As we come upon Halloween season, I thought it a good occasion to put the spotlight on some spooky vegetables. From scary shapes to seasonal colors to pumpkin-carving alternatives – read on for the dose of Halloween-themed vegetable content you never knew you needed!
We'll start off with a journey to outer space with kohlrabi! These funky veggies really look like alien creatures with their spiky stems; you can almost imagine them beaming down from a spaceship. Coming from two German words, kohl and rube meaning cabbage and turnip, this member of the brassica family is super crunchy and fresh. It makes a great addition to a veggie and dip platter or a salad.
The aliens have landed!👽🚀
Now for a classic – garlic! Striking fear into the hearts of vampires everywhere, this member of the allium family has long been associated with scary creatures. This belief is somewhat derived from fact, insofar as some European beliefs stated that vampires were created by a disease of the blood and therefore the antibiotic compound, allicin, in garlic was believed to repel or kill them. For the rest of us though, garlic is purely a delicious flavor to add to every meal!
Offering protection from 🧛 and delicious garlicky goodness - a win-win!
Whether you’ve been a CSA member since the beginning or just started this year, you have most certainly received swiss chard. We love growing and harvesting it for its beautiful color schemes. From vibrant gold to magenta to deep reds, it’s never a boring one to pick! We recently found a one-of-a-kind plant in our field with very Halloween-y colors that I just had to share!
Photo credit: Yvonne
Pumpkins are the first thing you think of when it comes to Halloween carving, right? Well, back in the day in Scotland, it would have been rutabagas instead. Due to the ease of cultivation in the UK, and to their eerily skull-shaped nature, rutabagas were a popular choice. They made for some creepy carved veggies! Despite their ghoulish facades, rutabagas make a delicious mash with butter, salt, and pepper.
(If you wish to read more on this fascinating tradition: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/go-traditional-scottish-carve-terrifying-25187887 )
Truly terrifying carvings 🎃 Photo credit: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/go-traditional-scottish-carve-terrifying-25187887
And finally, for a blood-red finale, beets! Over my years farming I’ve heard from lots of beet-haters, but these root vegetables really aren’t that scary! Despite their red-as-blood interior, and tendency to turn your hands, cutting board, and any other surface they touch into a veritable murder scene with their red juices, they’re quite literally a very sweet vegetable! Delicious in a borscht-like soup or roasted in cubes drizzled with an herby vinaigrette – eat more beets this Halloween season!
Don't let their blood-red color scare you off, they're actually tasty and sweet!
Happy Halloween, if you celebrate, and happy end of October!