Staples of Winter

Musque de Provence winter squash

Roasted Kubocha winter squash

Winter squash topped with beans

     mashed roasted winter squash with butter

     cooked Borlotto beans

     sauteed leeks

     kale

     celery

     tomato paste, olive oil, salt and pepper

     
Hi Winnie and Steve,

Well, December has arrived ever so quickly -- so I guess it really is winter now.  Sometimes on the mild days it still feels so much like fall.  I've noticed that I have started putting much of my food on one section of my kitchen counter.  When it comes time to make a meal, I look at the food on this one section of kitchen counter and think about what is possible.  When I say I am putting things on the counter, obviously I am talking about the things that do not need refrigeration.  But, it is surprising how many things that might be.  This week I had on the counter -- pears, apples, garlic, onions, winter squash, nuts, lemons, tangerines -- yes, my counter does get crowded.  While not on the counter, there are things up above on the open shelving of my cupboard.  My eye wanders up quickly to these items which are also part of my staples -- beans, raisins (which I am really enjoying putting in the beans), brown rice and corn for polenta.

I ran an errand down to Pie Ranch, and Jered asked if I could take the eggs for the CSA program back up to our ranch.  We are the drop-off point for the egg CSA in the winter.  I was thrilled when I was rewarded a "delivery fee" with some Pie Ranch winter squash.  One squash is called Musque de Provence.  It is so beautiful, and I have never made that squash before -- really looking forward to it.  Winter squash is one of the best and easiest staples as it last for weeks or months -- pierce once with a knife and roast whole in the oven for one hour --voila!  In our local community I love the sense of sharing, helping, loaning and general neighborliness that exists -- that is also why I happen to have apples and lemons on my counter -- neighbors.  We just received a book of Wendell Berry poems.  One section expresses a lovely process.

     He goes shadowy into the local woods,

     and brightly into the local meadows and croplands.

     He goes to the care of neighbors,

     he goes into the care of neighbors.

Thinking of you.  Donna