Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Breaking Into The Winter Stores


As a gardener I like to stretch the harvest as long as possible. I like to have something fresh from the garden all the time. No small feat in Chicago. This year I grew some things that could be stored for the long haul, into the winter. This last weekend I decided to break into the winter stores for a little boost of mood. What did I break into? The onions? the ristra? No, I broke out a Crookneck Squash.


It looked great three months in. It smelled great. But what to do with it? I decided to break into the winter stores again, and what came out next? Sweet potatoes!
Three months in the store and it looked good, smelled good, was a tiny little bit odd on the texture.

So I roasted the squash in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme (I need to post on my successes with keeping the herbs going indoors so far this winter) and a touch of oil and brown sugar on the sweet potato. Into the oven, and, wow. A magnificent lunch on a cold day. What a joy. I would have gotten a picture, but they didn't even make it off the cookie sheet before they were eaten, still screaming hot, by an appreciative family.


2 comments:

  1. Looks great, Mike. We've got squash and sweet potatoes here, but from our CSA.


    What herbs are you growing indoors?

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  2. Congrats. One thing I can't manage to do with produce is plan to grow produce that can be stored and eaten through the winter.

    One of these days I'll get organized and add a bit of method to the madness.

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