Fresh from the Field: Fall Eatin’

Kabocha Squash Soup. Yuuuuum.

Greetings! Well, I spent last night elbow-deep in a pumpkin, scooping out guts and seeds, so it must be Fall. Halloween is nigh, and that means it’s time to kick off the holiday eating season. My line claims a proud history of robust holiday eating, but most of their holiday recipes rely on canned cream of mushroom soup and Jimmie Dean’s breakfast sausage. And sure, who doesn’t love those old standbys, but I enjoy a variety of holiday goodies. Let me share some of my new favorites to point you in the right direction.

Let’s start with soup, the perfect cold weather food. Kabocha Squash makes a great winter squash soup due to its creamy texture, deep orange color, incredible flavor, and  its surprising flexibility. Traditionally you might put in cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice alone. But try using garam masla, curry and a little cardamom and you’ve got a great Indian soup; or simply throw in some fresh chopped herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, lavender, or parsley, and you’ve got a super French Provencal. For the best results, blend your squash soup with an immersible blender.

Pomegranates are another of my fall produce goodies favorites. Mesopotamian cuneiform records show that people have enjoyed this fruit from at least the third millennium BC, and there’s no reason to stop now. Ever versatile, the pomegranate can add a delightful kick to any number of holiday recipes. You can add the juice to marinades for chicken, duck, pork or beef; make marmalade to spread on holiday breads and corn muffins; prepare a relish to serve with lamb; twist up a dressing to serve with a hearty salad. For tons of great recipes try epicurious.com–they’re the best recipe site I know. For a an extra-good time, heat up some Big B’s unpasteurized apple cider with cloves, cinnamon and pomegranate juice.

Sometimes the best recipes rely on produce most of us pass by. I’m talking about roots, here. Sure, everyone knows how great sweet potatoes are, but in my opinion Parsnips don’t get near the attention they deserve. Parsnips can add a distinctive flavor to almost any soup recipe. They can be roasted with carrots for a delicious side. You can boil and mash them with potatoes, add them to stuffing; the possibilities go on and on. Another delicious fall root is the rutabaga. Rutabagas are colorful turnips with a wonderful sweetness teased out by roasting. I like to make a pomegranate juice, honey and holiday spice glaze, and roast my rutabagas with carrots.

Aw geez, my mouth’s starting to water. Before I wrap this holiday flavor primer, I’d like to point out that citrus season is just around the corner. Look to the COOP for all the best organic citruses, including for holiday recipes, like key limes, blood oranges, and Meyer lemons. I hope I got you thinking about new ways to celebrate the holiday eating season. Just make sure you use fresh, organically grown produce from the COOP, because it tastes better. And when you start with the highest quality ingredients, it’s hard to go wrong.

Peace,

Phil