Day: November 14, 2014

Turkey Tracks: Fall Squashes

Turkey Tracks:  November 14, 2014

Fall Squashes

I get such a kick out of passing my kitchen counter and seeing the fall squashes assembled there.

I’ve learned the hard way that squashes keep best in a warmish room–not a cold room.  Last year, Melody Pendleton gave me a large pumpkin that sat on the counter until early spring.

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The big guy is, as those of you know who read this blog at all, a Blue Hubbard.  I’ve successfully grown a few over the past years.  But not this year.  Our summer was way too cool and rainy for squashes of any sort.  Anyway, the hubbards are fabulous keepers.  You can, even, cut chunks out and put the rest in a cool spot (which I don’t really have) and it will keep as long as you work away at it within a few weeks.

The long bright orange one and it’s mate, the long green one are pie pumpkins.  I’ll cut them in half, scoop out seeds, and roast them.  Soon.  Then I’ll freeze them.  I like to let all of these squashes sit a bit before cooking them as the “sugar off” and get really sweet

The tan butternut is a common squash in grocery stores and a winter staple.

The striped yellow squashes are Delicatas  They are more fragile and need to be eaten early.  I like to slice them in half, scoop out the seeds, and then slice the halves into strips and roast them.  I like to use red palm oil and lots of garlic.  And I often mix them with a lot of other roasted fall veggies of all sorts.

The green round squash is a buttercup.  It’s a dense, sweet squash that I like to cut up and pair with the last of the green tomatoes chunked up, some red onion chunks, some small potatoes chunked up.  Drizzle all with UNREFINED coconut oil, throw in garlic and fresh rosemary and roast at about 375° until soft and beginning to char at the edges..  Turn once with a spatula about 5 minutes in to coat everything with the oil and turn once more in about…30 minutes?

The purplish round veggies are rutabagas.   I use them like I would a potato.  They are delicious peeled, chunked up, cooked in water until soft, smashed, with lots of raw butter and salt and pepper.  Sometimes I also use them in the turnip, parsnip, carrot, onion/leek, garlic mixture I grate up and lacto-ferment.

 

Poems: “Desiderata”

Jeanine Gervais, whom I met and enjoyed on board the J&E Riggin windjammer last summer–and we will sail together next summer (July 20-2)as well–along with friend of long-standing June Derr–sent me this copy of “Desiderata.”

Enjoy!

 

DESIDERATA

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they, too, have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements, as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be careful. Strive to be happy.

[Found in Old Saint Paul’s Church, Baltimore, dated 1692]