There's no resisting the spectacular bounty of the farmers' market in early fall. Even cooks whose inspiration falters at other times of year find themselves struck with the urge to buy everything at the September market.
Depending on where you live, you might find heirloom tomatoes, peppers, newly flourishing greens, and winter squash — and if you're lucky, figs and melons.
Not surprisingly, restaurant chefs are as excited about this profusion as the rest of us. We asked Matthew Bousquet of Restaurant Mirepoix in Windsor, California, Suzanne Goin of Lucques and A.O.C. in Los Angeles, and Scott Staples of Restaurant Zoë in Seattle — three chefs known for creative, seasonal cooking and a way with produce — to let us follow them through their favorite markets. The result is three spectacular fall dishes we hope will prompt you to visit your local market.
