Tea, a cookie and a delicious book

This is the time of year in Vermont when the going gets tough, so the tough get reading.

Yes, cooking is wonderful with the heat and aromas from the stove warming the kitchen. But it is also warm and wonderful to curl up with a cup of steaming tea, a sugar cookie and a good book, especially if it centers around food. So “Fork on the Road” readers meet my other passion “The Book Jam“, a blog I write with fellow book lover and good friend Lisa Christie. The post that follows was published on The Book Jam on January 17, 2012  and reviews two of my favorite recent foodie novels. I just couldn’t resist “reserving” them to you here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reprinted from The Book Jam, January 17, 2012

Brrrr. Baby, it’s cold outside. No matter. These frigid temperatures make it all the better to cozy up with a book. In bed. Under a pile of blankets. Wearing very thick socks. Mittens, however, are no good, as they would get in the way of turning the pages.

So if these below zero temperatures make you hungry as you struggle to keep your body temperature at 98.6, then we have a couple of titles to fill you up. The best news of all is that they are both calorie free.
White  Truffles in Winter by N. M. Kelby (2011). Luscious. If you could never read the words truffle, champagne, lavender honeyand fois gras enough, then add this novel to your list.

In this appetizing story, author Kelby imagines the last days of the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935). It’s clear that she’s thoroughly researched and included many details from his illustrious career (Escoffier was the designer of the Titanic’s menus, one of  Sarah Bernhardt’s lovers, a business partner of the hotelier Cesar Ritz, the creator of the modern restaurant kitchen layout, and the designer of such immortal recipes as “Peach Melba” and “Cherries Jubilee”). But this talented writer pushes further and imagines that which “is left unsaid,” believing it to be the most interesting part of  any life.

The first pages unfold with Escoffier’s ailing wife, Delphine, wishing for him to create a dish of her very own. Though they have been married for decades, he has never named one after her. They are both dying and it is in their family kitchen that a lifetime of love is explored, remembered, savored, and interpreted for the first time.

This is more than just a book for food lovers. It’s a sensuous, poetic story that brings details from this era of history to life so that readers can truly taste it.

The Hundred Foot Journey (2010) by Richard C. Morais. How did I miss this toothsome treasure when it was first published? Some reviewers have described it as Bollywood meets “Ratatouille.” That’s fitting as this fictional story chronicles the development of a talented chef from his boyhood in India through a brief adolescence in England to a full-fledged culinary career in France. But there is more to it than that.

The main character, Hassan, rises above cultural prejudices, crippling accidents, and jealous competitors to shine in his art despite a cut-throat working environment. Culinary enthusiasts will savor the descriptions of oysters (who knew they could be so tricky?!), French kitchens and country markets. Francophiles will love reading about the Alps and villages of the Jura. But the story really shines once Hassan reaches Paris, the pinnacle of all things epicurean. As a former senior editor at Forbes magazine, author Morais keeps the story moving while seamlessly explaining the fiscal realities, risks, and politics involved in running a multi-million dollar restaurant. This book is an education in flavor, talent, and another tantalizing take on the history of fine dining. Read it and eat!

Mushrooms in a late afternoon light

Some thoughts from Monday night:

I have a favorite pot. It’s green enamelled cast iron and chimes like a dinner bell when I clang it on the side with a spoon. I just love this sound because it means soup or stew is simmering away and that it’s almost time to get out a bowl. It also brings back memories and reminds me to be grateful.

This pot has cooked soft food for little babies, made batches of chili for sleepover parties, and whipped up daubes for more grown-up dinner guests. It brings lots of flavor and comfort into our lives. Plus, it’s the perfect size. It always makes just enough.

If I had to leave my house in a hurry – say the river below us flooded, or a wildfire was sweeping though the woods up on the hill – I’d take it with me, like a trusty pioneer woman. I’d carry it under one arm, my kids, cats and dog under the other. Then I’d holler for my husband and leave everything else behind. Well, maybe I’d call for a ladle, too.

One afternoon my pot fell out of the back of the car because I’d unknowingly left the hatch open (oops!). It bounced out onto the asphalt and rolled off into the tall grass on the side of the road, all without me realizing it. I came back later that night with a flashlight and walked up and down the sides of that town highway, searching for it, calling for it like a lost pet. When I finally found it, overturned and emptied of its contents, there was just one little nick out of its shiny green enamel. I picked it up and kissed it. Do other people have items in their kitchen that elicit such strong feelings of attachment? I really wonder.

