A Word About Garlic, Linda's Gremolata and Grilled Rack of Lamb

by Linda

   A few weeks back one evening at work, we had a lecture scheduled for our customers and the speaker did not show. The topic for that night was called Making Your Kitchen Spice Cabinet Your Medicine Cabinet, and as the manager on duty, I was summoned to decide how to deal with the twenty or so people in our Wellness Center who were getting restless and would be very disappointed to be sent home sans lecture. Having studied herbal medicine for the past twenty years, and having had formal training... with the consent of the audience, I agreed to pinch hit for the scheduled speaker, who as it turns out, had a family emergency. As I have written previously, any culinary herb that I can think of has medicinal properties. This bold statement from me produced a few raised eyebrows from the group, but I challenged them to name a spice or herb, and I would tell them the healing properties. This led to a lively discussion in which we all participated in sharing stories about our favorite herbal allies, as like to call my plant friends.

   Among my very favorites in the group of herbal heavyweights is garlic. Much has been written about garlic. Garlic has a very long history of culinary use dating back to the building of the pyramids in Giza. Remnants of garlic have been found in cave dwellings that are over 10,000 years old. Egyptian tombs, dating back to 5,700 years ago, were found to contain sketches of garlic and clay sculptures of the bulb. Countries that consume the most garlic in their diets have the lowest incident rates of cancer, especially digestive-related cancers and cancer of the colon. Garlic is thought to be antiviral and is antibacterial and antifungal. Homemade garlic oil from fresh garlic is one of my favorite remedies for a bacterial ear infection for children or adults. It is inexpensive to make, and extremely effective. Michelle used garlic oil exclusively for my niece Maddie's occasional earaches when she was growing up, and consequently, has never needed to use the normally prescribed antibiotics.

   Fermented garlic, also known as Black Garlic, is new to the culinary scene here in the United States, but is a traditional component of Korean cooking. Kyolic garlic supplements are made from fermented/aged garlic and were created after World War II to combat radiation poisoning in Japan. Aged garlic has been shown to be effective at helping the body eliminate heavy metals and in maintaining a healthy cholesterol balance.

Testing has shown that fermented/aged garlic contains twice the antioxidant powers of raw garlic, and eliminates the issues that some individuals have with odor from eating raw garlic. However, consuming raw garlic is one of my favorite ways to combat the onset of a cold. Eating a significant portion of raw garlic is difficult, because it is so strong and can upset the stomach. I like to press the raw garlic clove through a garlic press and then mix with a little raw honey and butter. This mixture can be eaten on bread or crackers and consumed throughout the day, although be advised that the mixture will still burn in the mouth and nostrils and you will reek of garlic. This remedy is not meant for children! Raw garlic can also be made into a drink, which is the way my sons (when they were teenagers) always requested it. Again, press the garlic cloves and mix with honey, add warm water and fresh lemon juice. The powder from digestive enzyme capsules (you must pull them apart... a tedious process) can be added as well. In my experience, garlic can often knock out the bug before it has a chance to get established, and will keep infection from developing in the lungs. For all of these reasons, and because I think it is such a delicious part of countless recipes, garlic is one of the staple ingredients in my pantry. I am never with out it, and I keep my heads of garlic in a beautiful woven basket from Vietnam on my kitchen counter at all times.

Recently when Michelle came to visit, we had one of our favorite celebratory meals on the last night of her stay. I made a big batch of Gremolata (which is a mixture of garlic, fresh herbs and lemon peel) with my mortar and pestle. Then we slathered the paste on two racks of lamb while we went out to picnic at one of our favorite vineyards in the beautiful Alexander Valley.

Deep breath in and then out... for at least this day, "Yes, this is my beautiful life."

Cowgirl Creamery "Mount Tam" and Jimtown Store "Spicy Pepper Jam"

We left the lamb to marinate in the wet rub until we returned to prepare our celebration feast.

