This weekend, the farmers market in Evanston, was truly glorious.  The late summer produce still abounded, tomatoes, string beans and leafy basil found happy homes inside my bag (and almost as soon, inside my tummy). This was the last weekend for the beans, and I think I’ve got the final fronds of fresh herbs too. I want to cook with this stuff, but it is just so tempting to eat it raw!

Here are just a few things that I found interesting.  As usual, I like to try new apples in fall.  Last year on the blog I featured the Mutzu (still equally delicious) but this year I discovered the Liberty and the Roxbury Russet.

The Liberty apple was born in 1962 in New York to its proud parents, The Purdue and Macoun Apples.  This firm and tart apple with its beautiful rosy skin gets is named for its ability to “liberate” itself from apple diseases…Does that mean the Liberty is better for you than a normal apple? Well no, but it does give you a great burst of energy!  The Liberty has a great shelf life; it can last up to five month in a cool environment (your fridge) and in enough space to breathe (yes, apples breathe.)

These ugly looking dudes are Roxbury Russets.  Created in 1600, it is the oldest apple in the United States.  See that kind of brownish greenish coloring? That is called russeting.  I think it gives the apple character, improving with age maybe.  Crisp and a little tart, these are the quintessential fall apple; Thomas Jefferson thought so too, he had them in his orchard in Monticello.