By Chris Peterson
For the Gazette-Times | Posted: Wednesday, October 1, 2008 12:00 am
Fall is officially here. No surprise to gardeners and farmers. It's a relief, actually. Gardens have looked rather spent for a while (so have gardeners). Farmers' fields are mostly empty and plowed; many have been replanted. Gardeners are following suit, as are many of the small farmers who bring us such wonderful fare all summer.
We're blessed to live in a place where winter crops are grown next. Did you know there's a winter farmers' market, too? It starts in January and runs through March. If you thought there was no local food in winter, brace yourself for delicious surprises. It's a locavore's dream: meats, cheeses, mushrooms, eggs, honey, nuts, breads, etc.
Speaking of mushrooms: Although early rains can be frustrating, they bring a smile to those who hunt wild mushrooms. Warm, wet weather coaxes fungi above ground. It should be a decent year.
Apples
Nothing says fall like the smell of apples cooking with cinnamon, be it in a pie, a crisp or as apple sauce. Although a little late, crops look plentiful. Some of the best kinds don't keep long, so it's juice-down-your-chin pig-out time. They can also be canned, frozen, dried or juiced. Turns out an apple a day really can keep the doctor away, thanks to their fiber, vitamin C and potassium. They're packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, many cancers, asthma and Type 2 diabetes. Cloudy juice is more nutritious than clear, as is leaving the peel on. Find a lot of local sources in the Local Foods Directory at www.tenriversfoodweb.org or under Good Things to Eat in the Classified section of this paper.
Plums
Our one remaining plum tree produced a record crop this year. I'm barely halfway through saucing, canning and drying them. Fresh are fantastic, too, especially knowing they're such a good source of vitamins C and A, B2, fiber and potassium. Did you know they're relatives of peaches, nectarines and almonds? Their antioxidant level is highest when they're fully ripe (soft when you squeeze gently) and their flavor best at room temperature. Prune plums can be dried into, well, delicious prunes and used in quick breads, granola, cereals - use your imagination. One source recommends making pizza with plums, goat cheese, walnuts and sage. Sounds yummy. And all those topping ingredients are available fresh and locally right now.
Rock fish
Stepping out of the garden and into the fish market, the proprietors of Harry and Annette's Fresh Fish educated me on four basic colors of Pacific Rockfish (brown, green, red and black) caught off the Oregon coast. It's the latter two Harry and Annette carry, brought into Charleston depending on the weather and quotas fishers have met. If you're lucky, you'll find red rockfish (also called snapper) in local markets and restaurants this week. And if you're really lucky, you'll find black rockfish. Either cooks quickly, as do fresh vegetables. What could be easier and more healthful? Serving apples and plums for dessert, of course.
Fresh Sheet alerts readers to the seasonal foods that make the mid-Willamette Valley such a rich culinary area. Through tips from farmers, ranchers, fishers, cheese-makers and other food producers, as well as chefs and restaurateurs, Chris Peterson tracks what's flowing from soil and sea to local plates. Readers can contact her at localfood@peak.org.