Haight of Flavor: October 2025

We have officially entered the amazing world of fall produce! While summer really takes the cake for all of its bounty, the fall is filled with so much goodness as well. Enjoy spooky season with these delights! (Divis Farmer’s Market: Sundays, 9am - 1pm, DMV parking lot, Fell/Oak)

Cabbage

Best in the late fall, this veggie is so tasty as a side dish or main event. Kimchi is an absolutely classic (and delicious) way to use a lot of cabbage, but it also thrives as a dumpling base or with some miso tofu.

Eggplant

This fruit (yes, fruit - they grow from a flower and have seeds!) is ripest when it’s heavy for its size and has smooth and shiny skin that bounces back when you press it. Salting eggplant before cooking can help draw out any bitterness.

Dates

A staple in many cultures, this fruit can be used as a low-glycemic sweetener in baking or just delightfully snacked on. They are harvested mostly by hand, so next time you buy them, show some extra appreciation.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini (rounds, 2 cups) 1 medium yellow squash (rounds, 2 cups) 1 small eggplant (rounds, 2 cups) 2 medium Roma tomato (rounds, 1.5 cups) 1 small onion, diced (yellow or white) 1 red bell pepper, diced (yellow/orange also work) 4 cloves garlic, minced 14 oz crushed tomato Thyme, basil, salt, pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375˚F.
2. Cook diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil in a 10-inch oven safe skillet until softened (9-ish minutes)
3. Cut zucchini, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes into rounds of about the same thickness, then put aside.
4. Add crushed tomato and seasonings, and simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings, then remove sauce from heat.
5. Arrange the sliced veggies on top of the sauce in a concentric circle: Start at the outer edge of the skillet and spiral inward, alternating and overlapping the slices. Drizzle olive oil and salt on top.
6. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, then uncover and finish baking until the veggies are fully tender, but not browned (another 10ish min, max). Remove from the oven, and let cool for a few minutes before serving.