We've had some excellent Ginger Golds in the past few weeks--very sweet and juicy (but I confess they came from Wegman's). I bought them in two sizes--larger ones for my husband and a tote bag of smaller ones for myself. They made a great apple flip cake, as well.

Binkerts is open again for the fall season!!

Last week, Waverly Market had signs posted, reminding everyone to get there very early, in order to avoid marathon traffic problems.

I know this because last Saturday, we "ran over" at about 11:30. Better than not getting to the Market at all - I'd just realized that I couldn't possibly get to the Sunday Morning Market the next day - but parking was evil. (I dropped my passengers off saying, "Go! Get me a couple of green peppers and a zuchini for stirfry. And a few apples! I'll catch up with you if I can!")

I wound up with a few apples that were presented to me as Granny Smiths. They're sort of lumpy and "real orchard" shaped and don't taste quite like store bought Grannys but they were very good.

The pumpkins were an excellent price, just the right size for carving with a small boy (haven't done that yet) and the guy selling them was fun, even that late.

I still have loads of tomatoes coming in, and they're not first-of-season great, but still quite good.

I got there at 6:50 and was gone by 7:05.

I got some corn and I'll let you know if they were still good. I have to say that I couldn't get enough corn this year either. I also got a daikon radish from the same people that was of huge! I'm going to shred it and make slaw out of it.

I also got eggs, a giant yellow cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, apples (I'm still sticking to honey crisp), some of Reed's wonderful apple butter (they have both sweetened with honey and no sweetener - I think that apples are sweet enough), and a pound each of lima beans, crowder(?) beans (new to me – the bean lady said they are very nutty and the erson behind me in line vouched for them as well), butter beans, and white beans.

I think I'm forgetting something.

Why can't there be a farmer's market for lazy people who go out on Friday and Saturday? Say around noon to six.

The Farmer's Market at Kenilworth is open from something like 2-6 p.m. Oh, no, wait....that's the suburbs.

I got a huge Honeycrisp from Reed's last week. It was delish! Crisp and not too tart.

I couldn't go the the Horrible East (tm OMG) farmers market this morning because I was busy being part of the traffic problem for the Waverly market (I finished the half-marathon in 2:47:29, not bad for a 54-year-old with questionable knees)

I'll have to make sure to get up early enough tomorrow to get to the Sunday market before it gets crowded and scary. I need my week's supply of apples from Reid's.

Rosebud, crowder peas are one of my favourites. I just cook them with a dundicot pepper, then eat them with butter and salt.

Okay, Lissa--now we need to know more about your dundicot pepper.

Thanks, Lissa. I'll be cooking them tonight.

EL, re: the corn. Not as good as mid-summer certainly, but it certainly worked very well on the grill with a nice steak last night as a farewell to corn until next summer. You should have tried it for one more week.

Dahlink, dundicots are the usual cooking pepper in most of Pakistan. I use them because I have them, and, since they are small, they are about the perfect size for a pound of beans. They just add a hint of background taste, almost smokey. Not as good as cooking beans with fatback or salt pork, but I don't keep either of those around. Although, maybe I should.

I was bummed this morning to find that the lot at Fallsway and Hillen where I always park for the Sunday market is now fenced off. Apparently a building is going to be built there.

Good thing you went to the market so early! The marathon insanity took over starting at like 9:00! The heirloom tomatoes at the JFX market also looked good today, but who knows if they were mushy!

I got the the Sunday Market at about 8:30 and it was crowded. Got the usual stiff - apples (Braeburn) and peppers and pumpkins and chocolate croissants. I really wanted salad greens but that line went all the way to Catonsville.

Apples to try

Rome, Macintosh, Fuji,

I also ask for crisp, tart apples, they will usually give me a sliver of apple and I can decide.

Lissa,
Where can one get dundicots?

Bucky,
I hate that smell too.

Patty, my husband loves Romes, but we had a hard time finding them last season. Do you have a good source?

PCB Rob, I got mine from Penzey's. I'm sure any Pakistani market would have them, too.

There is a farmers market at the Whole Foods in Mount Washington on Wednesdays that runs in the 4 pm to 6 pm time slot. I guess it is still going on. I know I went there a few times during the summer.

Husband purchased white corn from Super Fresh one day this week. I told him that I did not know why he was wasting his money. It turned out to be very tasty. I think these new varieties have a longer shelf life and remain fresh tasting longer.