Local Fall Produce

Perhaps the only thing that might assuage the sadness (and sighs) of packing away the summer grill for the season is the arrival of gorgeous fall fruits and vegetables. For many chefs and home cooks, fall means a welcome return to slower cooking and the distinctive flavors of the autumn harvest. Jamaica Plain's farmers' markets are currently brimming with the season's best from local farms—look for classic and innovative varieties of apples and cider, Brussels sprouts, leeks, Swiss chard, beets, sweet potatoes, winter squashes (including pumpkins and butternuts), tomatillos and hearty herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley and sage. JP's Community Servings market closes this month (Oct. 19) and the one at the Loring-Greenough House closes Oct. 27, but the Centre Street market will stay open until Dec. 24. 

 JP Farmers' Market Schedule: 

• Tuesday: Noon-5 p.m., Bank of America Parking Lot 
• Wednesday: 4-7 p.m., Community Servings
• Thursday:Noon-6 p.m., Loring-Greenough House
• Saturday: Noon-3 p.m., Bank of America Parking Lot 

Fall Menus

Sure, gone are the carefree days of the Caprese salad iterations, and the char-grilled berry and melon compotes, but menus all over town are now highlighting the best of autumn's gems.

Seasonal JP picks:

• Canary Square's roasted local blue Hubbard squash with spiced seeds and candied bacon or the wood-roasted half chicken with local apple sauce and dried cranberries are courtesy of Chef Marco Suarez.
• The roasted squash ravioli with caramelized onion, toasted walnuts, brown butter and parmesan from Bella Luna's executive chef Samuel Putnam is worth a trek to the Brewery neighborhood (and the ravioli is made by Nella Pasta at Crop Circler Kitchen next door.)
• Chef Sean Callahan's Ten Tables menu is continuously evolving and updating based on ingredient availability, but this week be sure to jump on the pan-seared bluefish with local roasted sunchokes, baby spinach and spicy tomato jam.

JP Licks Fall Flavors

Great ice cream never goes out of season. The October flavors at the flagship JP Licks on Centre admit Pumpkin Custard, Cream Stout, Caramel Apple, plus Fresh Apple sorbet and tart Pumpkin yogurt to the menu. Licks' sundae of the month—the Carmel Apple—is an intimidating tower of vanilla ice cream, tender cooked apples in a cinnamon syrup, gooey caramel, whipped cream and crushed oatmeal cookies. And it's spectacular.

Ula's quick breads

This fave bakery unveiled their fall quick breads at the Boston Local Food Festival last weekend—right now their kitchen is baking up apple streusel cake, and will switch over to roasted butternut squash bread later in the fall. "We consider fall our season here at Ula," says co-owner Korrinn Koslofsky, "since apples, pumpkins, cranberries and squash are our favorite produce to work with."

Happy fall, JP. And happy eating. 

K