Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

Cooler weather got you craving soup? Consider tailgate markets your one-stop soup shop this week (and all throughout fall and winter, too)!

Pick up carrots and onions for your mirepoix, or flavor base. (Celery has been available here and there recently, but more is on its way with the change in temperature; you might even find celeriac, a variety of celery grown for its flavorful root.) All types of onions can be found now: red, yellow, and white. Beautiful Rossa di Milano onions, which have a shimmering pinkish-red skin, have been spotted from Ten Mile Farm (Asheville City Market, Montford Farmers Market).
For a mixed-veggie soup, add some extra flavor with garlic and some heartiness with potatoes—both of which abound now. As with onions, you can find potatoes in all colors. Firefly Farm’s (Asheville City Market, Montford Farmers Market, Yancey County Farmers Market) recent selection includes blue-purple and red taters, varieties aptly named All Blue and Cranberry Red.
Toss in some winter squash and greens, which are starting to fill up tailgate tables. Look for interesting greens varieties like Tatsoi—a mild, mustardy Asian green—from vendors including Gaining Ground Farm (Asheville City Market, Montford Farmers Market, North Asheville Tailgate Market) and interesting squash types like cushaw—a striped, gourd-shaped winter squash—from vendors including Adelbert Farm (Oakley Farmers Market). Top the soup with fresh herbs, which can be found now, and voila!
Or, try a batch of beet soup. The root is back after a summer hiatus. Of course, beets are equally good roasted and enjoyed on their own or with other roots like carrots. You may also spot a few early turnips; vendors including B&L Organic (French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market, North Asheville Tailgate Market, West Asheville Tailgate Market) share that turnip time is right around the corner. Radishes are also making their market comeback now that cooler weather has arrived.
Black Mountain Tailgate Market’s “Local Plates, Local Pints 2013” benefit is this Thursday, September 19, from 4-7 pm at Pisgah Brewing Company. Tickets are $20 and available online through Brown Paper Tickets.
Montford Farmers Market just announced that tickets are on sale for their Autumn Feast on October 2, hosted by All Souls Pizza. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at the market from Ten Mile Farm or online at marketautumnfeast.eventbrite.com.