Recipe Boxes, Cookbooks and Linda's Orange Wheat and Nut Quick Bread

The Memory Keepers by Linda

It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and intertwined, that we cannot straightly think of one without the others. So it happens that when I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it; and then the warmth and richness and fine reality of hunger satisfied; and it is all one. ~ MFK Fisher, The Art of Eating

   
   There has been much discussion recently in print and on the internet about cookbooks becoming a thing of the past. The New York Times featured an article this past week in its Dining and Wine section written by Julia Moskin entitled, "Are Cookbooks Obsolete?" In the same vein, one of the food bloggers that I follow, David Lebovitz, had this to say in response to this topic in his post that arrived in my inbox a few days ago:

"It's interesting reading some of the talk regarding if the internet is ready to replace cookbooks. Sure, there are people furiously clicking around wherever they can for a chocolate cake recipe. And there are hundreds of thousands of chocolate cake recipes that you can find using a search engine. But to me, that's not enough. When I want to spend my precious time and funds making something to eat, I don't want to merely find a recipe. There's nothing compelling about a downloadable list of ingredients. It just leaves me cold. I want the author or writer to tell me about the recipe, what inspired them to create it, or how it came about."

   
   I couldn't agree more. As someone who has over 300 cookbooks at the ready (I am not kidding), my cookbooks feel like old friends that I wouldn't part with for the world. Lord knows that I have lugged them along on every move much to the dismay of the movers that I have hired to haul them to each new location where I have taken up residence in the last decade. Each cookbook represents a time in my past, the place and with whom I purchased it, or a particular interest of mine at the time. The book might also have been a cherished gift from someone that I love who knows my passion for food and cooking. The ones that I use often are scribbled with margin notes, and contain my changes or additions. It is my hope that my collection of cookbooks will be passed on to the next generation of our family of cooks who will smile and have a wistful moment when they run across a smudge of chocolate and read the notations made long ago in my less than elegant script. I experienced just such a moment just this morning. I shall explain...

   
   For our second Thanksgiving post we are sharing a recipe that came to us from our maternal grandmother, Maxine. Our Nana was born in Redlands, California in 1914, and did volunteer work for the Redland's Assistance League for over 30 years beginning in the 1950s. The history of the organization is that in 1931 a group of women came together with the common goal of wanting to improve the lives of those in need. A constitution was prepared and the name Assistance League of Redlands was adopted. As part of the active social service program, work was begun at the Community Thrift Shop. The organization is still serving the community today. Nana attended the Camellia Luncheons that were annual charity fundraisers for the group. Each year, the ladies that attended the luncheon where given a recipe card set from the menu. Each set of cards contained all of that year's featured recipes.

   
   These sets were printed in pink, on white cards that could be easily placed in each attendee's personal recipe box. My Orange Wheat and Nut bread evolved from one of the Camellia Luncheon recipes from the luncheon in 1979. It would seem that these once ubiquitous recipe boxes have also become, for the most part, a thing of the past. That said, I am not letting go of mine. Even in its present rather shabby state, it is a treasured possession. My recipe box is about 30 years old and contains recipes that I began copying by hand in my early twenties. In those years, Nana would often send me handwritten index cards with a new recipe that had captured her fancy, included in a letter along with a crisp twenty dollar bill. As a new bride married to a college student, I struggled from paycheck to meager paycheck which I earned by working at the university in the accounting office, to make ends meet. Those letters of love and generosity from my grandmother were such welcome gifts. Many years after her death, my recipe box still contains the old Camellia Luncheon cards tied at the corners with colorful bits of ribbon that she saved for me, and her own handwritten recipes signed off with her trademark version of a happy face topped with a hat and flower.

   
   This morning as I searched for the Camellia Luncheon cards to take a photo, I pulled out one of Nana's handwritten recipe cards. I ran my fingers across the faded ink, and then held it close to my heart for just a second. In a leap across time and space, I am standing by her side in her turquoise kitchen with large bay windows that overlook the Redlands that she loves... the very kitchen in which we made so many meals together when I was old enough, while we laughed and shared secrets as pots bubbled joyfully on the stove.

   Our Salvation Sisters' blog is our way of keeping those memories alive for ourselves and our children, and for the generations to come, who most likely will not have such a recipe box. This is our virtual recipe box, and we offer it to you with love. We have so much to be thankful for... from Michelle, Juliette and Linda... Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Osmosis Day Spa and Linda's Detox Herbal Tea

My Traveling Tales by Linda

My order of red clover and calendula blossoms along with yarrow flowers, peppermint and
nettle leaves arrive from Pacific Botanicals in Oregon.

