Hello Everyone...


fresh at the market in September…

September is truly one of the best times of the year to enjoy much of Switzerland’s finest fresh products! Harvest time is nearly over, and there are plenty of summer fruits and vegetables intertwining with the first fall offerings. Cold weather also arrives toward the end of September, which will stimulate an appetite for pumpkins, cabbage, mushrooms, and nuts. The cold will also help many of the underground roots improve in their flavor as the first frost triggers a reaction from the root to begin converting starch into sugar – parsnips are a great example. Fruits also transition in fall, moving away from the berries and stone fruits of summer and into the pone fruits (apples, pears, quince), warmer climate fruits (figs and kiwi fruit), and vitamin-rich citrus fruits. September at the market is bustling with activity and there are truly wonderful opportunities to discover the fresh side of Switzerland!


what to look for

Sweet corn is still available, but you need to hurry as the season is rapidly closing. Look for both sweet white and yellow corn. Pumpkins in many different varieties are already available. Look for the butternut squash, spaghetti squash, orange knirps, Muscat de Provence, and the very large Hubbard variety from Italy. Potatoes are an excellent purchase right now. There are many varieties to choose from, all with a rich flavor. If you want to steam or sauté potatoes then look for charlotte, Agata, Nicola. If you would like to make rösti, then buy either Victoria or Urgenta. If you would like to make a purée (mashed) or baked potato, then buy Bintje, Agria, Désirée. If you want something unusual then look for the red-spotted yellow Parli potato. Sweet potatoes from Italy are another fantastic offering during the early fall months. These potatoes are usually white-fleshed, which make them perfect candidates for baking. Avoid sweet potatoes from anywhere outside of Italy or France, as these will be a watery disappointment. The first artichokes of the season are arriving. Look for artichokes from Switzerland or Italy. All cabbage varieties are now available, and this is a great time to enjoy them as they are quite mild and almost sweet (they will intensify in their flavor as the year progresses). Root vegetables and bulbs are plentiful. Look for celery root, turnips, swedes (rutabaga), and kohlrabi. All are mild and sweet. Last calls for summer vegetables include: bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, green beans, and swiss chard. From the lettuce offerings, start looking away from the leaf varieties and look more toward the colder weather greens. You should be able to find curly endive, radicchio, watercress, and arugula. One of the real special treats this time of year has to be the arrival of the Mountain cranberry (Preiselbeeren). They are only available for 2-3 weeks, and they make fantastic preserves, chutneys, and condiments. They are difficult to find, as not all vendors will have them – but well worth the effort in looking! Other fruits to consider are pears and apples. From the pears, look for Williams, Gute Luise, Bosc, Moratini. Apple varieties to consider include Gravensteiner, Spartan, Berner Rosen, Cox Orange, and Gala. Quince are not quite available during the first couple of weeks in September, but they will be around toward the end of the month. Small green and purple figs from Italy and Turkey are available for the next couple of weeks…they are fantastic! Last call for summer fruits include: plums, red currants, blackberries, blueberries, and melons.


what to avoid

With so many great potato varieties coming from Switzerland, there should be no real reason to purchase potatoes from somewhere else. Sweet potatoes from the Southern Hemisphere are prevalent in many large stores, but they are a real disappointment. Summer stone fruits are really at their end…sorry, it’s now time to start thinking about fall!


on the wild side

Mushrooms are all over the place, but it is really difficult to predict how they will come up. If you go foraging on your own, make sure you take a guide, a book, or know what you are doing. Many mushrooms look similar, and there are plenty of people each year who die from eating the wrong ones. If nuts are what you are after, then consider a trip to Ticino and gather chestnuts. North of the alps, there are plenty of chances to gather wild hazelnuts and walnuts. Elderberries are coming to a close, but you can still find them for a couple of weeks.


looking ahead…

October will bring the underground vegetables: parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, parsley root, salsify, and much more. Artichokes from Italy will be pronounced, as will kale – especially the black kale coming from Tuscany. Of course, there will be plenty of pumpkins to purchase…and plenty of pumpkin farms to go visit. From the fruits, there will be pomegranates, persimmons, and kiwi fruit from Zürich. Rose hips will also be offered, but look for the prepared purées, which are easily converted into delicious jams.

Happy shopping and cooking…

Jack

Top marks as usual Jack. I'm off to the market now!

Just got back and bagged some great looking Brussel Sprouts - clearly a sign winter and Roast Beef is on the way.

Mmm, the first Hirsch stew appreared in our canteen yesterday

If you do happen to find fresh cranberries at the market, here's an excellent recipe for making a nice cranberry relish (you can substitute frozen cranberries for this recipe, but if fresh are available...).

cranberry relish
Frozen Cranberries can be used to replace the fresh cranberries. This recipe make about ½-liter.

500 gr. fresh mountain cranberries (Preiselbeeren), stemmed and washed
100 gr. sugar
2 Tbl. honey or syrup (Birnel syrup)
pinch salt
1 orange, sectioned (no seeds or skin)
1 tsp. anise seeds, crushed

Mix together all of the ingredients, place in a large stainless steal bowl, cover with plastic, and leave at room temperature for one night. Place the entire contents in a large pot and bring slowly to a boil. Simmer until the cranberries are soft – about 10 minutes. Cool and strain, reserving the juices. In a pan, cook the juices until thick, add the reserved cranberries, cook for a minute or two, then remove to a clean jar. Seal or use right away. If using immediately, refrigerate the relish for up to seven days.

Enjoy...
Jack

Parsnip Update...

I recently tried some fresh parsnips direct from the garden (thanks, grumpy), and can happily report they were not too bad. Directly out of the ground, they were a bit on the starchy side, but after a few days in the refrigerator the starch began to convert to sugar and they tasted quite different. Very nice when roasted, but they will dry out very rapidly...so be careful. My suggestion...wait another month before jumping into parsnips...

