No frost yet

It's November 19 and this clematis greeted me this morning, a newly opened bloom, although the flower is a bit ragged around the edges. There has not yet been a frost in my yard, and the neighborhood is full of leggy annuals and perennials bravely soldiering on in the face of increasing chill and rapidly declining light--nasturtiums, snapdragons, dianthus, and mums. There is a large bed of mesclun lettuce still growing in the community garden. Last year we had a similar season, with the first frost hitting two days before Thanksgiving. The lateness of the frost makes garden chores difficult, since mulching can't be done until the ground freezes and the piles of leaves we have been collecting are getting old....

Market farewell

The Portland Farmer's market has ended for the season leaving Deering Oaks to the squirrels and whoever goes there at night. On this particular day in late October, the market was overflowing with late season crops and happy gourmet cooks. These baskets of shallots were particularly beautiful.
Unfortunately, the shallots are among the more exotic offerings at the market--most of what the farmers sell is very conventional stuff. This year saw two noteworthy innovations--a fruit grower sold some fabulous peaches for the first time, and the Mineral Springs mushroom people really expanded their offerings. But regardless of what is for sale, the gourmet cooks patrolling the aisles always seem to find something to bring home. Michael DeAngelis of Grant Street shops with his cart.
Later the same day, Michael turned his market finds into two fabulous dishes: his nonna's stuffed artichokes, and oven crisped kale, which he was kind enough to bring to dinner that night.