   After living in West Sonoma County for the last six years, I finally paid a visit to the renowned Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone, California. A few weeks ago, on a clear and sparkling October day that was unbelievably mild with just the right amount of warm, I traveled with five girlfriends to this beautiful location not far from my home, for an afternoon of pampering and relaxation.

 
   Upon our arrival we were greeted by Mercedes Jones, the Guest Services Manager. Mercedes who was born and raised in the area, first gave us a little bit of the spa's history. The founder of Osmosis is Michael Stusser who discovered the healing powers of the Cedar Enzyme Bath on a visit to Japan where he was studying traditional landscape gardening and Zen. He returned home to open the first Cedar Enzyme Bath in this country in 1985. He built a prototype 400-square-foot facility in a Sebastopol backyard out of recycled wood from a chicken coop. In 1987 the bath was featured in the Sunday section of the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Cedar Enzyme Bath quickly gained a following. Osmosis moved to its present location in Freestone in 1989. The spa and grounds have been a work in progress ever since. The most recent addition is a beautiful Meditation Garden which was a four-year project dedicated in June of 2003.

The beautiful and serene meditation garden at Osmosis.

   Once we had placed our personal belongings in a roomy locker, we were invited to change into kimono-style robes. Our first treatment of the day included a foot soak (which is really a leg soak) in the cedar enzyme chips. While the six of us perched on the sides of the bath with our legs buried up to the knees, we sipped tea and nibbled on lunch. The enzyme bath temperature is about 130 degrees, so your legs get very warm, and so does your whole body.

Our warm enzyme foot bath and lunch await us.

   Our amiable bath attendant continually refilled our waters and tea, and brought us cold washcloths for the face or neck. After we all became deliciously relaxed, it was time for the group to divide in half. I was in the group of three that chose to get a massage as my next treatment, and the other half of our group went to have facials.

    It was a blissfully relaxing experience that I find myself calling upon in the weeks after my visit in any stressful moment. I currently have the photo of the wide and comfortable hammocks situated in a private courtyard serving as my screensaver on my computer at work. The hammocks are equipped with the headsets that play soothing Hemi-Sync music (which is available for purchase in the alluring Osmosis gift shop). When feeling harried, I gaze at the hammocks on my screen and take a deep breath in, and then a deep breath out, remembering the profound sense of serenity that I experienced there that afternoon.

    Also for sale in the gift shop was the herbal tea that we sipped prior and during the enzyme foot bath. It was a delicious blend of herbs that included peppermint, red clover, nettles, and yarrow. I had forgotten how delicious and soothing herbal tea can be. The tea is made by Taylor Maid Farms, a local company based in Sebastopol, that makes a blend especially for Osmosis. I purchased a tin, and brought it home to try. Having had herbal training myself, it occurred to me that I should make a batch and share with my friends and family for the upcoming holiday season.

 
   I promptly placed an order with my favorite herb farm, Pacific Botanicals, near Grants Pass, Oregon, which I visited on my vacation this past August. I decided to customize my blend and add calendula flowers which will bring sunshine into one's life according to the Doctrine of Signatures during the cold and dark winter months that we are prone to in Northern California. The descriptions that follow are a very abbreviated summary of what the herbs in my blend do for the body.

Peppermint ~ An herb that is estimated to have been in use for over 10,000 years. Peppermint provides an invigorating essential oil that soothes the stomach and bowel.

Red Clover ~ An herb which also has a long history of use. The benefits of Red Clover tea is that it contains a high level of phytoestrogen that helps regulate the biochemistry in the female body. It is also thought to have cleansing properties.

Nettles ~ According to David Hoffmann, one of my teachers, "Nettles are one of the most widely applicable plants that we have. They strengthen and support the whole body. Throughout Europe they are used as a spring tonic and general detoxifying remedy."

Yarrow ~ Yarrow is thought to lower blood pressure and is traditionally administered for wound healing. In magical lore it acts as a shield of protection.

Calendula ~ Calendula flowers are anti-inflammatory, and help stimulate the production of bile. In other words, they are good for the gallbladder and digestion. There is some evidence that they fight cancer, and as mentioned previously are a great antibacterial. There is a long and very safe history of use.

