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Thanksgiving at the Farmers' Market
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Autumn produce is at its peak for this Thankgiving season. Root vegetables, apples, grapes, pears,
onions, sweet potatoes, and cruciferous winter veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, winter lettuce, and more can be found at the farmers' market for your Thanksgiving feast. There are fresh-baked breads and dry stuffing mix, sweet local honey, fresh flowers and gourds for your centerpieces, and pickles, olives, and dips for appetizers. And let's not forget the sweet potato and fruit pies available so you won't have to cook all day! Everything is fresh and homemade, so you can feel good about serving it to your family and guests.
Some fun facts about Thankgiving:
- Thanksgiving did not become an official holiday until Congress made it official in 1941.
- Over 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thankgiving alone!
- The cranberry is one of only three fruits that are native to North America. The others are blueberries and the Concord grape.
- Lobster, seal, and swans were on the first Thankgiving menu in 1621.
- Benjamin Franklin thought that the turkey should be the national symbol, rather than the bald eagle.
- The Macy's traditional Thanksgiving parade began in 1924!
- The tradition of playing or watching football on Thanksgiving started with the first National Football League game on the holiday in 1934.
Brussels Sprouts with Spiced Walnuts, Bacon and Blue Cheese
1-1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2-3 oz bleu cheese, crumbled
4 thick slices bacon
2/3 cup spiced nuts, hand crumbled (recipe follows)
1 tbsp peanut oil (or other mild flavored vegetable oils)
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the bacon and cook until most of the fat has rendered out and the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon and allow the bacon to drain on paper towels, set aside for later, and crumble once cool. Drain off all but one tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet, then add the peanut oil to the remaining bacon fat and turn the heat to medium/med-high. Once the skillet has had time to reheat, add the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Saute the Brussels sprouts for about 10-15 minutes or until the sprouts are tender and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with the red wine vinegar, stirring and scrapping the botom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get up all those yummy caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan. Taste one of the sprouts to check the seasoning level, then adjust as necessary with salt and pepper - although remember you will be adding bacon and bleu cheese and thus more sodium. Add the crumbled bacon and spiced nuts to the pan and stir. Add the bleu cheese, then immediately remove the sprouts from the pan. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Shop the farmers' market for all your Thanksgiving needs. And find more great recipes at PCFMA.
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