Haight of Flavor: November 2025

November is here - with more fog, wind, and rain rolling in comes the start of our winter growing season, from our favorite leafy greens (or maybe just mine) to bright citrus. Curl up with a cup of hot apple cider and don’t let the cold get you down with these seasonal goodies! (Divis Farmers’ Market: Sundays, 9am - 1pm, DMV parking lot, Fell/Oak)

Pomegranates The ripest will be a deep ruby color, and heavy for their size (heavier pomegranate = juicer seeds!). Pro tip: to deseed, cut in half, push the middle out, hit the back of the fruit with a wooden spoon, and enjoy!

Feijoas Also called pineapple guava, this delicious fruit has a flesh that is generally scooped out with a spoon. They can be eaten like that (and are so sweet!) or they can be added to a loaf, kind of like a banana bread.

Carrot Root veggies in general are sweeter in the colder months, since cold weather triggers the plants’ natural defense mechanisms of converting starches into sugars, which helps prevent the water in their cells from freezing. Use them as a base in a tomato soup, in a spring roll, maple glazed as a side, or my personal favorite, a delicious carrot cake:

Carrot Cake 300g all purpose flour (~2.5 cups) 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon: baking soda, salt, cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg 1⅓ cup vegetable oil 220g brown sugar (~1 cup) 200g white sugar (~1 cup) 4 eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla 300g grated carrots (5-6 carrots) ~1 - 1½ cups mix-ins (pecans, walnuts, raisins, etc.)

Frosting 1 8oz block cream cheese (room temp) 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp 400g powdered sugar (~4 cups) 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions: 1. Heat the oven to 350˚F and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. 2. Whisk together sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 4. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold the carrots and any other mix-ins into the batter. 5. Divide batter evenly into pans and bake for 30 - 35 minutes. 6. Mix the frosting using a hand or stand mixer. Beat the butter until soft and smooth, then add the cream cheese until fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sugar. Once combined, add the vanilla until soft and spreadable.

To assemble, frost one layer before placing the other layer on top, then frost the top and sides. Decorate how you want, and chill the cake for ~30 minutes to set the frosting before cutting. Keep leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge for up to a week!