 
   This past week, a large box was delivered from Oregon full of freshly dried herbs. When I picked up the box, I could not help but smile at the uplifting scent of peppermint that engulfed me. You can see for yourself the results of my tea-making endeavors. This one box of herbs will make tea for all of my family and friends, with enough left over to be able to prepare a very strong tea and add it to my hot baths this winter along with Himalayan bath salts. Just thinking about it I am feeling more relaxed already.

Linda's Detox Herbal Tea

Cowtown Chocolate Cake with Ganache Icing

by Michelle

   I wish I knew how many times I have made this cake over the years. My mother-in-law introduced me to this special cake at a birthday party, and from the get go, I wanted this dessert's number. I knew, understood it in my heart of hearts, that this cake and I had a future. We have had quite the friendship over the years. Not once has this chocolate cake complained or failed me. It always seems to be the toast of the party. And, if you want to talk about icings, well... this ganache is a winner, no contest required to crown it queen of the pageant. 

Cowtown Chocolate Cake with Ganache Icing

   I have dressed this versatile cake in different guises, brushing the layers with liqueur, slathering fruit jams beneath the ganache and embelishing the top with decorations. You can have fun, but underneath it all, this cake is just as happy being plain and simple and yet simply delicious.
   The recipe hails from Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York ©1985). In the cook book, Maida writes that this cake was famous at a now defunct coffee shop in Dallas. I made a few changes along the way, and this is my adapted recipe.

Michelle's Chicken Sausage and Pesto Lasagna

by Michelle

Prepping individual servings for the freezer.

   Earlier this month we celebrated Italian Fest Week at my house. With the assistance of my mom and niece, I prepared both my lasagna and manicotti recipes with the express intention of keeping individual portions stored in the freezer. This time of year, when life seems to hit the fast forward button from Halloween through New Year's Eve, I appreciate having homemade meals at the ready that can be heated directly from the freezer. I also really appreciate that lasagna and manicotti fall under the category of stress free entertaining. 

   The lasagna receives a two-fold flavor boost by substituting chicken sausage for ground beef, and by adding homemade basil pesto to the ricotta filling. I also like letting the meat sauce rest in the refrigerator for a day for the flavors to fully develop.

Michelle's Chicken Sausage and Pesto Lasagna

Ooiest Gooiest Chocolatiest Fudgiest Brownies

by Michelle

   For nearly a decade, during my twenties, I worked as a sales account manager for a small business, a high-tech manufacturers' represenative owned by two men, Barry and Harry. Yes, that's right, Barry and Harry. Their names rhymed, but that's where the similarities ended. The partners could not have been more different and yet it was their disctinct differences that complemented each other, and helped them to build a very successful business. Since the business always had fewer than 10 employees, we always felt like a family, and if there were any secrets, they were well hidden. We were all interwoven into the fabric of each other's lives. Like any family we squabbled, fought, reconciled, celebrated, and leaned on each other for personal and professional support. We celebrated bar and bat mitvahs, birthdays, weddings, holidays and key milestones, and collectively mourned divorces, deaths, and tragic global events.  
   Looking back, it is easy for me to identify that each man was an instrumental father figure in my life. Harry took me under his wing and introduced me to the finer things in life: gourmet food and wine. Barry, an excellent negotiator who led by example, explained the intricacies of a deal, and helped me transition from an inside sales role to the coveted position of field sales. Barry taught me how to listen and how to be comfortable with uncomfortable silences. In theory it is "as simple" as asking a question, and not saying anything more - no matter how strenuous the silence - until the person being asked the question reponds. I continually draw upon the lessons that I learned while under the tutelage of Barry and Harry, and there was surely no better place to start my career than to work with these two fine men who were my mentors.

Harry took this photo of me in the late 1980's at a colleague's wedding.

  Barry's wife, Lolly, visited the office frequently. She was a force: a mother of four, owner of a successful  catering business and in her "spare time" assisted Barry with payroll and the accounting for the rep company. One paticular Friday morning, I was sharing with the wider audience that I planned on making brownies over the weekend, but had not settled on a recipe. Lolly, who was passing by, heard my comments and said something to the effect of, "My grandmother made the ooiest, gooiest, most chocolatiest, fudgiest brownies you will ever taste." Oh, really? I'd love to get my hands on that recipe, I thought to myself. Much to my surprise, when I politely requested the recipe, she directed me to fetch a piece of paper. My pen at the ready, she recited the recipe from memory. I was more than a little surprised that she could recall it upon request until I remembered that this is a woman who can read a book and knit simultaneously. 
   If you want to experience the ooiest, gooiest, most chocolatiest, fudgiest brownies ever, don't delay, make Lolly's Grandmother's brownies today!