Favorite pot, favorite mushroom soup

Right now, it’s all in one piece and bubbling with a delicious mushroom soup. The aroma of fresh thyme and the earthy scent of the mushrooms are permeating the kitchen, filling it with the smells of a forest. At the end of this especially cold Vermont winter’s day, I’m grateful to have my family, the animals, and a pot full of one of my very favorite winter vegetable soups on the stove. I think this is the true meaning of delicious: we’re all in one piece, in one place and enough dinner is heating in a trusty pot.

A trail of herbs on the cutting board

“Winter Thyme” Mushroom Soup with Dilly Yogurt

This is an immensely flavorful soup full of fresh mushrooms and thyme. It’s simple to prepare on a weekenight and is quickly dressed up with a silky dollop of dilly yogurt. There are only a handful of ingredients and the technique is basic. Nothing fancy, just the grounding smell of mushrooms wafting about as you stir and simmer them in broth. It’s also relatively low fat with a mere three tablespoons of olive oil and a cup of low-fat milk. We make many batches in our kitchen every January. It just tastes right at this time of year. Serves 6

For the soup:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium shallots, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, wiped and sliced, keep on those stems! (you can use all white button mushrooms or mix in a half of a pound of a more exotic variety if you like. Sometimes I use “Italian Brown”)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (you may 1 teaspoon of dried thyme if you’re in a pinch – I’ve done it before)

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sherry

5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (I use Better Than Bouillon brand)

1 cup lowfat milk

salt and pepper to taste

For the Dilly Yogurt Garnish:

1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

a pinch of salt

Place your (favorite!) soup pot over medium heat and warm the olive oil.

Add the shallots and onions and cook, stirring often until they are soft (but not browning), about 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and increase the heat a little so that the mushrooms start to release their liquid. Cook the mixture for about five more minutes, being mindful that the ingredients don’t stick to the pot. A little browning is OK but burning isn’t.

When the mushrooms have softened and started to release their juices, add the flour and blend it in, stirring for about 1 minute. Then pour in the sherry and sprinkle in the thyme. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, for about 3 more minutes.

Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until it is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. While the soup is cooking, combine the ingredients for the dilly yogurt in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the soup has thickened slightly, using a hand blender or a food processor, puree until it is the desired consistency (I like to make sure to leave bits and pieces of mushrooms visible in the broth). Now stir in the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of dilly yogurt.

My daughter and I just spent a delectable Saturday “eating up” the Met – the art, the culture and four thousand years plus one day’s worth of world food. We started out with a freshly baked snack at the American Wing Cafe – and returned there many times throughout our visit using it as a sort of “home base” – before exploring several millenniums worth of culinary related objects throughout the museum.

So what was on the menu?  Below, in twelve photos, is a quick but comprehensive tour of food at the Met from 2000 BC – December 16, 2011.

A locally inspired muffin from the American Wing Cafe makes a nice treat before setting out.

And wouldn't they look lovely served on this Portuguese platter gilded and embossed in silver circa 1500?

Would you like some 400-year-old salt with that? A salt-cellar from the 17th century.

Or perhaps just another snack before heading off to see the French masters? What the heck is a "blistered pepper"anyway? Ouch!

But wait! Can I tempt you with a picnic in the Egyptian wing replete with 4,000 year old raisins, dates and bread...

...Followed by a 19th century tea party at the Richmond House in Virginia?

Museum-going is such hard work. I think we need a cranberry pumpkin yogurt parfait back at the cafe.

Before leaving let's take a moment to celebrate the grape harvest and the ecstasy of performance with this lyrical nude sculpted by Harriet Frishmuth in 1924 (grape-vine stretches from finger tip to finger tip). Cafe seating is in the background.

And you'll need some goblets to help with that bacchanal celebration! How about these from the Byzantine Empire fashioned around 700AD?

Don't forget to exit through the gift shop for some Charles Comfort Tiffany inspired mugs or water bottles.

And wouldn't this inspired arrangement from the Met's lobby look lovely on your holiday dinner table? Simply forage for hydrangeas, magnolia and winterberry (with some help from Martha Stewart).

The perfect way to end a visit to the Met is with a Double Chocolate Mocha Cupcake-to-go from Cake & Shake, the mobile food vendor right outside of the museum.

