Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 10880 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Hungry Eye M eg Mitchell has eight hoop houses at her South Paw Farm in Freedom. “We’re into win- ter storage crops–carrots, cabbage, beets, potatoes. Squash is a lower yield this year because of the drought, but we have some sweet mini-buttercups, delicatas, and sugar dumplings. We’ve got orange, yellow, and white pumpkins. What I’m really excited about for autumn is radicchio–I’ve got four kinds this year.” Her suggestion for this leafy red chicory that she grows in both oblong and round, lettuce-shaped heads? “I like to cut it in wedges and toss it with olive oil, honey, and a little balsamic vinegar and roast it.” Of course, not all growers want to ex- tend their season. “I don’t have any green- houses,” says Bruce Hinck of Meadowood Farm in Yarmouth. “In the winter, I read. Our fall crops are one last set of lettuce and plenty of onions, squashes, and pump- kins.” His assortment of onions is dazzling. Hinck’s other specialty is garlic. He sets out bushel baskets of a dozen types labeled with the name and playful description of each. And don’t forget about local mush- rooms. North Spore sells baskets of the shiitake, hen-of-the-woods, and oyster mushrooms they cultivate in the Dana Warp Mill in Westbrook, plus a few shag- gy Chagas and orange lobster mushrooms they forage. If you’re timid about handling fan- cy mushrooms, the North Spore guys are there for you. “Don’t be shy about how much butter you throw in the pan,” says grower Kevin Bassett. Brown them up, maybe deglaze with a little wine, throw in some cream, maybe some fresh herb like thyme. Simmer it up, turn off the heat, and let the mushrooms steep for a few minutes. Toss it with pasta, and it’s awesome.” Oh autumn, how we love you. n owns Green Spark Farm in Cape Elizabeth with his wife, Mary Ellen. Their stunning or- ganic summer produce can be found at Port- land’s Wednesday farmer’s market in Mon- ument Square, and on Saturdays in Deering Oaks Park. They also wholesale to such res- taurants as Hugo’s, the Honey Paw, and East Ender. “We turn our summer tunnels over into fall greens–spinach, kale, lettuce.” There’s no need to resort to frozen vege- tables in the winter. The Chadds, like many Maine farmers, grow year-round in green- house “tunnels,” or hoop houses, which protect produce from harsh weather. “We sell at the winter market [once the outdoor markets move indoors to Cove Street on Saturdays around December 1]. “We made it to 51 of 52 Saturday markets last year.” about place and time for me, making new dishes and calling on the past to guide me. I love alliums and [exploring] the nuances of garlic. Roasted garlic on everything, please.” The North Carolina native came to Portland via Brooklyn, where he worked with Drift- er’s owners, Peter and Orenda Hale. His one- person minimalist “kitchen” is in plain sight next to the bar–a nook with just two burners and a small convection oven. “I love bitter greens, especially radic- chio and chicory. I love bright, crisp, lightly blanched collard greens and winter squash. I love making chicken liver mousse and seeing people enjoy it. Put it in a ravioli with rose- mary and brown butter… It’s a no-brainer.” Serious about his sources, Jackson buys his seafood from Harbor Fish Market and Browne Trading and his chicken livers from Serendipity Acres in North Yarmouth, known for spectacularly tasty organic poultry. When we catch up with Serendipity’s owner Jules Fecteau at the Saturday farmers market to see what’s new in October, she smiles and her eyes twinkle. “We’re finaliz- ing our Thanksgiving orders–we’ve raised a lot more turkeys this year.” FARMERS’ KNACK “We start pulling out our tomato vines right after Labor Day,” says Austin Chadd, who clockwise from top: Meaghan Maurice(3); Colleen callahan Scott London,head chef at Rossobianco