Terra Americana

A long hot summer has wound down into the crisp, comforting colors of fall.  At the change of every season, I feel a melancholy for what has past.  As the weekend days dwindle I find myself experimenting with ways to preserve the last vestiges of summer's bounty.

The trees at my favorite farms are ready to be picked.  My garden is prolific; herbs, tomatoes, greens, beans; what will I do with all of it?  Sauces, Jams, and chutneys; I have learned to love them all.  Enjoying them on toast is too tame.  Fish, poultry and meats take on new dimensions with the sweet and savory concoctions I have playfully preserved in ball jars.  My freezer is filling with all manner of sliced, chopped and puréed squash, peppers and nightshades.  I already know what my contributions to Thanksgiving and Christmas will be.

Adventures at the stove are sure to excite me all winter.  Staples for the Indian, Tibetan and Argentinian recipes I have been waiting to try are all put up and ready for me to find the time.  When the days are short and nights long I will happily cosy up to this list of things to do.

My favorite way to enjoy the harvest is to savor it's flavors until the ground is ready to bear fruit once again.   What is your favorite way to celebrate the fruits of this season?

Recipes for my favorite harvest fruit;

• Baked apples with cranberries, raisins and walnuts

• Kale and Apples over polenta

• Spotted Dog with apples

• Simple Apple Sauce

Photo Credit:  Julie T Cecchini