Dorothy Grover-Read
Let your autumn veggies lead the way
BELLOWS FALLS-It's here! Autumn arrived in Vermont on Sept. 22. The leaf peepers are viewing our annual colorful foliage show. The straw people have appeared on lawns and farm stands, looking quite chipper, at least until it rains!
But the autumnal equinox is not so much a line between the seasons as a time of transition. There are still hot days in the 80s with blue skies, or cloudy, chilly weather that definitely feels like fall. Many areas will have frost, and that same spot will have sweltering hot a few days later. Unpredictable at best.
The wild taste of spring!
Fiddlehead ferns are a ritual in the Northeast, and with a fleeting season, you have to be quick
From my youngest childhood days, I remember foraging for fiddlehead ferns with my Uncle Leonard, a great forager of wild native foods. Heading out to the woods with him and my Aunt Mary was always a treat; she searched for antique bottles around old cellar holes, while he turned...
Preparing your fiddleheads
To prepare the fiddleheads: First, soak your fiddleheads in cold water for 10 minutes and rub off any brown, papery scales with your fingers or a soft cloth. This substance is extremely bitter. Drain, add fresh water, and soak an additional 5 minutes. If the second water is still...
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Pucker up!
I grew up in a family of lemon lovers - the more tart, the better. After a heavy holiday meal, a little slice of a zesty lemon tart is a perfect finish. One of my mother's favorite tarts to make was her sister's lemon tart, only Mom always topped her version with meringue, probably because my aunt never did so with hers, and they were a bit competitive in the kitchen. I've simplified my aunt's recipe and reduced the sugar,
Simple, sensational sides
No matter the feast, we love a variety of side dishes, and sometimes they even upstage the main event. But we want things simple as well as tasty, and having a few tricks up our sleeves at this busy time of year will definitely reduce the stress factor. Whenever possible, make those sides the day before, or bring them to an almost-done stage to reheat them quickly and easily. When I'm cooking a turkey, I use the giblets to make...
A favorite and versatile sweetener
When I hear that the sap is running, I'm happy indeed. Warm days above freezing and cold nights below, mean the sap run is upon us, and it can't come a moment too soon. March in Vermont brings every type of weather possible, with little bursts of perfect early spring. The technique of boiling the sap from sugar maple trees was first developed by the indigenous peoples of our Northeast and Canada. It certainly is an important component in the...
Side dishes that hold their own
We spend a lot of time and money on the holiday main dish, but the side dishes are often the most memorable. There would be a revolt in our family if we didn't have creamy mashed potatoes and gravy or everyone's favorite cauliflower and cheese sauce. But I like to switch things up a bit, too, and try something new every year. Sometimes, that experiment manages to become part of our regular offerings. I really appreciate a few dishes, like...
Festive treats
From Thanksgiving through the holiday season, we get the sweet little clementines, tangerines, and sometimes mandarin oranges. My Christmas Clementine and Cardamom Cake makes a nice use of them - all of them, as you use every bit of the fruit except the seeds. You can also substitute another favorite sweet orange, but adjust the amount accordingly. Every year, I give away these cakes at Christmastime; it's become a ritual, along with making the candied orange peels with my granddaughter.