It snowed here last week. The kids were hoping for a day off from school but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Happily, though, the tone is set for a white holiday. Just outside my window the branches are now dressed in white!

I thought I’d share some of the books, films, and bibelots that are on my mind right now, some year-end favorites, if you will. And that’s one of them, actually, the word “bibelot.” It means “a small, decorative ornament or trinket.” Isn’t is lovely little term?

Here are a few more:

• Yoga Cookie Cutters. Don’t get any, Wendy, they’re on the way! Oh, and ohm.

• Lemon Lavender White Chocolate Bark with Tamari Roasted Almonds from The Daily Chocolate in Vergennes, Vermont. I tasted this tantalizing blend on a visit earlier this month. And I’m not even a white chocolate lover. But one bite of this converted me.

• The French Cat. A coffee table book that will make your kitty lover purr…in French.

• A Book about 813 Dishes. A gorgeous history of the table.

• These Cookie Scoops at King Arthur Flour. “Scoop, flick and bake.” You’ll bake more cookies if you have one. Believe me, I know…

• Cairo Time. A 2009 inde film that had me weeping. Unexpected. Gorgeous. Romantic. Not a lot of food scenes, but they do drink a lot of lovely looking raspberry colored tea.

• Wallace and Sewell Scarves. Just to ogle the colors is enough. Almost good enough to eat – these women weavers are magicians with colors.

• This Woman’s Food Job. Is she hiring… somewhere on the coast of Maine?

• This Woman’s Idea. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Compost Girl near you?

• The Awesome Foundation. Seriously. That’s what it’s called. And they have “awesome food” grants, too.

Hope these bibelots inspire and nourish you during this busy time.

A tasty little mouthful.

These pecan tassies win my award for “Cutest, Teensy Tiny Baked Good in A Home Kitchen.” You may take a look and think the ingredients a tad bit, um, buttery but just remember that this recipe produces forty-eight bite sized gems. That’s a lot of dessert mileage! You’re practically making two whole pecan pies worth of treats but with tassies, the pleasure is divided, managed, and perfectly apportioned. This makes them an ideal candidate for eating and also for gift giving. Just pop four or five in a shiny gift bag from King Arthur Flour and you’ll have a lovely hostess or teacher gift.

I’m enclosing lots of pictures in this post to walk you through the steps of making these little guys, not because they’re hard but so that you don’t lose confidence at any point along the way. Sometimes that happens to me if I’m all alone in the kitchen and questions come up.

And, I just have to share the culinary history of pecan tassies. I have a soft spot in my heart (“And that’s not the only place ,”she says pointing to her tummy!) for them because it seems there’s a French connection here. Apparently, once upon a time in the 13th century, the French and Scots formed a political and military alliance that lasted nearly four centuries (known as The Auld Alliance). During this era, the cultures influenced each other in a variety of ways including – bien sur – in the kitchen. French speakers reading along may have already realized that “tas” is the word for cup in that language. Apparently, the Scots adopted the term and the technique into their baking, making “cup” – or “tassie” sized treats – with nuts.

Et voila! There you have it: a treat and a tale, of sorts. From France, to Scotland and now Vermont. I hope these delectable, delicate tassies find their way into your holiday kitchen.

Use a pizza cutter to divide your dough into evenly sized pieces

The pecan filling will be thick.

'Tis the season for tassies, yes?

Teensy Tiny Pecan Tassies

I found this recipe several years ago in a teensy, tiny cookbook on a friend’s kitchen shelf. I was drawn to it for its simplicity and because the word tassie seemed so delicate, making me think of fairies. But now, for the life of me, I can’t remember the title of the book and I didn’t write it down. If anyone recognizes its source, please let me know. I’ve made it many times and have been asked for the recipe and I’m happy to share it here. The ingredients list is correct! It may seem like the dough is thin when you press it into the miniature muffin tins but do your best to make it fill all 48. This will yield a delicate crust in the end. If you cut back on the yield, and make less tassies, it will work but the tassies will be a bit heavier. The addition of the cream cheese makes the dough pliable and easy to mold.

Prep time: 45 minutes

Yield: 48 tarts

For the Crust:

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups flour

For the Filling:

1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)

1 cup sugar (I use white but brown could be lovely)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup chopped dates

1 tablespoon vanilla

To make the tassies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the crust. Mix until well-blended. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, then separate each part into 12 balls, all the same size. Place the balls in the 2-inch sections of 4 ungreased miniature muffin tins. Using your thumb and forefinger, press each ball into its cup, working the dough evenly up the sides to the rim.

