Market Shift

Apples and squash everywhere, snow yesterday morning — it must be fall in new England. I was hit with a nasty cold this week, which kept me out of the kitchen for a few days, so I still have most of last week’s veggies to work with.

Still, I couldn’t pass up the mixed fingerling potatoes, butter and escarole lettuces, cherry tomatoes, yellow carrots, red bell peppers, and parsnips. I also stocked up on granola, coffee cake, chocolate banana bread, raspberries, and two sirloin strip steaks (tonight’s dinner, along with the carrots and celery root puree).

Sherman’s Market finally opened, promising New England-sourced groceries for the neighborhood. While there is a bit of overlap with the farmer’s market, they will be my new go-to source for local ingredients once the season ends.

Yes, that’s a jar of tomato sauce, an experiment. If it’s any good, I’ll have a fallback to keep in the pantry for last-minute dinners. I tried mostly baked goods today: brioche and rye breads, a walnut-cranberry roll, corncake biscuits, and some chocolate-hazelnut gelato.

Next week’s cooking challenge: Cooking for vegans. Probably pasta, with the (modified) jarred sauce. I’ll have to pass grated cheese separately, and the garlic bread will be off-limits to some of our guests. Because it isn’t garlic bread without garlic butter. I have to draw the line somewhere.