Guest Post: Fresh From New York

I am so excited to give you a guest post from Christine of Fresh Local and Best, shes lovely and her blog is fab, sophisticated and full of great eats, enjoy....

When Rebecca asked me to write a guest post for Chow and Chatter, I thought, of course! It's the least I can do for someone who so graciously supports and encourages fellow blogger's through her kind and thoughtful comments. Since I write from New York and focus predominantly on fresh fruits and vegetables on my blog, I knew exactly which topic to share, a visit to the Union Square Farmers' Market.

I receive so much inspiration from the farmers' market that I can't help but attempt to capture the simple beauty of the fresh fruits and vegetables displayed. Being surrounded by fragrant and gorgeous produce is invigorating to me, it awakens my senses and feeds my curiosity, creativity and imagination. Wherever I go in the world, I look forward to visiting the local markets because it tells me so much about the locals' way of life.

This bouquet of ornamental cabbage embodies the raw and innate beauty of fruits and vegetables particularly well.

Since I was at the farmers market on Halloween Day, there were plenty of adorable kids and dogs dressed up festively. This little monkey brings to new meaning to the word cute.

Trick or treat? Most kids will call wheat grass a trick, but in addition to being cute, wheat grass is quite good for you.

It never ceases to amaze me the discovery that occurs at the farmers market. There are often new varieties of a familiar vegetable such as this green cauliflower. Earlier this season I found purple and orange versions, which gave me so much delight as I have tremendous love for the new and unique.

Sometimes it's the same vegetable, only offered in a unfamiliar format. Brussels sprouts on the stalk are so cool, perhaps even cool enough to entice your kids into eating them.

Sometimes there are fruits and vegetables that are completely foreign. This fruit was advertised as a natural roach repellent, does anyone know what this is? This is an example of farmers' market discovery and exploration at its best.

The autumn harvest was bountiful this year. The holidays are coming up and being offered at the markets are beautiful ways to incorporate this year's harvest into your home decoration.

As it gets colder the produce being offered at the market will soon be predominantly root vegetables to sustain us through the winter. These parsnips will add a nice flavor to winter stews and soups.

If you haven't tried celery root, you should try it! It adds an exquisite flavor to salads and mashed potatoes.

Indian corn, in addition to being decorative makes great popcorn.

Also sustaining us through the winter will be apples. Sometimes, apples harvested in the fall will be sold from storage through June the following year.

Bosc pears are my favorite among the varieties available. They won't last as long as apples, which simply gives an additional incentive to cook them more frequently while they are in season.

These pomaceous looking fruit is not an apple or pear, or even related to either. Believe it or not, this quince is part of the rose family.

There's just so much beauty at the farmers' market, which is why I can't help but focus on fresh foods.