Cream the remaining 1/2 cup butter with the sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients for the filling and mix well. Divide among the unbaked shells, filling each completely.

Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Cool on racks before removing the tarts from their tins. When serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

These will keep for several days and freeze well. Also great for tea snacks!

I don’t understand why our nation insists on refering to the day after Thanksgiving as “Black Friday.” We’re so missing the point!

After a Thursday spent feasting on juicy roasted turkeys and platter upon dish of autumnal vegetable trimmings, there are bound to be leftovers. Lots of them. Instead of focusing next on all of the retail deals to be had (talk about indigestion), I’m here to make a plug for renaming the day and for focusing on its real meaning: food. Friday, with all of it’s carefully packaged leftovers -containers of silky creamed spinach, spoonfuls of herbed stuffing, slices of custardy pumpking pie, and hunks of  turkey just waiting to be made into the most delectable sandwich ever – should clearly be called “Leftover Friday.”

To help start the renaming movement , this short but sweet (and savory) blog post includes my favorite recipe for apple pear chutney which is perfect for “Leftover Friday.” We use it to dress up our turkey sandwiches which I think really makes them stand out from the crowd. But it’s also a refreshing garnish for Indian food and a tasty accompanyment to cheese and crackers (everything from cheddar to goat to brie). So move over cranberry sauce, make way for chutney and for a Friday that has everything to do with food, as it should.

Grilled Turkey and Swiss Sandwiches with Apple, Pear and Ginger Chutney

If you’ve never tasted or made chutney, don’t be put off. It’s just a condiment, like cranberry sauce or relish, that typically contains fruit, vinegar and sugar (vinegar to sugar in a 1:1 ratio). When people hear the word “chutney” the first thing that comes to mind might be mango chutney. It’s certainly the most “popular” variation and is often marketed on supermarket shelves. But many fruits work well and in Vermont apples and pears are abundant which certainly explains why I gravitate towards this combination. This recipe is easy peasy – just chop up your ginger and dice your apples and pears and you’re almost there. This “one-pot” recipe comes from Laura Washburn’s delightful little gem , Cooking with Apples and Pears. I’ve omitted the hot pepper flakes she calls for as I know that wouldn’t be popular chez moi.

Apple, Pear and Ginger Chutney

3 eating apples such as Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and diced

2 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced

1 large white onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

3/4 cups golden raisins or raisins

5oz piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Makes 4 to 5 cups

In a large, non-reactive saucepan, combine the apples, pears, onion, vinegar, sugar, golden raisins, ginger, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30-40 minutes.

Transfer the chutney to a spotlessly clean and dry sealable, airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Grilled Turkey and Swiss Sandwiches with Apple, Pear and Ginger Chutney

Serves 4

8 slices sourdough bread or wheat bread

8 ounces (leftover!!) turkey

6 ounces Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

4-8 tablespoons Apple, Pear, and Ginger Chutney (according to taste)

1/4 small red onion, sliced paper thin (optional)

Olive oil or butter for brushing the bread

Arrange four slices of bread  on a work surface and spread each with 1 tablespoon of chutney (or more for enthusiastic chutney lovers). Top with turkey, onions (optional) and Swiss. Top with the remaining slices of bread. Brush the outside of each sandwich lightly with the oil or butter.

Heat a heavy nonstick skillet or sandwich press over medium high heat and add the sandwiches, working in batches, if needed. Lower the heat to medium-low, browning the sandwiches slowly, until lightly crisped on the outside and the cheese begins to melt (I love this part!). Turn over and repeat on the second side.

Serve each sandwich cut into halves or quarters.

This post is a “shout out” across the web to Alexandra of the blog Alexandra’s Kitchen to thank her for sharing such a fantastic recipe. I ran across it while searching for guidance on making a tart with the jewel-colored beets I’d just hunted and gathered at the (ongoing, through the winter!) Norwich Farmer’s Market. Who says you can’t get good local produce in Vermont once the weather turns colder?

