Autumnal abundance at the Pimilico Road Farmer's Market

Yesterday started with one of those stunning autumn mornings; bright, crisp with a whiff of change in the air. It was a perfect opportunity to cycle to my local Farmer's Market on Orange Square, SW1. For me the market is a great way of keeping in touch with the seasons, and their spoils. The market has some great stalls, one of my favourites is the Kingcup Farm stall which is filled with great locally grown produce and much to my delight they always have a wide array of unusual herbs (yarrow, dill flowers, salad burnett, fat hen, lucerne, dandelion and borage) as well as a wide array of tubers and beets. The Kohl Rabi got my attention, as did the stunning rosehips (which make a great syrup or jelly - it also is the component in itching powder which is made from the innards of the rosehips) and the densely black sloes which are great for flavouring gin. I always find the colours of the vegetables so inspiring, and select whatever looks most vibrant and appealing. I definately get 'colour days', where I am drawn to food with certain colours and will cook with a whole palette of foods from a certain colour group. Yesterday was definately a red day, as one of my finds were crab-apples that I intend to make into a jelly that will be flavoured with spruce.