This is the time of year when Islanders start seeing each other again – meeting for coffee, grabbing lunch and, most notably, gathering for dinner parties. There are so many good cooks on the Vineyard that you always look forward to a meal in someone’s home. It is customary to offer to bring something, and rarely are you turned down. A spirit of enjoying good food and company precludes fussiness or too much structure. To wit, we ventured to the home of friends on Saturday night with a selection of appetizers in hand.

I had spotted some fresh, perfectly ripe Black Mission figs at the grocery and I thought it would be fun to pair them with a wee bit of Grey Barn’s Bluebird cheese, some thinly sliced prosciutto (of course), and a drizzle of something.

I puzzled over how to turn this combination into finger food that would also look nice. To that end, I ditched the idea of using the prosciutto as a wrapper. Instead I rolled thin slices into little cigars and tucked them around (and on top of) the figs. For drizzling, I opted for balsamic glaze, which was a bit thicker than pomegranate molasses, my next choice. I scattered some baby mint leaves around for garnish and, voila, we had a fresh, delicious appetizer for very little effort. We'll definitely make Fresh Figs with Blue Cheese, Prosciutto and Balsamic Glaze again soon. Fresh Black Mission figs should be available through November.

I also made some of my favorite Rosemary Butter-Roasted Walnuts, inspired by an old Gourmet magazine recipe by the late food writer Laurie Colwin. And I made a batch of Abby Dodge’s delicious Savory Parmesan Crisps, which never fail to please. I totally forgot about the olives I’d planned to marinate, but I went ahead and made Tangerine-Thyme Marinated Olives on Sunday to have in the fridge and use in salads and braises.

If the party had been at my house, I might have made my favorite cooked-to-order hot appetizer: Japanese Vegetable Pancakes with Brussels Sprouts and Kimchi.

I think I’ll make those for us anyway (the pancakes are great for supper, too), since the brassicas are pouring into farmstands. North Tabor Farm had broccoli last weekend; Morning Glory Farm has their own cauliflower, and this week they’re harvesting the very lovely Romanesco (top, left). Recently, Beetlebung has had gorgeous brassicas, including cauliflower, napa cabbage, sprouting broccoli and kohlrabi.

I might use the local broccoli in Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein.

Or in Gingery Fried Rice.

And the beautiful Romanesco could do a quick turn around in Stir-Fried Romanesco with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmigiano or hang out in Cauliflower Coconut Curry with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Tomatoes

So many great things to do with cauliflower. I might start with a warm salad made with Rosemary-Roasted Cauliflower, Lemons, and Shallots.

And then I’d find an excuse to make this Cauliflower, Leek, and Fontina Gratin.

And of course we can’t get through the week without a squash dish! (No brassicas in this one.) Baked Penne with Roasted Squash, Caramelized Onions, and Ricotta is one of my favorites. You could serve that for friends on Friday night.

Friends, I’ll see you this week on Instagram @cookthevineyard. Be sure to follow us if you haven't already.

Road Trip! A Bakery and Pastry Tour of NYC is a Sweet Treat

It isn’t just gatherings that Islanders are craving this time of year — an off-Island getaway is top of the list for many folks who’ve been working non-stop since June. We’ve got a great idea for food lovers, courtesy of Laura Holmes Haddad, a West Tisbury foodie and writer who moved full time to the Vineyard with her family a few years ago but enjoys off-Island culinary jaunts. She and her daughter just returned from New York, where they visited four very special pastry shops and bakeries in the city – Maman, Lysee, Librae and Barachou — and she's got a report on each for us.

It was all I could do not to hop in the car (though Laura reminds me that Jet Blue is still flying directly from MVY to JFK and LaGuardia until Nov. 1 if you are so inclined) and make a beeline for the city after reading Sweet and Savory Surprises in New York City. I wish you luck!

What's Open on the Vineyard

With the change of seasons, some markets and restaurants are shortening hours. To keep abreast of changes and to see a complete list of what's open, including hours, websites, and contact numbers, visit What's Open on Martha's Vineyard.