A Reflective Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I for one am excited. Many holidays and celebrations have special foods attached to them, but Thanksgiving is a holiday about food. About the harvest specifically, and taking the time to appreciate what our farmers grow for us (or we grow ourselves). And everyone has their recipes they love, handed down from relatives and friends. So I’m not going to share my favorite Thanksgiving recipes (although I do make the best cranberry sauce), since chances are you won’t use them anyway.

But I will say this. Somewhere along the way, this holiday has transformed into a holiday of excess of calories and dishes, and that troubles me. In some ways, this display of conspicuous consumption goes hand in hand with a general trend our society, which is that amidst a shocking amount of food waste there are still hungry families in the country. Think about this: the average American wastes well over 200 pounds of food each year, even though more than 17 million American households struggle to feed themselves. Translation: one in five children in the US today struggle with hunger. And those kids are hungry even though about 40 percent of food produced in the US today does not get eaten.

There are things we can all do on both sides of this equation. We can donate food to the Arlington Food Pantry, and support organizations like Lovin’ Spoonfuls and Share Our Strength. We can applaud and ensure the government’s continuing role in providing programs like Food Stamps and school meal programs, which puts food directly on the plate of hungry people facing challenging economic times.

We can also do our part to reduce our own food waste. We can cook at home more, eat or freeze leftovers, order less at restaurants, and not be tempted to buy those five heads of pre-packaged lettuce at Costco just because they are inexpensive (but eventually two will end up in the trash). Freeze ripe fruit for smoothies. Turn stale bread into breadcrumbs. Use chicken bones to make soup.

And for Thanksgiving, we can prepare a beautiful meal with the spirit of celebration in mind, rather than opulence, and be thankful for what is on the table.

Happy Harvest.

Apples = Fall In New England

The fall is always a busy time for me, most especially because it’s an intense time for local food. The Massachusetts harvest is in full swing, and I have been feeling the pressure to pick, freeze and can as much local produce as possible before the frost sets in. I have a special shout out for this year’s raspberries. I am sheepish to admit that this is the first year I made my way to the Wright Locke Farm, just over the Arlington line in Winchester, to pick their amazing raspberries. My jam was so yummy I returned for a second day of picking.

But what is New England without apples? While I remember picking apples in Wisconsin as a kid, I connect apples with this part of the country. And not just because Johnny Appleseed was born in Leominster (check out the fascinating profile of the hard cider-making apple profligator in Michael Pollan’s The Botany of Desire). The apple orchard defines the New England landscape. For a few years I've gone to Westward Orchards in Harvard, and picked from their selection of McIntosh, Cortlands, Empires and Macouns.

It's almost impossible to pick too many apples, since they last a long time in a cool dark place. In my house, though, a half-bushel disappears in a matter of weeks. If we aren't eating them straight up in lunches, we are baking them one way or another. This year my children took charge, and each developed their own apple recipe. They are simple, but simple is best when it comes to working with fresh local produce picked at the height of the season. Both apple dishes were so yummy, we ate everything before I had a chance to snap a photo.

Perfectly Appl-y Applesauce
cooked by my son, adapted from our friend Gus

About 12 apples, preferably more than one variety
2-3 T. Brown sugar
1/2 to 1 t. Cinnamon
1/2 t. Kosher salt

Peel apples if desired, then core and slice apples into about 10 slices. While you are working, place the apples already sliced into a bowl of water with half of a lemon in it to keep apples from browning.
Drain applies and add to a saucepan.

Cook on low heat until softened, about 20 minutes. If the apples appear dry after 10 minutes or so, add about a 1/4 cup of water. Once soft, gently mash the apples with a fork or potato masher. It's okay to leave a few chunks. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and the salt. Taste, and add more sugar or cinnamon if desired. Best served warm.

This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.

