Sunday, November 14, 2010

Cooling Down: All Good Growing Seasons Must End

 

Sour cherry tree upside down cake fruit 028 Despite our great good fortune in the weather this year, and mine—I’ve had the benefit of two great growing seasons, one in Rhode Island and one in Nashville—it’s clearly over. I came back from a conference trip to Florida’s Gulf Coast the first week of November to nights in the 20s. First frost, indeed.

It’s a bitter-sweet time of year, this transition from the riotous plate of sunny summer to the more sedate and colorless winter board. It’s a little like the realization, on graduating from college, that you will never again have the summer off (until, of course, you realize at middle age that you could become a professor!), but at the same time are ready to move on to being a grown-up. We’ll miss the casual ease of tomatoes and basil and berries fresh from the field, but begin to crave the serious and soul-satisfying stews, soups, and breads purposefully made from a reassuringly well-stocked larder. We’re sorry to come indoors, but anticipate the holidays around the table with family, grateful to by cozy inside.

 

Farewell to another growing season, with thanks for all the bounty, much of it tucked away neatly in our freezers and cupboards. Here is the fourth annual review, in pictures, of some of this year’s seasonal production.  On Friday I leave for New York to spend Thanksgiving with my son. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         Strawberries, Flowers, Orange Puff 015Asparagus 004

Fried feast, scallops, rings, corn cheese cakes, doughnut 008 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         Red leaf and chick salad 2 

Sour cherry tree upside down cake fruit 009 Blueberry pie, bolo 003 Sour cherry tree branch

Rasp tapioca, curr, goose, cheese, rye 001 Rasp tapioca, curr, goose, cheese, rye 005 Rasp tapioca, curr, goose, cheese, rye 004

Sour cherry tree upside down cake fruit 018Sour cherry tree upside down cake fruit 010Sour cherry tree upside down cake fruit 019

    Spring rolls, shrimp, DZ cookies, tom, buck 016Campari drink and fish 002Spring rolls, shrimp, DZ cookies, tom, buck 001

 Portugues dinner, country apple cake, cottage 007   Spring rolls, shrimp, DZ cookies, tom, buck 002Spring rolls, shrimp, DZ cookies, tom, buck 003

   

   Portugues dinner, country apple cake, cottage 028Fish fry, cole slaw, nashville sky 001LC 09 mis fruit and veg 030

 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         squash, baby broc, brioche pudding, olneyville 016LC 09 mis fruit and veg 026

2 comments:

RachelD said...

A lovely calendar like this should HAVE so many months of colorful pages!

These are just a glorious spread, and your treatment by photo and kitchen, of what comes into your capable hands---contemplative and magical in all senses.

Have a wonderful trip and a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I hope you'll post details, and I'll just BET there's a something special tucked into your luggage, as my Mother once arrived with a big round of cornbread in her suitcase.

Jane said...

Yes, a few items to be brought in the luggage--how did you guess? Enjoy your own surely wonderful feast.