Dear market friends,

Thanksgiving must have been too much for everybody -- I got less market news than usual sent to me, to pass along.

Before I pass along what I have, a word of encouragement: it sounds as though this Thursday it really IS going to rain. And it won't be warm. Since the farms and the gardens (and the park) need the rain so much, we could all appreciate it and wear raincoats and not fuss about it, perhaps even sing in it. The farmers will be there with lots of brightly-coloured produce (glistening, because of the rain). Tents and umbrellas will be up (all the farmers will be outside until the first week in November) and the rink house entry hall will be open and set up with small tables and chairs, to take shelter, eat market snacks, and re-organize groceries if necessary. (The Night of Dread parade preparations fill the main rooms -- take a look at the new giant puppet heads, if you like.)

Lights will be strung in the lower tree branches above the market tables this week, to illuminate the early darkness at the end of the market, and make it look wonderful, even in the rain.

Market news: David Pritchard of Birds and Beans plans to bring more of his new line of Fair Trade chocolate this week because he sold out of it so fast last week.

And from Jessie Sosnicki:

"I forgot to mention that Ben and I also have available 'sweet corn stocks' for decorative purposes. I don't know if people in your community like to decorate like they do around here, but everyone LOVES corn stalks! Ben will bring a few bunches tomorrow to the market and if people are interested, we have LOTS out there that Ben's won't chop down.....and we can bring more for the next market! I love using them on our porch as decoratations. They make a nice sound when the wind hits the leaves - -spooky for trick-or-treaters!!!! Customers can use them for decorations and even bring them back to Ben to compost on our farm when they are done with them no problem!!"

As far as I know all the usual vendors will be there this week. For specific farm produce news, here is the Red Barn Troll, who as usual has excellent pictures and, this week, also two recipes. One is for Barn Troll Pumpkin Pie with a kind of French pumpkin grown at Greenfields (it's called Rouge vif d'etampe), and the other is for Kohlrabi-fennel bake: http://greenfieldsfarm.ca/news/

The Arosa Sun

And here is one more recipe, to mark the fact that 48 years ago today, the ocean liner Arosa Sun docked in Montreal and a boatload of just over 900 new immigrant hopefuls came down the gangplank -- including my mother Heidi, my brother Henrik, and I. To celebrate that feat of migration, I offer my mother's recipe for German-style red cabbage. Germans, as many will know, are also called krauts, and they do know how to make cabbage taste good. (Both Sosnicki's and Greenfields e-mailed that they'll be bringing red cabbage to this market).

Heidi's Red Cabbage

1 kg red cabbage, approx. - cut finely
3 med. apples - peel, cut thin slices

Saute in:
60 g lard (is best!) or butter for 15 - 20 min.

Add 1 whole peeled onion
1 bay leaf
5 cloves
salt
sugar (be generous)
3 - 4 Tbsp white vinegar
125 ml water

Cook (lid on) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on old or new harvest
Throw out the onion and add more sugar / vinegar to taste.

Freezes well.

See you at the market!