squish squash...

Autumn is officially here. You can tell by the myriad varieties of thick-skinned squash turning up at market: spaghetti, acorn, buttercup and Hubbard. Just the thought of them makes me want to dig out my favorite wooly sweater and my soup pot. When buying squash, it's easy to get won over by their painterly color s and shapes.

Here are some tips for picking and storing squash to ensure maximum flavor:

1. Choose squash that are rock-solid. Soft squash is either too young or over the hill.

2. look for full corky stems - not thin  or green ones.

3. store your squash in a well-ventilated, dryish area, around 55 degrees. Do not refrigerate! Your squash should last up to three or four weeks.

Delicata is my current fave - mainly because its skin is relatively thin and edible when baked. Its size and shape also make it the perfect vessel for stuffing...with sausage and mushrooms or goat cheese and farro.

Or you can simply bake it with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh sage or thyme.

This recipe for baked delicata rings would make the perfect side dish for a dinner party or holiday meal.

This recipe for stuffed delicata stuffed with mushrooms makes for an easy, heartwarming mid-week supper. Thank goodness Wiltbank Farms is back for the fall with those gorgeous mushrooms of his...

Guyank Brank Hot Sauce is at the market this week for their monthly visit. If you're low on their addictive mango sauce...stock up!

We have a new musician this week: the lovely Charlotte Rose Benjamin .

Also, please help spread the word that we do offer EBT (food stamps) at the market and that we have various coupons and market bucks that help stretch the value of every EBT dollar we give out.

And, please don't forget to take part in our bi-annual "dot" survey at the market this weekend. It will be set up between Morgiewicz and Concklin Orchards.

It only takes a minute of your time but the information we glean from this survey is very helpful in our market planning so thanks in advance for participating.

See you at the market!

Pascale