Not to rain on anyone's parade, but there are only three Market days left in 2017
We've reached the sad season in the garden where there are as many tomatoes lying on the ground, split open in the dirt, as there are still on the vines, and talk is heard of tearing the plants out. Not yet! you cry. It's still summer--kind of. Never mind that even UW students are finally starting class today, on what is surely one of the latest start dates in the country.
Three final Market days for 2017 means you've got to start taking stock, stocking up, stockpiling, making stock. I figure there are two important categories to consider:
- What do you want to eat, that's the "last of the season"?
- For us, we're still downing the peaches and nectarines and even berries.
- We'll want to have a final pop from Seattle Pops because we nearly succeeded in completing our punch card.
- We'll certainly want a last slice of pizza from Veraci and a bao from The Box.
- If you don't grow your own tomatoes, it's your last chance to make load up and make some pico de gallo, bruschetta, fresh tomato soup! In the off-season I tend to eat canned tomatoes, since at least they were picked and processed when ripe.
- Last chance on corn, peppers, a soft pretzel, a slushie, a snack pie!
- What do you want to buy, to hold you over?
- Got enough honey?
- Tuna? (Just got my cholesterol numbers, and my LDLs are kinda elevated. One recommended solution -- oil-rich fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna.)
- Wine?
- Pastured meat to fill the freezer?
My dear ex-neighbor, who used to invite me over to help can salsa with her, recently sent this picture to me, which I can only classify as "neener-neener":
But for those of you who can can, it's time to put food by. What if the big earthquake happens, and you've only got dehydrated and processed nastiness to get by on? Think how you and your neighbors would love to pop open a jar of homemade salsa and share it, as you sit amidst the rubble. Every berry you tenderly and individually froze would have to be eaten ASAP after the Big Event, but anything you canned would last (provided you didn't store all your jars high on a shelf with no door to protect them).
And if you can't can, join the club. And maybe grab a few jars of pickled food at Seattle Pickle.
Three more weeks to make it happen, people. And then we'll party like it's October 26th. But more on that later.
Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash
