Thursday, August 28, 2008

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Fall

Aside from today's 90+ degree temperatures, several key changes are upon us...shorter days, a noticeably earlier twilight (before Ella's bedtime!), cooler evenings in general, and a garden producing crazy quantities of delicious foods. Oh, and the stack of fruit boxes piling up, begging for processing. Drew bought a lug of peaches last weekend, and we've been gorging on the sweet, juicy, "slurpy", delicious orange fruits ever since, and a handful met their maker as peach jam this morning. Our neighbor gave us a box of fresh, ripe Gravenstein apples, the first apple to ripen around these parts, last week, and I plan on making applesauce soon. Another neighbor called this morning to say, "Come get pears, they are starting to get ripe, and they won't wait long!" Pear butter will be their fate. And our CSA farm called to say they will have our share of pickling cucumbers this week too, so we'll make quick pickles to add to our lunchtime favorite, salmon fish salad.

As I speak, Drew is working on some salsa fresca. Here's our favorite method for making it. Note: quantities and ratios are relative and vary depending on what we have!

SALSA FRESCA

A few pounds ripe red tomatoes
Several sweet peppers
1 Hot Pepper of your liking
A handful or two of tomatillos
1 onion
Fresh cilantro
Lemon Juice
Garlic (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Turn on your gas burner, and sear the peppers on all sides until blackened. Place in a paper bag to steam. When cooled a little, rub the blackened skin off and top and seed. Place the roasted peppers, onion, and tomatillos, and garlic in your food processor, and puree until very finely ground. Transfer to a bowl. Put your tomatoes in your food processor, and pulse until chopped but not demolished. Add to the other mixture. Season to taste with cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Eat with lots of chips, or on burritos, scrambled eggs, zucchini pancakes, or ... you get the idea.

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