Keats had it right. I’m like the bees, “…think[ing] warm days shall never cease…” and listening for Autumn’s music, though the music of summer and spring is so much more inspiring. Still. Let’s take a look at some of the loveliness as summer slips away.
My CSA share comes to an end in a few weeks. Saturday the old tobacco barn, now used as a farm stand, was filled with bunches of garlic drying. The tomatoes may lack the sweetness that burst out of them in late July, but Autumn’s bounty brings warmth and depth of flavor. I’m especially excited to cook squash again–here is my favorite butternut squash galette recipe, and my go-to butternut squash soup.
I did no canning this summer, but I’ve been freezing leeks, fresh sauce, and garlic scapes, which means there will be a little taste of sun and earth and rain in this winter’s meals. In another week or two, I’ll buy up all the butternut squash I can handle and spend an afternoon peeling and chopping and freezing it. I want late Autumn and Winter me to think fondly of Summer and early Autumn me!
Even better than the terrific foods that Autumn brings is the return of my knitting fun! I spent most of the summer crocheting motifs for a linen shawl. With Rhinebeck around the corner, it was time to pull out a languishing WIP and get the wool turned into sleeves! The first arm of the sweater is about elbow length as of this morning. I don’t like pushing sleeves up to keep them from getting in the way, so I will only knit to just above wrist length.
I started this in 2012. I know. I told you it was languishing. But this is the year I wear it to Rhinebeck. I just know it is.
What has Autumn got you excited about? Are you trying any new recipes? Starting any new projects?
The foods of autumn are some of my favorites. The freezer is full of roasted tomato sauce, my pantry full of garlic and onions (a few potatoes, too). Now I’m going to spend the rest of the season enjoying the beauty of the leaves. How nice to have a sweater ready for the big event!
Those recipes sound delish! You’re inspiring me to visit one of my favorite local farmers soon. Your sweater looks beautiful–surely the perfect thing to wear to Rhinebeck! Hope you’ll consider posting pix and comments from there for the rest of us who can’t make it.
You know if you finish that sweater in time for Rhinebeck that it will then be too warm to wear it, right? That’s just the way the universe works.
My girls and I were just talking about how it’s time to get a nice big Hubbard squash to cook and freeze so we have plenty of fresh pumpkin for pies, breads, soups, etc all winter long.
That Rhinebeck sweater is going to be a beauty.
I have a bumper crop of leeks, but I haver frozen them. Do you blanch them?
Although I’m fighting wearing “real shoes” and socks, I am quite eager to begin cooking more hearty fare again!