Anyway, even if you can’t find beets quite as sunset orange or deep pinky red as those from Your Farm in Fairlee, Vermont you shouldn’t be deterred from baking this savory show stopper. Go out and forage for some of your own local beets right now, they’re everywhere. This tart fits right in at an elegant autumnal brunch or on a Thanksgiving table, especially if you’re looking to cook some less meat-centered dishes this holiday season. And it just looks so darn pretty. Amber-flecked hunks of goat cheese and heat-kissed walnuts speak to the somewhat muted season outdoors while the beets add a surprising, colorful sense of cheer to plates inside. A little parsley sprinkled on top makes it very artistic and appetizing.

And don’t forget to make your own crust! It’s my annual plea to those of you who might be tempted to go out and buy something factory made. Please, please consider covering your fingers with a little soft, powdery flour and some cool, squishy butter. It’s really fun and a zillion times tastier than something you’ll find in a store. A little practice at making your own crust and you’ll soon feel like you should be opening your own bakery. And the first thing on the menu would be these tarts.

Beet, Walnut and Goat Cheese Tart

The recipe I’m sharing with you from Alexandra’s Kitchen suggests using buttermilk instead of cream. I tried it and highly recommend it – this is a fantastic alternative as it cuts calories dramatically without affecting flavor. Some of you might stop reading right here thinking, “Oh, I don’t have any buttermilk in the fridge” or “I’m not going to go out and buy  a quart of buttermilk if I only need a cup for a recipe.” But I’m here to tell you that you already have buttermilk on hand! You can make your own in five minutes with ingredients you have in your kitchen by taking one cup of milk (whole milk works best but I have used 2%) and adding either a tablespoon of vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar) or a tablespoon of lemon juice  to it. Voila! After five minutes, you’ll notice the milk has thickened. That means it’s ready to use in your recipe.

So, to recap: 1 cup milk + 1 TBS vinegar or lemon juice + 5 minutes = Buttermilk!

Oh, and the recipe below calls for roasting the beets. I got lazy and just boiled mine until they were soft, peeled of the skin and cut them into bite-sized cubes. The rest of what you read, from here on out, is from Alexandra’s Kitchen.

Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnut Tart (from Alexandra’s Kitchen)

Source: Gordon Hamersley via Cookstr
Note: Below is a simplified version of the recipe. Find the original here.
Serves 4 to 6

1 recipe tart dough, shaped and blind baked
Yield: 12 ounces, enough for one 10-inch tart or 6 individual tarts

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and well chilled
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Quickly cut the butter into the flour, using a pastry blender or the back of a fork, until the butter pieces are the size of large peas. (Alternatively, cut the butter into the flour by pulsing it 8 to 10 times in a food processor, being careful not to overheat and overmix the butter.)

2. Add the ice water. Using just your fingertips and working quickly, combine the flour mixture and the water. Work just until the water is absorbed. The dough will be ragged but should hold together when you squeeze it. If it seems dry, sprinkle on a few more drops of water. (I had to add a few more tablespoons of water.)

3. Gather the dough up into a ball — it’s fine if the dough does not come together completely at this time. Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap, flatten it a bit, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a half hour before rolling. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough, well wrapped; allow it to defrost for a day in the refrigerator before using it.

4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Roll the dough into a large circle — large enough to overlap whatever sized tart pan you are using. Press the dough into the corners and into the sides of the tart pan. Trim off any excess dough. Line the tart with plastic wrap and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Fold plastic up and over to expose the crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove beans from tart.

Meanwhile Prepare the Tart.
Note: This recipe has been slightly modified from the original, which can be found here.

2 to 3 small beets (Note: Since you are roasting beets, you may as well roast a few more. When assembling the tart, I used about 2 heaping cups of diced beets)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry white wine (or Sherry or Madeira — whatever you have on hand.)
1 recipe tart dough (above)
3 large eggs
¾ cup heavy cream (I used buttermilk)
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (I used less. Add according to taste/preference.)
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used less. Add according to taste/preference.)
1 tablespoon walnut oil (Optional — I did not use.)
About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Wash the beets. Place the beets in a small ovenproof pan (like a brownie pan or a pie plate.) Add water to reach 1/8-inch up the sides. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 45 minutes.

2. Allow the beets to cool. (Or not). Rub the skins off of the beets with your fingers, then dice the beets into small cubes. (Be careful, as beet juice can stain counters, towels, and even your hands; you may want to wear gloves for this step.)

3. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with a little salt, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onion is just tender, about 7 minutes. Add the alcohol and cook for another minute, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. (Note: I caramelized my onions a bit more — cooked them slowly for about 25 minutes.)

