Tableau Vivante

I got hopeful last week. I dreamt of rain, of cool autumnal breezings. I should have known better, but that’s usually how the end of summer goes. After months of heat and dry days, you eventually want a bit of seasonal shift to go along with your urge for hot cocoa and/or a piping hot bowl of ramen. All that aside, the signs were evident that change was afoot, if not in the air, than at least in the harvests.

The sight of butternuts last week was enough to make me shop for sweaters. Now Underwood’s was lifting the hem on delicatas, turbans, kabochas, acorns, AND butternuts. TEASES! The summery heat in the air kept me grounded, but still, if you’re an autumn lover, it wounds you just a little to know the season has a few weeks yet to manifest. I opted for a marbled acorn squash which I’m thinking will go into a savory flan with dinner on Sunday.

The Autumn Royals were still out at Walker’s booth, so I took the opportunity to capture a better image. They’re still sweet and crisp. My sister added that they were unobtrusive and really “not much there”. Can’t really disagree with her on that. These are inoffensive fruits for the person who wants a sweet snack without delving into the pedigree or flavor palate of said grape. It is the antithesis of complex. That said? I really like them as a side to a sandwich. And they keep well. I love the large, sweet, musky orbs of the Kyoho, but you have to eat them fast or they start to squish and ferment. Speaking of, the Kyoho season is wrapping up. Get while the gettin’s good.

The crispy green Bartletts from last week are turning to gold this week. These may only need one good shelf day before they’re ready to be spooned like pudding.

The Barhi dates are in at Davall’s – both the super buttery ripe ones and the above pictured yellows. At this stage, they are just about to become the spreadable, gooey, and rich dates that folk adore. Think of the sweetest, non-acidic, crispiest apple you’ve ever had. Now make it dry and infuse it with the essence of brown caramel. That is was a pre-ripe Barhi is like – it has all the foreshadowing of what’s to come with a completely different texture and depth. It’s sweet with just enough starch in it to keep it dry and crisp. It snaps like an Asian pear. It’s like a compact, handheld apple pie fruit. Cook with it. Eat it raw. Either way? Yum.

And then there’s the corn – the sweet, unavoidable, entirely made-of-win corn. Bright like the summer day I was in and hopefully a sign of unabashed, sloppy eating ahead.

As our summer winds down here (and spring picks up in the SoHem), here’s hoping the barbeques aren’t done yet.  The pickles are getting ‘decanted’ next week, so depending on how their three week swim in the brine has gone, I’ll either have a riveting prime perky pickle post up, or a tale of sadness and woe.  If all ends well I may have to celebrate with a little end of summer bash.

Pasadena Farmers’ Market
Saturdays - year round
8:30AM-12:30PM
Sierra Madre Blvd. at Paloma St., in the Pasadena High School parking lot.