pumpkin

Find pumpkins and all your favorite winter squashes at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market. Is the sincerest squash a kabocha from Suzie’s Farm, an acorn from JR Organics, a butternut from African Sisters’ Farm or a pumpkin from Proios Family Farm?

We love simple roasted squash, dressed up with nothing more than a pat of organic butter from Springhill Cheese Company, but we also like to experiment by mixing mashed, roasted squash with chopped Morocco Gold dates, or topping it with roasted almonds from Hopkins AG, or drizzling with honey from Meljess Bees. Try something unique, like this roasted butternut squash tart!

Try stuffing a squash with spicy chipotle chorizo from Ochoa Family Chorizo, or for a milder but still flavorful dish use 5 year vintage Gouda from Taste Cheese. It’s squash-darned delicious!

Looking to make a baked treat with the abundance fo pumpkins? Try this easy pumpkin bread recipe and savor the flavor of fall! 

Pumpkins and all your other favorite fall squashes are starting to arrive at the Little Italy Mercato’s farm booths. We spotted spaghetti squash at Gilbert Quintos Farm, bought butternut squash from JR Organics, and we ache for acorn squash from Proios Family Farm.

Try stuffing a baked acorn squash with sausage from SonRose Ranch and goat cheese from Nicolau Farm. Make the most of the squashes this season! Get creative with your stuffing ingredients. 

Butternut squash soup never ceases to please- try this easy recipe for the nights that will eventually get chilly! Add a Honeycrisp apple from Smit Orchard to your soup for a sweet touch. 

Pick up adorable miniature pumpkins from Maciel Farm or grab bigger specimens from Suzie’s Farm. Find even more squashes at Sage Mountain Farm and Schaner Family Farm. Roast squash until it’s soft and drizzle with honey from Mikolich Honey or Farmer’s Daughter, sprinkle with spices from Starre’s Spice, or top it with crushed roasted almonds from Hopkins AG.

It’s going to be an awesome autumn!

Though its still definitely appropriate to don your homes, hearths, and patios with colorful squash and scattered fall decorations, Halloween has come and gone and it might be time to pitch your pumpkins and use up all the guts for some home baked goodies. If you're running behind and still need to pick up an orange beauty, come out to the Mercato next saturday morning and gather your goods from some of our lovely vendors.

Autumn calls us to flavors like allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. You can make some pretty fantastic pumpkin oatmeal cookies using all farmers market ingredients. Use organic, cooked pumpkin from Schaner's Farm or Suzie's Farm, raisins or dried apricots from Smit Orchards, walnuts from Terra Bella Ranch and a bit of sweet granola from Granola Girl to give them some texture. 

Or perhaps you want to go a little more gourmet and serve something savory AND sweet? How about a pumpkin-inspired bruschetta? Trust us, it's worth it. Combine fresh arugula from Sage Mountain Farm and crumbled goat cheese from Nicolau Farms with fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of Phil's honey from the folks at Marion's Olive Oil. Toss together with cooked pumpkin pulp, chopped red onions, a bit of your favorite vinaigrette and spread generously over sliced and toasted french bread from Bread & Cie. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and a hint of curry and cinnamon. 

Sometimes foods with fancy names are just that- fancy names with little or no flavor. But when you hear the words "creamy, farmstead goat chevre", at the Little Italy Mercato, we don't mess around. We're talking serious flavor matched with serious luxury. Surprisingly, there's quite a few folks who have no idea about the magic deliciousness of goat cheese. It's lavish, creamy, rich, and slightly tangy. Like cream cheese, but 100% more real and savoury. 

Make the most of fall and use up the scraped out flesh from all your pumpkins for a creamy, sensational Goat Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake that is sure to satiate your sweet-tooth. Pick up a fresh block of goat cheese from Nicolau Farms and a gorgeous Jack-o-lantern pumpkin from JR organics or a Cinderella pumpkin from Suzie's. Combine with fragrant spices like nutmeg cinnamon, and fresh vanilla from Just Spice to create perfect fall flavors.

Goat cheese adds complexity and pizazz to any appetizer, especially when combined with other pungeant cheeses. Try making an oven baked tomato tart at home for your next gathering. Layer fresh slices of heirloom tomatoes from Tom King Farms on a thinly sliced loaf of sourdough bread from Bread and Cie. Drizzle garlic inflused olive oil from Gianni's with fresh black olives from Lisko Imports and top with grated parmesean cheese from Taste Cheese. Add a few sprigs of thyme from Suzie's to round out the flavors as it bakes, and you've got an impressive, flavor filled side dish.

Or maybe a simple, decadent salad is more appealing to you- Take home some locally raised bacon from Da Le Ranch, and saute it with sweet purple bell peppers from Suzie's and crimini mushrooms from Kawano Farm. Layer it all upon a bed of fresh spinach and red onions from Schaner Farms, and shaved goat cheddar from Spring Hill Cheese.