Colorful late autumn leaves are blanketing the ground here in the Chesapeake Bay region and it’s one of my favorite times of the year. There’s just a bit of a chilly nip in the air and the fall colors are unbelievable. I also think that this is probably the best time of the year from a culinary standpoint as well. Harvest time equates into mega food with a plethora of vegetables, tender greens, lettuce and those wonderful fall fruits - of pears, apples and quince.

I was strolling my neighborhood farmers market – the 32nd Street Farmers Market –
http://www.32ndstreetmarket.org/ this week and ran into Joan Drew the energetic and enthusiastic farmer of One Straw Farm in White Hall, MD. She gave me the skinny on the upcoming array of vegetables: greens –collard and mustard; beets; several varieties of hard squash - delicatta, acorn, butternut, buttercup; sweet potatoes and arugula. Joan’s recipe tip is for sweet potato fries. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into either wedges or steak-fry shape. Place into a mixing bowl and drizzle with a little melted butter, olive oil, or a combination of the two. Toss fries to coat well. Place the sweet potatoes onto a baking tray, spreading them out so that they do not overlap – and season with S&P. Place into a preheated 400-degree oven and bake until just tender. Joan says that some members of her family that are not big fans of sweet potatoes - (would not eat them) - have been converted by these fries.