4. Heat the oven to 350°F. Add the beets and onions to the blind-baked tart shell. (Note: I added the walnuts at this step as well, but Hamersley adds them after the tart has already baked for 20 minutes. Your call.)

5. Whisk together the eggs and cream (or buttermilk), season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and carefully pour over the beets and onion, letting the mixture seep evenly into the beets. Dot the goat cheese all over the top of the tart. Put the tart on a baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the tart and drizzle the walnut oil over it, if using. Return the tart to the oven and bake until just set, an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the tart with the chopped parsley and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Final Notes: If you can roast the beets ahead of time and prepare the tart shell (or make the tart dough) in advance, this tart can be assembled in no time.

Nearly everyday our dog Pompy and I take a liesurely stroll along the dirt roads and cornfields in our neighborhood. It’s a nice ritual. Being a Border Collie, Pompy thrives on this much-needed exercise and loves being able to herd the the cows that graze in one of the nearby pastures. He runs along the electric fence fiercely hopping and barking at these big, black creatures that most certaininly are not sheep but will do in a pinch. They just look at him calmly and cooly, chewing their cud and probably wondering what this forty pound dog thinks he possibly could have on their half-ton girth.

I on the other hand am not much into herding but I like the zen of  walking and the familiarity of our route.  I enjoy watching how the blue of the sky changes from day to day, seeing the tracks animals leave behind, and observing the varying rocky, muddy shoreline of the dam-controlled Ompompanoosuc River. It is deeply calming to walk this same route because I always notice something different.

Yesterday I  marvelled at pumpkins dotting the landscape – some big enough to win constests, some small enough to carry on a bike – and had fun kicking the crisp leaves out of my way as I strolled. Something about that whooshing, rustling sound reminds me of being a kid all puffed up in a sweater and zipped into a windbreaker heading home after school for a cup of tea. So as it inevitably will, my mind moved to food. I started imagining what I could eat and drink when I got home from this walk. Yes, a cup of tea would be perfect. But what else? Maybe it was the autumn leaves that made me think of the glass jars of crisp oats and crunchy nuts in the pantry and of whipping them into a tray of granola bars. Whatever it was, I picked up the pace and Pompy and I headed home, me eager  for a nutty treat, him just always hungry for more.

Crunchy Homemade Granola Bars with Cranberries and Nuts

These granola bars taste absolutely fabulous (especially after a nice autumn walk) and are as easy to prepare as the recipe looks. All you need to do is gather your oats, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit, measure them, stir in a can of warmed condensed milk and bake for an hour. That’s it, really. No surprises – except how delicious they are and how quickly they disappear. My kids love them in their lunchboxes and they travel very well. The original recipe given to me by my friend Donna (as always, thank you Donna!) called for peanuts, but I prefer them without and instead rely on other mixed seeds.

Ingredients

1 396 gram can sweetened condensed milk

250 grams or 3 1/2 cups 1-minute oats (rolled oats can be used but the bars will be drier and may not cut as easily)

75 grams or  1 1/4 cups of shredded coconut

100 grams or 1 cup of sweetened, dried cranberries

250 grams or 2 1/3 cups of mixed seeds (pepitas or pumpkin seeds, unsalted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and sliced almonds)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to  130 celcius or 275 degrees farenheit. Oil a 10 x 15 inch baking sheet.

Warm the condensed milk in a small pan. Meanwhile, mix together all of the other ingredients in a medium sized bowl and add the warmed condensed milk using a wooden spoon or spatula until well stirred.

Spread the mixture in the prepared pan using your fingers or an oiled spoon or spatula.

Bake for one hour or until lightly browned, remove, let cool for 15 minutes and cut into bars. Let cool completely.

What do you most crave when the season turns towards fall? Every household has its own traditions, rhythms, flavors and favorites but for us, nothing signals that autumn has arrived like a bowl of steaming butternut squash soup. When pumpkins start appearing on doorsteps and come morning when glistening gossamer webs decorate fenceposts and dewy patches of grass, I know it’s time for me to break out the cast iron enamel pot from the back of the cupboard and to get stirring. It’s been hibernating there all summer but now it’s time for soups and sauces again and it’s got a job to do.

