FEAST! A Checklist for Seasonal Eating (Part 1)

You can teach a man to fish or grow a garden, but if he doesn't know how to cook, he'll still starve. One tragic side-effect of grocery stores piled with the same bland produce all year is that many Americans have lost their awareness of the seasonality of food. This knowledge is rapidly returning in communities like Vermont, where many CSAs, farmers markets and restaurants buy from local farms and producers - and occasionally the seasonal trend even gets a bit stuffy (I mean how many times can one eat butternut squash bisque in October?!) That being said, by getting a little creative and taking advantage of local ingredients at their peak of quality and freshness, I have found a deeper connection with nature and the myriad ways it can nourish and satisfy through the seasons.

Here are a few ways to make the most of this time of year:

Preserve your herbs. Herbs are among the simplest crops to preserve - just hang them to dry in bundles, make herb salt, or chop and freeze in ice cube trays with a little oil. If you want to keep the fresh-herb goodness around a few months longer, dig up your basil, rosemary and parsley and plant them in a big pot near a south-facing window, using a spray bottle or a tray of stones placed below to keep the humidity up. Just be sure to harvest or dig the plants before they're damaged by frost! 

Make fried green tomatoes (and freeze any extras). This southern favorite is just as suitable for northern folks when the cooler weather arrives and tomatoes must be harvested, ripe or not. You can finish ripening the almost-there ones on a windowsill, but if you've still got more than you can handle eating now, slice and bread the extras with egg, salt and fine cornmeal (but don't fry!), place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Bags of frozen breaded tomatoes can be pulled from the freezer and fried up for quick and satisfying meals later on.

Magic Soup Starter

Mix up some sauerkraut. Harness the amazing powers of fermentation to a bucketload of chopped cabbage, and you get delicious, immune-defending sauerkraut for way cheaper than the store-bought stuff. It's easy to do with buckets or crocks (if you have them), can be done in a weekend afternoon, perfectly satisfies those weird winter cravings for sour things, and the vitamin and probiotic content help keep you and your gut flora healthy. Also try Katie Spring's Magic Soup Starter for a salt-preserved alternative to vegetable stock!

Bring in tender plants. If you're a plant collector like me, then chances are you have some maybe-not-quite-hardy plants that have been enjoying the summer outside (I'm looking at lemongrass, colocasias and the bizarre cone-shaped orostachys in my garden). I know these aren't all food plants, but having houseplants definitely improves winter air quality (and quality of life).

Pick apples & fall raspberries. There are few headier experiences than picking your own fruit - the long light, crisp air and very act of hunting for the fragrant treasures combine to produce a unique sort of euphoria that Adam Leith Gollner, author of The Fruit Hunters, describes as "the realm of the sublime." Apples can be kept in the fridge for months as long as they're separated from all other veggies (they give off a ripening gas that causes spoilage). You can also rent a cider press, dry them in rings, or make pie and applesauce. Raspberries, on the other hand, start to spoil almost immediately - bake with them or eat them fresh, then freeze the rest on baking trays and place in freezer bags once they're solid.

Seed garlic (L), eating garlic (R)

Order and plant garlic. If you haven't ordered garlic yet, this is the time to do it! Most seed garlic sells out by early October, and if there are specific varieties you want, it's extra important to order before they sell out. My hands-down favorite variety is Music, thanks to its giant cloves and ease of peeling. You don't need to plant for a while yet - mid-October is common - so you still have plenty of time to plan and prepare your garlic bed. When the time comes, select the largest heads and split up the cloves just prior to planting. While I generally do not advocate the use of black plastic mulch, this is the one scenario where I do.  Garlic has a very long season (you'll be harvesting in June of next year) and it's nearly impossible to keep weeds from taking over without it.

Make magical stuffed squash. The things I most look forward to about fall are mulled cider and stuffed squash. Mulled cider is just mulling spices simmered with cider - but the possibilities for stuffed squash are endless, keeping this nourishing and long-storing vegetable interesting for months. Here's my formula for an absolutely delicious and fool-proof meal: 

BAKE whole, seeded dumpling, kuri, buttercup or acorn squash on a sheet pan, face down, until flesh is soft throughout.
COOK grain (such as farro, wild rice or another slightly chewy grain) with dried mushrooms or vegetable stock (removing whole mushrooms when done).
FILL squash with alternating layers of cooked grain, grated cheese, chopped greens (kale or spinach), herbs, nuts (such as toasted walnuts or pepitas) and dried fruits (such as cranberries, raisins or figs), topping with cheese to close.
BAKE for 15 more minutes & serve!