Their sweetness lingers through the season
Sweet potatoes: Whether they’re the pale gold varieties or the dark orange ones that are mistakenly called yams, sweet potatoes are one of the most traditional highlights of the Thanksgiving table. And, despite the marked differences between the two types, they can be used almost interchangeably. The orange ones are sweeter and more moist than the golden ones, which are drier, starchier and nuttier in flavor. If you’re making a puree, for example, think about whether you want the finished texture to be dense and buttery (in which case, choose the orange sweet potatoes) or light and creamy (the golden ones).
Fresno Evergreen, $1.50 per pound
Winter luxury and baby bear pumpkins: If you’ve ever been disappointed after trying to bake a pumpkin pie from scratch, try these. Most pumpkins you’ll find in the market seem to have been developed with the idea of carving jack-o’-lanterns, not cooking (actually, according to farmer-blogger Andy Griffin, they were developed for their seeds, not their flesh). The winter luxury, an antique variety developed in 1893, with pale, freckled skin, is one of the grand exceptions. Amy Goldman, in her wonderful book “The Compleat Squash,” goes so far as to say that it makes “the smoothest and most velvety pumpkin pie I’ve ever had.” Baby bears are far newer, part of the modern rage for miniature pumpkins and may have the best flavor of any.
Peaking
Windrose Farm, $1 per pound
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