Jack

Magic post Jack, thanks a lot. I really enjoy reading your comments.

Figs don't travel well, so be super selective about which ones you purchase.

Buy twelve, then make this dessert:

Cut a deep cross into each fig, being careful not to slice completely through the flesh. Sprinkle a tiny amount of sugar into each one (to caramelize).

Place figs in an oven proof dish allowing plenty of space around each. Pour a largish glass of Port or two over the contents, along with a dash of orange juice.

I like to add fresh dates - thinly sliced - to the liquid, when available.

Bake in a hot oven for around 10 minutes, then allow to cool.

Serve with a spoon of mascarpone and a glass of Eiswein or Turkish coffee.

A man can't get enough figs

And thanks to you for the fig recipe...sounds good, and I think I will be making them over the weekend...I have another way to roast figs, which includes a sprig or two of rosemary...perhaps that would also work in your recipe...hmm...

Jack

Any chance of the recipe Jack? i've been eating lots of figs lately, but haven't yet ventured beyond fresh figs, mozzerella & tomato salad, drizzled with honey and balsamic MMmmmm - might try max's recipe

Just got some great figs Uncle and will be trying this tomorrow

Heya Jack

You mentioned above Rose Hips, where can I find these year round? I want them for my horse, apparently they are great for Vitamin C and Biotin which are great for healing, hooves and hair/coat...

They dont have to be fresh but obviously I think they would be better fresh...

Thanks
kt

He said they should be at the markets by now as pulp in containers. I still have to hunt them down too . I did pick 2 kilos myself, which is easy, just go outside of cities and find old roads with a thick hedge of bushes, right now there lots of ripe rosehips around. But I cannot recommend making a jam, it is so much work cutting them up! Next round I will use Jack's tip and by the pulp. But your horse can eat them straight I presume? Then it is not much work.

By the way, the barberries are ripe right now also, made a great jam from them, very medicinal too for the digestive system .

On a similar note, we are planting fruit bushes at the moment and bought 1 Leikora bush. The fruit looks similar to rose hip and is also very rich in vit C. I've never come accross it before, anyone any ideas what I could do with them? I've been told they make a good sauce for meat and game but I'd like to try making jelly with it. They may also be good for horses.

Max's recipe is definitely good! Here is another way to roast figs:

roasted figs
This recipe works best with small figs, which usually show-up at the end of August or the beginning of September. Make sure the figs are not too ripe. This recipe makes about 10 servings.

10 fresh small figs (either green or purple)
50 gr. butter
1 bay leaf
fresh thyme
3 Tbl. powdered sugar
lemon juice or white wine as needed

Heat a medium-size non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and sugar together and immediately add the figs and herbs. Toss well and fry until slightly golden in color. Add 1-2 spoons of lemon juice or white wine and reduce quickly, then remove the figs to a clean baking pan. Roast for 8-10 minutes in a 200° C oven. Meanwhile, reduce the liquids until slightly syrupy and poor over the hot figs... Enjoy alone...Serve warm over vanilla ice cream...let them cool slightly and serve with a piece of prosciutto...

Hope you give it a try...
Jack

Sorry about mis-leading you on the rose hips... They should begin showing up at the market in pulp form in October. They are ready for harvest, but as Muze pointed out, they are difficult and time-consuming to turn into a pulp. Most fresh rose hips are harvested then allowed to cure in a cool location, which softens them slightly...they are then processed. The pulp doesn't last long once processed...just a couple of weeks. As for feeding the horses...hmm...you got me there! I do know that you can also buy dried rose hips in addition to the pulp...the dried is usually turned into tea, but I'm sure a willing horse would enjoy them also...

Good luck,
Jack

I believe you have a 'sanddorn' bush (also known as buckthorn berry). If in fact this is true, then you have the undisputed champion of vitamin C...up to 1300 mg per 100gr. (about 100 times a lemon). This berry also has quite a lot of minerals, vitamins A and B, and flavonoide. It absolutely needs to be harvested before the first frost, and is often hung in a cool location for a week or two (not necessary). It does pack quite a punch in terms of acidic taste, so it is often combined with other fruits and made into confiture, juice, tea, or sirups. As for a sauce...this is true and it is made the same way as a sauce from rose hips, which basically involves first making a confiture. The jelly is added to a well reduced meat stock along with a spoon of butter just before serving. To make a jelly, combine the berries with one or two whole apples or pears and cook the entire mass together until soft. Strain the mixture real well and then add 500 gr. to 800 gr. sugar for every one liter of strained juice you have. Cook over moderate heat for about 20 minutes then put into hot sterilized jars and seal.

Good luck,
Jack

I hate the taste of Sanddorn but it definitely improves with pear juice. I like to add some schnapps or vodka and make a straight-as-an-arrow digestif.

Mmm, funny how it seems to make you sober after a heavy session. Why is that?

For the many fans of parsnips out there... Saw the first of the year at the market in Oerlikon this morning... They will be better in about one month, but just in case you can't wait that long

Find out what else is in season here (sorry about the self-promotion...)

Happy eating...

Special at the market in Oerlikon today... Black Kale, fresh Mountain Cranberries (similar to North American Cranberries - just smaller, but makes a great sauce or compote) and Cima di Rapa...

Enjoy...

This comes a bit late re original post but just wanted to say thank you for a great recipe! To me figs are a strange fruit, so I'm just discovering now how good they really are. Admittedly I was not very careful in reading the above notice about selecting them well, so my first trial of this dessert was not a big success but I learned my lesson there and it's been an experience ever since

And a big thanks to Jack for the market insight - most helpful and great fun to read!