Hot salt is back, and it has a friend! Thanks to a less-than-stellar jalapeno harvest this year, this second batch of hot salt is rather small, so grab it while it’s, well, hot! When I ran out of jalapenos, I concocted an even hotter seasoning for my spice-loving friends: fire salt. Paul (my husband) has actually been using an early version of fire salt all year, and he puts it on almost everything. This spicy mixture of habaneros and salt can be used on just about anything you would use plain salt on, from eggs to soup.
The butternut squash continues to ripen, turning a beautiful shade of bright orange that I’d been looking forward to all summer, and I hope to have it at the market by the end of the month. Sweet potatoes will also be available soon; I started digging up the beautiful tubers last weekend and will likely bring them to the market in two weeks, after they’ve had time to cure. Curing allows the sweet potatoes (and squash) to convert starch into sugar, making them sweeter, and to form tougher skins for longer storage.
Speaking of beautiful roots, I also dug up a few purple dragon carrots this morning, and they are absolutely stunning. I planted a small experimental patch with some leftover seed I found this summer, but I might have to grow a whole lot more next year to share with you all! What do you think?
Tomorrow looks a little drizzly, but we’re still planning on having the New Market Farmer’s Market! As always, keep an eye on the Facebook page for weather-related updates. I’ll have fire salt, hot salt, butternut squash, and garlic, as well as hand-knit and -crocheted items. Next week, October 15, I will not be at the market, but I encourage you to still come out and support my fellow vendors! I will be set up again on the 22nd.