Season to Season
November
Season to Season is a monthly look at the various foods that are
available fresh here in the Northwest. The column provides tips for
selecting food to bring home or enjoy when you're dining out.
Honey Crisp Apples: As I sit down to write this month's column,
I'm enjoying a fresh, organic, Northwest Honey Crisp apple. Yum! They're
only available in the fall, and at this point we'll start seeing them
disappear from the grocery shelves. Honey Crisps tastes great whole, but
they are also the cat's meow when it comes to making fresh apple juice. I
simply feed slices into my Breville juicer three days a week to use the
juice for my smoothies, rather than using orange juice. Joe at Joelinda's
in Stevenson, Washington, taught me this little secret and I love it.
I ran around the last few days looking at prices on organic Honey
Crisps which ranged from $1.72 (Metropolitan Market) to $3.99 (QFC). I'm
stocking up now, so my fridge is packed with 24 of them. I'm good for
about 12 more smoothies this year.
Turkey Cuts: Well, it's true that turkey cuts aren't exactly a
seasonal item, but in November they automatically become just that. By
mid-month, the shelves will be bare on the healthier turkey cuts like
those made by Jennie O. So if you're looking for things like turkey
breasts and tenders, now is the time to buy, before it's too late. It's
no big deal to put them in the freezer and take them out in a couple of
weeks to use them if you buy early.
While you're at it, be sure to stock up on other items like low salt
chicken stock, sugar pie pumpkins and spices that are more commonly used during
the holidays like allspice and cinnamon.
 Tri-Color Carrots: I found tri-color carrots on the shelf at
Central Market a few weeks ago. These tasty decorative devils are
delicious and so good for you. I like to brush them with olive oil,
season them a little bit and place them into tin foil. When I'm grilling
beef, chicken or fish on the outdoor BBQ, I simply place them to the
side of the grill. All that heat gets the sugars to come out and
caramelize on the outside over a 15-20 minute cooking period. Go for it!
Eggplant: November is typically the last month for local
eggplant. There's a lot you can do with eggplant, just remember it's a
glutton for oil, so I prefer grilling over pan frying. You could use
the same technique mentioned above for a combination of the two cooking
styles.
Winter Squash: Zucchini is typically done by now, but you can
switch over to experimenting with winter squashes like butternut, banana
and spaghetti. They're full of potassium and carry the might Omega 3
fatty acids in them. Two necessary nutrients so many Americans don't get
enough of.
Do a little homework online, pick a squash and a recipe, like a soup
or a stuffed style, and have some fun in your kitchen. Pick something
easy and enjoy.
If your favorite restaurant has local winter squash on the menu, dig
in!
NW Onions: Sure, you can get onions all year long at the
grocery store, but November is typically the last month you'll be able
to get Northwest varieties, then the Mexican and other strains start
hitting the shelves.
Garlic: Have you been laying down some spring bulbs in your
garden? It's also a great time to plant garlic to enjoy at home and you
can grow it organically right in your own yard. More tips at the
WSU website.
Wash your fruits and veggies well and we'll see you next month!
Tom Mehren/Fall 2011 |
