The other day, when the temperature reached 90 º F. and I’d worked in the garden for several hours, I had no interest in cooking anything. Plus, I couldn’t think of anything in the house I’d be interested in consuming except some organic “fudgcicle” type frozen treats.
Having removed most of the non-productive tomato limbs and dug up all the potatoes I could find to dig, my own words rang in my ears; “eat what you have” , “grow what you can”, “cook using seasonal ingredients”.
I was too tired and (frankly) lazy to head to the store. Moreover, I’m not one to hop over to the nearest New Seasons Market inspired to chow down on a plate of store bought vegetables from the produce shelves. Truth is, few of those colorful edibles have been picked today, let alone this week, and the older the veggie the poorer the taste. If you shop at traditional markets, that food is even older and longer traveled. Old potatoes sometimes have a dirty taste or are mealy. Old carrots are often a bit bitter and dense. And we all know about tomatoes. North Westerners who eat them in the winter (from who knows where) will never experience the treat juicy red, sweet nutritious treat we currently have growing locally. Besides, winter tomatoes shipped in from wherever, are a waste of money for an old, inferior and less nutritious product.
Examining my kitchen prep table covered with a variety of tomatoes I’d just picked (small round lunchbox sized, giant slicers and a meaty paste variety) I knew what I must do and what I really longed to eat. After pulling up four plump Chantenay carrots from the ground, I went to the cellar for two perfect round white potatoes. These were washed and steamed. I peeled a giant tomato (removing the chewy skin) and sliced it onto my plate with a sprinkling of Kosher salt and fresh oregano. The steamed carrots and potatoes got a light drizzle of real butter, some salt, freshly ground pepper and minced fresh tarragon and chives, respectively. That, along with some locally produced cottage cheese, was my dinner. And I never imagined how delicious a plate of very fresh, simply prepared veggies could be. It was heaven.
Now, you may not have a garden from which you can dig or pluck or pull your dinner. But there are lots of Farmer’s markets in Portland and they’re in operation nearly everyday of the week.
Each Wednesday morning, I head down to the little market in Shemansky Park – in the Portland Park blocks. That’s where my CSA (community supported agriculture) share, from Sungold Farm, is ready for pick-up. There is also a Farmer’s market in West Moreland on Wednesday afternoons, within walking distance of my house. You’ll find one in just about any neighborhood and any day of the week.
Speaking of CSA shares, you can purchase them big or small. You’ll be amazed at how creative you’ll get when you open a bag filled with three pounds of green beans, four onions, a giant cabbage, two pints of tomatoes and some basil. It varies from week to week, and I think it makes meal preparation easier. You don’t have to decide what to make for dinner; you just need to determine how you’ll prepare what you have. That’s what the pioneers did. For down home, old fashioned ideas check out the books by Barbara Swell; “Old-Time Farmhouse Cooking” and “Secrets of The Great Old-Timey Cooks”. They’re, small soft cover books, filled with wonderful old pictures, recipes and folk lore.
For online help with your creativity, go to Allrecipes.com. It’s one of my go to websites for inspiration. The recipes are rated and critiqued for easier decision making. Other sites include Elanaspantry.com for gluten-free recipes and for local ideas, you’ll want to look over my blog, seasonalhomegourmet.com.
Another approach to enhance creativity is gleaning recipes from magazines like Organic Gardening and Vegetarian Times. You can subscribe or access these periodicals at the local library. I tried a magazine recipe for a minted fava bean salad, the other day, and it was easy and delicious.
Well, I have to go to the Farmer’s Market now. When I get home, I’ll work on my winter garden. Have a great day.
To use up some of your extra garden or CSA zucchini, try the delicious recipe below. It comes from the 1976 Wilderness House Cookbook, “Zucchini Cookery”, written by Virg and Jo Lemley of Cave Junction Oregon.
I’ve been unable to find the Lemleys or a website for Wilderness House. It’s been a long time since this was written, so the restaurant may no longer exist. However, this is the best and healthiest zucchini bread I’ve ever baked. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Wilderness House Zucchini Bread
Mix in a bowl:
3 large eggs – beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups brown sugar*
2 cups ground zucchini (including skin)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
Combine in a separate bowl:
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well. Pour into two 5” x 8” oiled loaf pans.
For aesthetics, sprinkle the ½ cup of nuts in the recipe on top instead of mixing them in the batter. If desired, additional chopped nuts may be sprinkled on the top of the loaves before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 60 – 70 minutes.
Yields 2 loaves
*To make this zucchini bread with honey instead of sugar, replace brown sugar with 1 ½ cups of honey and decrease the oil to ¾ cup.
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