Apple Crisp 
Serves 8, cooked by my daughter

About 8 apples
1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1/2 t. Kosher salt

Butter 8 6 oz. ramekins (or to kick up the adorable factor, use 8 oz. wide mouth mason jars, or an 8 x 8 pan). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, measure the butter, sugar, flour, oats, and salt. Using your hand (or a spoon if you don't like getting your hands dirty), cream ingredients together until the dry ingredients are coated by the butter.
Peel and core the apples. Cut apples into thick slices, then cut the slices into 3 bite size chunks. While you are working, place the apples already sliced into a bowl of water with half of a lemon in it to keep apples from browning.

Drain the apples, and divide among the ramekins. Place the crumble on top of each. Don’t worry if they are a bit full because the apples shrink during cooking.

Place ramekins on a sheet pan and bake until apples are soft and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream (or both, as we did).

In The Can

I am devoting my blog space this week to celebrating the time tested process of preserving foods at home.

More than ever many of us are concerned about where our food comes from and what is in it, so it's no surprise that canning is making a comeback. Canning means having more control over what we eat, and using food when it tastes best, is the least expensive, and is grown locally. Plus you use a simple, chemical-free preservation process. And really, there's nothing like opening a jar of summery tasting preserves in the middle of winter.

I started canning only a few years ago, when a friend and I took a class at the Waltham Fields Community Farm. I know some folks are squeamish about canning for fears that it is either too much work or not safe, but neither are true. In terms of safety, all that is needed is a plenty of boiling water and some care. The Ball Jar website is invaluable for tips on safety, process and equipment.

In terms of cost and time, for about $50 and five hours work, I churned out twenty 1/2 pint jars of delicious peach butter (a cross between a spread and a jam) from peaches I bought at the Arlington Farmer's Market. So I have a yummy peach spread for my toast all winter, plus several holiday gifts to boot.

You can get easily overwhelmed by the available canning equipment. But you don't need them all to be successful. For peach butter, I used three pots: a big one (a 12 quart with the strainer insert) to sterilize jars and create the vacuum seal, a medium one (6 quart) to cook the jam, and a smaller one to skin the peaches. For any canning project, I use a magnetic stick to pick up the flat lids once they are washed and keep them clean, a grabber to move the cans in and out of boiling water without boiling your fingers, and a wide mouth funnel to get the food in the jars. All of these can be found in the canning section of any hardware store or here. So give it a try!

Peach Butter
adapted from Smitten Kitchen, makes about 12 1/2 pint jars

10 pounds peaches
3 c. granulated sugar
The juice from 3 lemons
1 t. salt

Start the largest pot of water to boil with empty glass jars and bands in it. Bring it to a boil, then turn off and let the jars and rings sit. In a bowl of hot (not boiling) soapy water, wash new lids.

At the same time, fill a smaller pot with water and bring to a boil. Set up a bowl with ice water and the jam cooking pot nearby. Use a sharp knife to score the bottom of each peach with an x. When the water is boiling, drop in peaches. After about 1 minute, you will see the skin start to peel away from the fruit. Remove the peaches and place in the ice water bath. When the peaches are cool enough to handle (about 30 seconds), the skin should peel right off. Cut the peaches in 4 pieces directly into the cooking pot. Repeat the process as needed until all peaches are skinned and cut.

Add sugar, lemon juice and salt to the pot of peaches and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook about 40 minutes at a simmer, or until the peaches are soft. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree the peaches until smooth (this is optional but worth the effort). Return to the heat and cook at a simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. While cooking a second time, keep a spoon and bowl nearby and skim off any froth/scum that rises to the surface.

When the butter is getting close to being done, remove the glass jars and bands (with tongs or the grabber) from the warm water and place on a clean towel nearby. Rinse the soapy water off the lids and, using the magnetic stick, place them on the clean towel. Bring the large pot of water back to the boil.

When the butter is done, ladle it into the jars, leaving a 1/2 inch of space at the top. Wipe the rims and put lids and rings onto the jars. Place jars back into the boiling water, making sure they are fully submerged, and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and place on a clean towel. You should hear the lids form the vacuum seal quickly. Allow jars to sit undisturbed several hours, until cool.