October Seasonal Market Guide
A cultivar from the winter squash genus, another Cucurbita pepo; distinct for its ribbed skin and deep orange color
Pumpkin
The ultimate symbol for autumn and the totem for October, this giant edible gourd is often cited as one of the earliest known domesticated plants; fossil evidence indicates that it was being farmed in Central America as far back as 3500 BCE.
The name pumpkin probably comes from the Native Americans who introduced the crop to the Plymouth Rock pilgrims; from their word pohpukun, meaning grows forth round.
Brassica oleracea, the little cabbages are botanically speaking buds, or sprouts, from the leafy stalk of the plant
Brussel Sprouts
It used to be one of the most unpopular vegetables at the market but they are a seasonal favorite now, a renaissance that can be attributed to the promotion of a better cooking technique: you roast the sprouts, instead of boiling or steaming them to oblivion.
For great results, cut in half and place them cut-side down, roast with rosemary and serve with toasted walnut pieces.
Beta vulgaris; in older cookbooks the bulb of this plant is sometimes called beetroot
Beet
Available all year round, they are at their sweetest from now until Thanksgiving, thanks to these chilly autumn nights.
Another vegetable whose flavor improves when roasted, they go great tossed with a little yogurt or goat cheese, or served with salad greens and dressed with red wine vinegar, or paired with horseradish for salmon or beef dishes.
Brassica oleracea var. italica, a member of the Cabbage family
Broccoli
One of the most nutritious vegetables of the entire year, rich in protein, calcium and vitamins, including as much as vitamin C as an orange, and full of beneficial chemicals that help with diabetes and may stop cancer cells from forming.
It's also delicious, and can be featured in recipes all day long, perfect for omelets, salads, pasta or pizza, can be pureed into a soup or added to roast pork sandwiches, served on the side to meat or seafood, or go big and treat it as the main course itself!
Cucurbita moschata, another member of the winter squash collection
Butternut Squash
This popular hybrid is a fairly new character to our seasonal menu, the final result of several different crossbreeds between the gooseneck winter squashes, from 1940s Massachusetts and credited to Charles Leggett who wanted to bring to market a more compact, more consistently shaped and more stackable pumpkin.
The name came from the way it was first promoted to the public, its first sales pitch: "smooth as butter and sweet as a nut."
From the Tagetes genus of flowers, can be either annual or perennial
Marigold
Native to Mexico and Guatemala, and was once used medicinally and ceremoniously in the Aztec kingdom, they are now mostly associated with the holiday of Dia del Muertos, or Day of the Dead, traditionally celebrated right after Halloween.
Illustrations by Jacqueline Quinn