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We may have had a heat wave last weekend, but it’s getting chilly as Karl the Fog rolls in and windy evenings make us curse our summer clothing. When it starts to feel like October, people want to eat food that’s a bit heartier, vegetables included. While it’s still early in the season, you can get your fall veggie fix at Gracias Madre, the Mission’s go-to place for consistently good vegan Mexican food.
Quesadillas de Camote consist of sweet potato – bright orange Garnet yams, my best guess – and caramelized onion that are mashed into a lovely softness and encased in the warm house-made corn tortillas. Folded into traditional half-moons, the two quesadillas are topped generously with a mild green salsa, melted “nacho” cashew cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped cilantro.
As you cut into one and take a bite, the sweetness of the potato mingles with savory corn, and the oozy vegan cheese makes it taste richer than it really is. Pumpkin, of course, is October’s edible mascot, so the seeds remind you of autumn as well as adding a welcome crunch to the dish.
Since much of Gracias Madre’s produce comes from their local organic farm, you can expect to start seeing more fall menu items in the next two or three weeks. Butternut squash quesadillas are on the horizon, a queso fundido with Brussels sprouts is not to be missed, and for those of us who love everything pumpkin: pumpkin spice cake. So zip that jacket, ditch the shorts and grab a table; tis the season.
