Beyond corn and 'taters: fall is the time to expand your taste

The fall months bring with them a fresh crop of apples, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and squash, but there are many other late-summer and autumn crops that are surprisingly good—though less familiar. Here are a five for you to explore. 

Leeks

Let's start with leeks. While they are common, I don't think people cook with them enough except to bury them in potato-leek soup. Looking like giant scallions and related to onions and garlic, leeks are milder and grow in concentric circles, making them tough to clean but delicious when cooked properly.

Gmach Produce of New Dundee grows leeks and sells them at the farmers' market in downtown Kitchener. However, what is notable, especially if you're a leek lover, is that Canning Produce, near Paris, Ontario, grows about 60 acres of leeks making them one of the top two producers in Canada (they battle it out year-to-year for number-one status with a farm in Quebec.)  

A good way to prepare leeks is to remove the tough ends and wash the grit from between the layers. Cut them in half along their length trying to leave the root end intact. In a pan of boiling, salted water, blanch for 3 minutes, remove, drain, and allow to dry. Coat the leeks with good olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill them until golden brown.

Okra

Stevanus Family Farm in Bloomingdale grows okra, also known as lady fingers. The slender green member of the hibiscus family likely came to North America via the Atlantic slave trade and is a key ingredient in southern U.S. cookery. However, in 2016 Canadians consumed about six million kilograms of okra, including those grown on a few farms in Ontario; it's a labour intensive crop to harvest. Try pickling okra with vinegar, jalapeno and spices.

Paw paws

Also called the poor man's banana, the paw paw is the largest fruit produced by a native plant on this continent. It is found in the Carolinian forest of southwestern Ontario around Lake Erie and Niagara with a taste similar to that of a mango and a banana.

It can be pulped and made into a paw paw pie. Paw paws are harvested in August and September, and can be found at Warner's Farm in Beamsville or Forbes Wild Foods in Toronto.

Persimmons

It is surprising to think of a persimmon as growing locally—it just seems like it should be a middle eastern or Asian fruit. In fact, it's native to both Asia and North America. When conditions are right, it's grown at Warner's Farm and available in late October or early November. Rachael Ward of Bailey's Local Foods in Waterloo says they often carry them. She says there are a few tricks for getting the balance right on eating a persimmon.

"Be warned that if you eat a persimmon while firm, they will taste chalky. They ripen nicely and become sweet and wonderful when soft," Ward says.

Persimmons can withstand some frost and you may see them freshly picked even in December. Interestingly, they can be stored in plastic bags with apples to allow them to fully ripen. "They can also be placed in the freezer over night and eaten the next day when thawed," Ward adds.

Ground cherries

Also known as husk tomatoes or Peruvian or Cape gooseberries, these small yellowish-orange fruits with thick skins are wrapped in papery husks and are related to tomatillos, tomatoes, potatoes and tobacco. You can occasionally find ground cherries at grocery stores and at Vincenzo's in Waterloo and Legacy Greens in downtown Kitchener, where owner Jordan Dolson grows them on her farm.

When you eat one, you might taste a faint caramel flavour, so ground cherries are often used in desserts; however, try using it as a flavour base for a savoury salsa. 

More columns from Andrew Coppolino

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