Saturday, September 11, 2010

Chile Roasting at Today's Boulder Farmers Market!

Yahoo, the guys with the chile roaster are cranking away at today's Farmers Market. While we've had roasted chiles available at Whole Foods and Sunflower for a couple of weeks, what I love about these chiles is that they are identified by varietal, not just a generic mild, medium, or hot, as you'll find at the grocery stores. Their sign today is set up for poblanos, dynamites (yikes), big Jims, and anaheims, but they're selling so fast, you'll only find the type that just emerged from the roaster at any given moment. (By the way, the sign also identifies how hot/mild the varietal is.) Pricewise, you'll do better buying at a grocery store, but I enjoy knowing what type of chile I'm eating, besides its heat. Being so excited about seeing the roasters, I neglected to ask about their future plans, but in past years, once they turn up, they're there for a few Saturdays in a row. Roasted chiles freeze beautifully to last through the year, but that deserves a post of itself, soon to follow.

As far as other things happening at the market, this is probably the very best time of year to catch the maximum variety of offerings. While we still have plenty of greens and the later summer produce like corn and tomatoes, fall is starting to make an appearance. I saw Brussels sprouts and cabbage at several places, and First Fruits Organic Farms from Paonia was there with their apple cider. A yellow leaf fell on me as I passed the cider, surely a sign of the times. I'd give the most notable offering award this week to Red Wagon Organic Farm, where they have wild cherry tomatoes. They look like concentrated bursts of flavor, but at $5.50 a pint, pretty pricey. Isabelle Farm has cherry tomatoes for $3 a pint, but the deal of the day is at Black Cat, which practices organic techniques but is not yet certified. All the tomatoes there, including the cherry tomatoes, are $3 a pound, way more than you get in a pint.

The market is open until 2 today, so you still have time to head there to join the fun.

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