Some farmers’ market enthusiasts use the term “shoulder season” to mark the times of transition between seasons. For example, the time when fall crops begin to show up as the summer crops begin to wane. That’s September here in North Carolina. You can still find everything you need for ratatouille (tomatoes, eggplant, summer squash and chili peppers), but they are in shorter supply. At the same time, fall crops are beginning to emerge. The butternut squash in this week’s CSA is an example of that. At the farmers’ market, I also saw greens (chard, kale and collards), radishes and turnips. It won’t be long before we start to see other fall crops such as broccoli, cauliflower and beets.

The deep, sweet flavor of butternut squash plays really nicely against the savory and spicy base flavors of a paella. There are different combinations that can work well in such a dish. This week I plan on using the butternut squash and peppers from the CSA along with some kale I picked up from the farmers’ market to make a great paella.