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Even though Fall in San Francisco is more about sunshine and outdoor wine tasting than bundling up in front of a toasty fire, I still appreciate the season and its open invitation to get cozy. I love the turning leaves (can’t quite bring myself to say ‘foliage‘ even after nearly five years in the US!), the opportunity to sharpen up my look with new layers and colors, and most of all, I love the harvest season for food.
When I was a child, Harvest Festival was one of the high points of the school social calendar. Yes really. And I still fondly remember struggling into church with an overflowing box of canned goods, fresh produce and having amazing looking pumpkins and corn on display. These days, Fall for me is a time to indulge in copious amounts of roasted butternut squash, and any roasted root vegetable I pick up at the market.
There’s something about roasting veggies that brings out their caramelized sweetness (especially squash and carrots), and it’s a great chance to experiment with flavored roasting oils, fresh herbs, spices and other condiments, like this incredible rosemary-flavored salt from Eatwell farms. Still one of my best Farmers Market finds.
What’s even better is that it takes almost no work at all to prepare. Perfect if you’re like me, and never seem to have enough hours in the day. I can roast up some vegetables and a protein like bone-in chicken or pork tenderloin, all in one pan, and just shove it in the oven for an hour while I do something else. True, that ‘something else’ is often a Bravo Real Housewives marathon, but hey, don’t judge another’s busy schedule…
The end result? A delicious and nutritious, comforting and satisfying plate of food. Much less work than a full-on roast, and practically now washing up. Result.
This month’s Sunset magazine has more great recipes for easy, one-dish dinners.
Here’s what I’m craving:
Fresh white corn
Firm, slightly green tomatoes:
(Photo credit: er, me…)
Fresh basil, avocados and best of all…
Purple bell peppers. How could I not have known these things existed? Thanks to the farmers market at Fillmore:
(Photo credit: Molly Watson)
Combined, most of these ingredients make the dish Rick and I have been living off for weeks now. Sunset Magazine’s stupendous Corn and Avocado Salad. Here’s a picture of it to make your mouth water:
(Photo credit: Annabelle Breakey, c/o Sunset Magazine)
Of course, for the aesthetes among us, the colors will also inspire. But for all of us, the taste will just really amaze. I will be quite beside myself when the season ends! Here’s the recipe. Dead easy and the dressing is beyond. I added the purple bell pepper after spotting and smelling them at the market. Smoky, a little sweet. Delicious!
An old topic perhaps, but one of the greatest pleasures of a San Francisco life has to be the Saturday farmer’s market down at the Ferry Building.
Down at the Ferry Building
Yes, it’s super crowded, especially in late June, and the lines for Blue Bottle Coffee and those insane porchetta sandwiches are well, insane. But come on! Where else do you have to be? Standing in line with your loved one, in the sunshine, shooting the breeze, is hardly a chore. And it’s worth it for the resulting deliciousness! While I was there on Saturday, i managed to snag both those items above, PLUS organic potstickers, PLUS a chocolate brownie cupcake. Oh, and some delicious Santa Rosa plums and Bing cherries from local farms. We walked it off afterward believe me!
While my boyfriend was a true gent and stood in the line for a sandwich, I ran off and took some snaps. Hope you enjoy the fruits of the farmer’s market!
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- Down at the Ferry Building
