Purple Japanese sweet potatoes
Her Family Farm currently has a bounty of freshly harvested sweet potatoes, available in an array of shapes, sizes and colors at the Saturday Santa Barbara farmers’ markets.
Possessing a dark purple skin and vibrant purple flesh, these Japanese sweet potatoes are quite stunning specimens.
Use them to make purple sweet potato fries or chips. Or add them to a roasted vegetable tray, sauté them, or boil and mash them. This week I prepared a purple sweet potato coconut curry dish, the Fix of the Week, below.
An excellent source of antioxidants due to the deep purple pigment, they are notably a great source of dietary fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. Price is $2.50 per pound.
Pumpkin chèvre
With Halloween just around the corner, the pumpkin food craze is under way.
While I typically steer clear of many of the pumpkin options out there, I do look forward to this pumpkin-infused goat cheese from the Drake Family Farm.
Available at the Saturday Santa Barbara farmers’ market seasonally, this soft spreadable cheese is excellent over a morning bagel or scrambled eggs or in a salad. The flavor and texture profile of this chèvre brings to mind a bite of pumpkin cheesecake so it is also excellent over vanilla ice cream or sliced fruit. Price is $6 per 4-ounce container.
Jujube
Native to China, jujube grows on trees and are quite prolific in our area. About the size of a gold ball, they transform from green to yellow, then develop a brown skin when fully ripe.
Their flavor profile is similar to that of an apple, with a very interesting texture that is airy, snappy and slightly grainy. A nice balance of sweet and tart, they are commonly just eaten as they come, with both the skin and flesh edible.
They can also be cooked to make syrups, preserves or into a paste for desserts. You can currently find freshly harvested jujube at all weekly Santa Barbara certified’ farmers’ markets from several producers.
Price averages $3.50 per pound.
