While the State Fair is littered with greasy fingered giants ready to beach themselves on the next funnel cake stand, I ventured to the Farmers Market for a bite into something fresh. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be at the fair this week for damn sure – Paulie needs his smoked turkey leg like last year – but Fall in NC inevitably grows good eats.
The market was overflowing with the summers last rewards while the new fall crops sprang into center stage. The prices are low, the smells are intoxicating, and the midday October sun turned every basket into a lighting studio:
Globe Zucchini, tender and tiny, are killer stuffed and baked.
Summers last grape tomatoes, sweet as sugar and outlandishly cheap.
Graffiti Eggplant also great for stuffing, as well as slicing up and grilling for mozzarella sammies.
Acid-trip peppers of every variety, including these minis. Apparently all of the day’s veggies were meant to be stuffed.
Fragrant herbs and greens at a third of the super-market price. Pestos beyond pestos to be had.
Fresh, Boiled, Fried, and Salted Peanuts. I’m stocking up like a chipmunk for the next ice age.
Apples, apples and more apples. Honeycrips are my jam, but the 2lb bag I grabbed was lackluster to say the least. Note to self – try the samples next time.
You call these chiles? Someone needs to stop by Vesta Farms and see how it’s done. Can’t beat the price tho.
NC Muscadine grapes, not bad but awful for wine. People will make booze out of anything I guess.
Fresh-pressed apple cider is about as on-point as you can get during fall.
Now it’s on to the fair where I’ll devour what’s left of my pride and dignity in a sugar laden, fried on a stick and coated in bacon blaze of glory. Diabetes here I come!