Ooiest Gooiest Chocolatiest Fudgiest Brownies

   You can make the brownies earlier in the day, and the tasty delight will stay quite content in the pan until dessert is ready to be served. This is a decidedly unfussy dessert that just about everyone will surely love. I also like adding smaller cut portions of brownies to a dessert buffet that can be eaten without the aid of a plate and fork.
   For a more formal gathering, the brownies are extraordinary served with ice cream and vanilla whipped cream (bonus points if both are homemade). You may also want to consider drizzling caramel sauce that has been gently warmed. If you opt out of the walnuts in the recipe (due to someone in the crowd with an aversion or allergy to nuts), a great alternative is to serve candied walnuts or pecans on the side that can be sprinkled over the whipped cream. The brownies are also delicious served with milk, red wine or port.
   This is an easy dessert for teenagers to make. My daughter, Maddie alternates between preparing brownies and Linda's Chocolate Chip Cookies. Maddie will sometimes use salted butter, in which case, she omits the 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.

Ingredients:
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 extra large eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1-1/2 tsps vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup walnut halves or roughly chopped walnuts, optional
additional butter or spray oil to grease the pan

Garnishes:
ice cream
whipping cream or dazzle the crowd with a Whip-It! (fun to say, fun to use.)
caramel sauce
Maple Sugared Candied Walnuts or pecans

Procedure:
1. Open the oven door and verify that the bottom rack is placed in the lower third of the oven. The top rack should rest in the upper third of the oven with enough room to easily slide in the baking dish below. Set a big cookie sheet on the top rack to act as a "shield" which will help prevent the brownies from over-browning during baking.Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Butter or spray a 9"x12"x2" rectangular baking dish. Set aside.
3. Combine chocolate and butter together in a double boiler set over water and heat until just melted. Stir until completely smooth. Remove the top part of the double boiler, discard water. Set chocolate and butter mixture aside to cool slightly.

4. Beat eggs and sugar really well, about 5 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and half the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the greased pan. Gently shake the pan to evenly distribute the batter to the edges. Cover the top with the remaining half of the chocolate chips.

5. Bake for about 45 minutes until fragrant and set. The edges will pull slightly away from the sides of the pan. Do not over bake... it is far better if the brownies are a little under done... they'll be just that much more fudgier. Cool on a rack. Yield: 12-16, or more, depending upon serving size.

Michelle's Chicken and Spinach Manicotti

by Michelle

   To my taste, I find most manicotti quite bland. The standard offering is simply ricotta cheese mixed with parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, salt and pepper. I wanted more; to boost the flavor and add more texture. After two decades of various modifications, I have stopped tinkering and have settled on the recipe below. I hope you like it as much as I do.
   When I make this recipe, I make a big batch. If I'm lucky, and often I am, there will be a friend or a family member lending me a hand with stuffing the manicotti shells with the filling. If I find that I am on my own, squeezing the water from wilted spinach, or facing a mountain of filling and fifty shells, I pass the time letting my hands do the busy work while my head is absorbed in listening to an audiobook on my iPod. It's a multi-tasker's dream come true.
  The prepared shells freeze beautifully - no defrosting required - before popping the marinara coated manicotti in the oven. While the manicotti heat to bubbling bliss, all that is left to do is to quickly assemble a salad and slice a crusty baguette. Manicotti may just be the perfect Friday night meal when you opt to stay at home, but you don't feel like cooking. You'll be happy to know that a hearty, delicious, homemade dinner is waiting in the freezer just for you, and yours.

Wilted Spinach

by Michelle

   Fresh spinach enjoys a high water content. To prevent spinach from diluting a cheese sauce, or flooding a Greek pizza, spinach must be "dehydrated" before using. The process for wilting spinach is easy; it is the final pressing, or squeezing, that takes most of the effort. You can save the cooking step (in the recipe below) if you choose to use frozen spinach that has been defrosted. However, you will still need to squeeze the heck out of the spinach to remove all the excess water.

