We hadn’t been able to go to the farmer’s market in about six weeks. I was so curious to see how farmer’s market in California would reflect “winter.” According to the old calendar, this is the season when winter can first be felt (立冬). In Japan, things would start to feel quiet and water would freeze (海凍、滝凍) . In fact, even the moon begins to freeze (月凍)!
In Tochigi, by now tomatoes, peaches and plums would be no longer delicious, even if you could find them. But autumn is my favorite season for eating, so we would pull out the nabe for hotpot and all the winter foods would be discussed and plans made for eating. Gingko nuts, oysters, mushrooms, persimmons…
Today I discovered that even in California, the market reflected the approaching winter. There was not a peach or plum in sight. Instead, it was persimmons and apples. And some strawberries. Pomegranates aplenty.
We don’t eat enough fish anymore for me to notice the season.
The only time we buy it is at the farmer’s market, where sustainable comes at a price ($67 for a pound of swordfish and a pound of salmon). There were small heirloom tomatoes though…. but mainly it was lettuce, potatoes, root veggies and radishes everywhere.
And no more dahlias. The tequila guy had heaps of chrysanthemums!
And, for the first time ever, safflowers! (They have stalks like bok choy).
Dewdrop World 