Tricks, Treats, & Farm-Fresh Eats

As Halloween draws near, today’s newsletter features fun & factual tricks & treats!

Thank you to our customer Lori for providing the picture above displaying all her DFF treats!

Before pumpkins became the traditional canvas for jack-o’-lanterns here in the U.S., the Celts carved turnips and other root vegetables.

The tradition of carving lanterns at this time of year began centuries ago in Ireland and other Celtic-influenced regions. Check out this link for a plaster-cast model of a historical turnip jack-o’-lantern - and maybe a little jump-scare!

The love-it-or-hate-it Halloween treat we know as “Candy Corn” was originally called “Chicken Feed.”

While corn was, and remains, a staple food in the U.S. and many other cultures, this name was a nod to one of the crop’s other major uses. In the late 1800s, when the candy was first produced, the U.S. was in the midst of the Second Industrial Revolution - but feeding corn kernels to chickens was still a familiar part of everyday life, or a recent memory, for many Americans.

Surprise - this isn’t a pumpkin!

It’s a Sunshine Kabocha Squash. With its sweet flavor (think pumpkin + sweet potato + chestnut), edible skin, and relatively dry flesh, this winter squash is delicious roasted or sliced and baked, and it readily soaks up the rich flavors of butter or oil.

We’re partnering with Inspiration Acres!

This microfarm, right here in Middletown, expertly cultivates a wide variety of artisan mushrooms. We’re thrilled to help bring their fresh, local mushrooms to your pans and plates. Their oyster mushroom medley is featured in our online store this week.