Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Summer nostalgia: Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market

Where has the time gone? Late October already, the foliage in the lower Hudson Valley is at peak and Halloween is around the corner. In other words, a perfect time to share what I did on my late summer vacations. Unlike most people, I tend to take more vacation in September than any other time of the year. Last month, I went from the sandy shores of Delaware to the bustling (yet mostly protest free) streets of Paris to the lazy canals of Amsterdam. First up was the beach, which is an annual event. After Labor Day, the crowds dwindle but the bounty of summer is still to be had, especially at the farmers market. The Rehoboth Beach market is not huge, but seems like it's getting bigger every year. Offering a mix of prepared treats and local produce, it's the ideal place to shop to stock your beach rental kitchen. The first week of September, peaches and corn shared table space with eggplant and pumpkin. But the find of the day were multi-colored heirloom plum tomatoes. When the weather cools off a bit, or when I am staying in a fully air conditioned beach rental, I love to crank the oven to 225 and slowly roast plum tomatoes for five or six hours or so. Just halve the tomatoes lengthwise, place cut side up on a sheet pan, cover with a glug of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and you're good to go. Luckily, I've been able to find plum tomatoes at my local market, even as recent as last week, but I know the season is ending (kind of like summer). The good news is that any plum tomato, even the sad grocery store specimens of January, taste great after a few hours in the sauna/oven. Meaning slow roasted tomatoes provide taste of summer that you can enjoy all year.