Thursday, October 03, 2013

Nuts to you

Acorns are dropping all around us. The woods and forests in our region are filled with oak trees and oak trees produce acorns. When I walk under a stand of oaks I can hear the crunching under foot. Callie will munch on one every now and then.

An acorn still on the tree.

Our tomato harvest continues, and we got a couple more courgettes (zucchini) from the garden yesterday. They're probably the last ones. The winter squash crop, however, is just starting. We have mostly spaghetti squash this year -- it's the first time I've grown that. We also have a type of acorn squash (speaking of acorns), a couple of stray butternuts, and a couple of some other kind of cucurbitacée (the squash family).

We're planning to make a bunch of food for the freezer this week, starting today with a ratatouille using tomatoes and zukes from the garden along with eggplant and peppers from the market. Then Ken's planning some stuffed cabbage leaves and we'll probably make another batch of tomato sauce. We also have the ingredients for a potée, a pot full of vegetables (carrot, potato, rutabaga, cabbage, leek) flavored with a ham hock and some smoked sausages; that'll be lunch for the next day or so. I'm already hungry.

8 comments:

  1. Walt, you've got all those bottles... bottle your "rat" rather than freezing it.
    Cook it as normal...
    but just before you get to the finish, wash some double portion size jars...
    and put them in the oven at around 80 Centipedes.
    Portion the hot "rat" into the jars...
    put the lids on tight, then undo half a turn...
    put the filled jars back in the oven at 110 Centipedes for 40 minutes.
    Tighten the lids fully as you remove them from the oven...
    if any have the raised button, you will hear it click down as the vacuum is created.
    Keeps for at least three years on the shelf in the cellier!!
    Discovered that 'cos a jar got trapped behind others...
    was as good as when cooked!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This all sounds like fun. Also, I've never looked closely at a "living" acorn. Thanks for the insight. It's beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. my driveway is full of crunchy acorns. as fast as they fall, the squirrels are gathering them for their winter bunkers.

    I see ken is making salsa; my spouse has been doing that too with the remaining cherry tomatoes. would you believe we are still getting red peppers?

    ReplyDelete
  4. The acorn looks like it's wearing a stocking cap!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Where have I been? I've never even noticed green acorns before. Guess I better look more closely on my next hike!
    Yes, Evelyn, I agree. It looks just like a stocking cap!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hope your car problems are over. I haven't seen an acorn in a very long time.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Omg....such a beautiful shot lovely

    ReplyDelete
  8. tim, good idea!

    mitch, who are you and what have you done with Mitchell? Cooking sounds fun? lol

    anne marie, soon we'll have chestnuts crunching under the car tires on the road. Great about the red peppers!

    evelyn, you're right!

    mary, ;)

    starman, we hope the car troubles are over too. At least for a while.

    john, thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Tell me what you think!