Maybe this particular soup seems perfect because like it, everywhere you look here in late September parts of the landscape are slowly changing to muted yellows and golds. Gone now are the vibrant greens of summer. They’ve made way for ambering maple leaves,  tawny stalks of cow corn in the fields, and flowerbeds filled with chrysanthemums in saffron hues. Even the schoolbuses buses match ths palette, a fleet of them fanning outwards from the local school every afternoon heading into increasingly tan-colored surroundings.

And of course squash and cauliflower are pretty easy to come by these days. Farmstands are bursting with them and weekends are full of festivals planned to pay hommage to these harvest vegetables. Whatever the case, whatever the season, whaterver the reason to make it, it tastes delicious. When I announced it was on the menu last night, my teenage son pumped his fist and exclaimed “Yes!” I took that as a good sign and kept stirring, feeling  glad that fall had arrived and clanging the spoon extra loud on the side of the pot, the sound and the aroma filling the kitchen with yet more signs of of the season to come.

Autumnal Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Bisque

This soup is velvety and subtle, a perfect marriage of sweet squash, mellow cauliflower and a healthy dose of shallots. It tastes very authentically French, like something you’d find at a country bistro or made by a “grandmere.” And, there’s no dairy involved in the initial cooking though when it’s pureed it looks like a bisque. Topping it with fresh herbs, a dollop of creme fraiche and a handful of candied walnuts really takes it into the realm of the sublime. Serves 6

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

4-5 large shallots, minced

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1/2 head of cauliflower, cubed

5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (or more if you desire a thinner consistency)

1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes:

Creme fraiche (sour cream will also do in a pinch)

Minced flatleaf parsley

Candied walnuts (avaialble at supermarkets and specialty stores or make your own!)

To make the soup:

Place the butter and olive oil in a medium sized pot and heat over medium until the butter is melted. Saute the shallots until they are transluscent (3 to five minutes) and then add squash and cauliflower. Stir the vegetables to coat them with the oil and butter, being careful not to let them stick to the bottom of the pot. Let the veggies saute a bit until they just begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes (again, be careful not to let them or the shallots burn). Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and soft when pricked with a fork. To puree, use a hand blender, mixing until the soup is smooth or carefully pour the hot vegetable-liquid mixture into a blender in batches until processed. Add maples syrup, salt and pepper to taste.

It’s the time of year in Vermont when things really start to pile up.

Small mountains of split wood are springing up in yards everywhere, beckoning to be stacked and harkening to the winter to come. Batons of zucchini cover countertops across the state (at least my own!) waiting to be turned into glistening relishes, ratatouilles, and sweet, green-flecked tea breads. And apples blanket the land, little red eyes looking up from the ground at passerby as if asking directions to the nearest warm stove, pie dish and foley food mill. How to cope with nature’s bounty – and quickly?!

Though I may not be able to come over to help you stack your wood and  have many apples to gather and make into applesauce myself,  I do have a wonderful recipe for a zucchini slaw to jazz up your autumn dinner plate. If you’re looking for a new, creative way to use this hearty vegetable to compliment a main dish or to dress up a sandwich, look no further than this colorful, quick and fresh tasting salad.

And good luck stacking that woodpile. I’ll send out a picture of ours when it’s done, hopefully before the snow flies!

Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Carrot and Red Pepper Slaw

I am here to tell you that I’ve discovered a brilliant new way to use the abundance of zucchini that appears at this time of year. I’ve already frozen several pounds worth of the green stuff, made tea breads, stir fries and even used it as a topping at the crepe cart. But this! This slaw is brand new to my kitchen repertoire. Thanks to chef Sara Foster for the idea. I never would have thought that zucchini would work so well in this interpretation and could taste as crisp and fresh in a slaw. Note: you may find that this recipe yields extra dressing so simply save a little for your next slaw or add more shredded veggies. The more the merrier! Serves 6 as a side dish.

For the Slaw:

2 small zucchini (about 2-2 1/2 cups), julienned or grated in a food processor

1 small yellow squash (about 1-1/2 cups), julienned or grated in a food processor

1 medium red pepper, julienned or grated in a food processor

2 cups grated matchstick carrots

6 green onions (scallions) chopped finely on the diagonal

1/4 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

pepper to taste

a generous pinch of poppy seeds

Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small jar and shake until well mixed and the sugar has dissolved. Pour the desired amount of dressing over the veggies, stir and serve immediately. Keeps well for at least several days in the refrigerator.