Wilted Spinach

1 pound pound spinach leaves = 1 cup wilted spinach (loosely packed, about 5-ounces). I typically purchase prewashed baby spinach available in a bag. If you buy a "bouquet" of spinach, you will need to thoroughly wash the leaves and discard tough stems. There is no need to dry the spinach before cooking.

Ingredients:
baby spinach leaves, washed, and larger stems removed and dicarded
water

Equipment:
a large, deep heavy-bottom pot with lid
colander
cheesecloth, optional

Procedure:
1. In a large colander, rinse the prepackaged baby spinach leaves. The leaves need the spritz of water to reduce properly in the pan. If you are using spinach that has not been prewashed, take some care with the cleaning. Dirt likes to hide in the crevises of the leaves, so give a good rinse under running water. You may want to let the leaves soak in a bowl of water and then gently agitate. You can lift the leaves from the water, leaving the dirt and debris to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Change the water between batches of leaves.

2. Place the wet spinach leaves into a larg, deep heavy-bottom pot and fill to the brim with leaves. Cover with the lid and turn the heat to medium high. You will soon see condensation on the lid created from steam. As the spinach begins to condense, remove the lid and give the leaves a stir, every 30 seconds or so, until the leaves are completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the leaves to a colander, and let drain. Repeat as many times as needed for the amount of spinach required for your recipe.

3. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, you will need to remove as much water from the leaves as possible. I typically just squeeze handfuls with my fingers to remove the water, but using cheesecloth is better for processing larger batches, such as when I wilt 5 pounds of spinach for my Chicken and Spinach Manicotti.

4. Once you have removed the excess water from the spinach, you will have bundles of spinach. With your fingers, gently pull the bundles apart. If needed, with a chef's knife, chop through the pile of separated spinach a couple of times. The spinach is now ready to use in recipes, such as Greek Pizza, Creamed Spinach, or sauteed in olive oil with some diced shallots, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper and maybe a few chili flakes tossed in for a little kick.

Pumpkins for Pilgrims and Pumpkin-Apple Spice Cake with Dulce de Leche Glaze

by Linda

"For pottage, and puddings, and custards and pies,

Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies.

We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon;

If it were not for pumpkins, we should soon be undoon."

                                   ~ Pilgrim Pumpkin Song from the 1600s

   When autumn rolls around, and colorful pumpkins start showing up in roadside pumpkin patches and markets, I always wonder how many families picking out their favorite pumpkin to carve for Halloween realize that pumpkins are survival food of the first order.

   From early accounts, it is doubtful that the pilgrims would have survived their first winter here in North America without the aid of the sturdy pumpkin.

   Pumpkin pie was born from the pilgrims' attempts to incorporate it into as many dishes as possible, since the squash was plentiful and could survive the winter months with primitive storage methods. Of course, as we all know, pumpkin pie it is now a beloved standard eaten by millions on Thanksgiving Day each year.

   We sisters think pumpkin makes a tasty soup or yellow curry, as well as a delicious pie, quick bread or cake. I also love spiced pumpkin butter on toast in the Fall and Winter.

   Today, I am baking a double-size bundt cake for my co-workers, and my little house is enveloped in the fragrance of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg marrying up with the pumpkin and apple. I plan to top it with an amber Dulce de Leche Glaze and sprinkle on toasted and salted pumpkin seeds. I took inspiration from the caramels that I love with sea salt dusted on the top.

   If you have a large garden plot, pumpkins are great fun to grow. In past years I have very much enjoyed the lengthy vines blooming and winding their way towards fall. Once the brilliant yellow flowers are pollinated, and the baby pumkins form, it is possible to watch them change on a daily basis. When fall arrives, the vine has yellowed and the giant leaves have withered in the months of summer sun. Then the pumpkins are a deep orange and ready for harvest. They will last the entire winter if stored in a cool and dry place.

   This week I stopped by my local pumpkin and apple farm in Sebastopol to enjoy a feast for the eyes and senses. Pumpkins were piled everywhere, and cases of apples rested on the bright oilcloth covered tables. I purchased apples for our favorite Pumpkin~Apple Spice Cake. I use canned pumpkin for this cake because it is less watery and the flavor is more intense, but you can use fresh pumpkin puree if you like. If you make your own, just make sure to drain it until thickened.

   Hooray for the humble pumpkin, long may she reign Queen of the Squash!