Category: LosAngeles

just a few things that made it home from the market…

Cabbage | Kabocha | Mint | Thyme | Ginger | Onions | Tomatoes | Fennel | Kale | Yu Choy | Apples |

It was the middle of the week and I was listening to an old episode of KCRW’s “Good Food” with Evan Kleiman on my trusty mobile phone.  Each ep starts with what’s new and in-season at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market.  I usually get through the “Market Report” with a *shrug* at the ready, but rarely fired.  You’d think I could always “get it up” for a little ‘what’s hot at the market’ talk, but, yeah, no.  Something different happened this time, though.  I was transfixed by the coolest of winter squashes, Kabocha.  A couple of chefs described delectable warm, sweet wintery flavors and shared recipes; a bartender’s experiments in squash mixology had my brain scanning the aisles of TJ’s for the requisite spirits.  It all piqued my curiosity something awful.  I think I rewound or came back to that portion of the podcast at least 8 times, just to hear all that squashtalk.  It was so Harvest Festival-Day of Thanks.

As the weekend slowly approached, I kept checking to see how soon I could get my hands on some kabocha.  Sunday, seemed to stay away on purpose.  The morning finally came when I could wander the two blocks from Sunset to Hollywood; going from stall to stall looking for my obsession.  I found them.  One, a deep shade of sunset and the other, an ode to the perfect mottled forest.  They were beautiful.

They still are, actually.  They’re in the platter on the shelf.  I haven’t decided what to do.  Sounds familiar, huh?  I should to listen to that Good Food, again.  Don’t cha think?

n♥