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August is the height of squash season.  Now it is September and there's still a lot of squash available. I love this time of year. The peaches are still around, fresh and plentiful...and oh so sweet and the apples and pears are just showing up at the markets. I bought two pears yesterday hoping to have them around for the week, but I ate them both yesterday :) Have to get some more I guess. I ate the peach this morning. Just could not wait.


I picked up all kinds of squash at two different farmers markets this week. Yesterday at the Farmers Market near Columbia University, I picked up some Japanese Eggplants, Thai Eggplants, Lemon Basil and Avocado Squash.  Today I picked up some fresh cilantro, kale (I've never seen so much kale that was grown organically in a bunch before - whole foods usually sells three leaves in a bunch of organic kale), baby bok choi and some fresh gala apples.

You could basically cut up the vegetables and eat with no seasonings and you don't even need to cook, but if you are looking for a bit of dressing for your naked veggies, a bit of honey, apple cider vinegar and a bit of olive oil go a long way.

Yesterday I brought home my squash bounty and looked in my cabinets to see what I could add them to.  I had bulgur wheat, coconut milk, some red curry paste I had made the other day and a block of sprouted tofu.  I was hungry and as usual not in the mood to cook something really complicated but very yummy.  So, I started boiling the bulgur (one cup of bulgur in 2.5 cups water). The bulgur cooks about 12 minutes. At about 10 minutes in, I added the chopped avocado squash, curry paste dissolved in coconut milk to which I had added to tofu and let it marinate for a few minutes prior). I put a top on the pot and cooked the grain, veg and tofu mixture for about 2 more minutes.  Delicious! Easy and in one pot!

With the remainder of the squash I made a quiche today with 4 eggs, goat cheese, a mixture of other cheeses, goat milk and thyme, tarragon, pepper and salt. I topped it with just a bit of pastured butter only available until September (now!).

I made my favorite agave lemonade to go with it. Just a splash of organic lemon juice, 1 tsp of agave and the rest of the glass water with three ice cubes. Mmmm. Hope you get out to the markets and enjoy the September offerings!

Next post I'll tell you about the yellow tomato, cucumber gazpacho I made with lime and Meyer lemon juice.
 
 
Its June! The world's best looking athletes by far have congregated in South Africa and are sweating in the sun while chasing after a small checkered ball. All this gawking at the television has me wanting one thing...strawberries...and watermelon!

There's nothing like the start of summer. The pools are open (at least on the weekends), although the water is ridiculously cold and you can buy a cut up watermelon on the street. As well the New York City farmers markets are all a twitter with my favorite start of summer fruit...the strawberry.

When I grew up on Long Island, I remember the third week of June hosted a strawberry festival in my town. Strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, rides, attractions, music, merriment, people really celebrated the arrival of the strawberry. Today, I just wake up early on a Thursday or Sunday morning and head over to the market 10 blocks from my apartment and plop down my $4 ($3 later in the day if there are any left!) for a pint of the most amazing strawberries I have ever tasted...and sometimes, when I am really lucky, they sell some at Fairway.

These strawberries are amazing. Sweet, succulent and no methyl iodide here.  I'm still kvelling from the asparagus, whose season is almost over. This past weekend I got my first taste of summer zucchini and eggplant...on the grill, with lamb. Oh my god, to die for. Summer is upon us...all the best to Algeria...oh yeah and the United States/Britain who both have to play Algeria. Hope they are eating some strawberries too!
 
 
The rain might be over, the birds are chirping, I see a lot of asparagus around. Does that mean, spring is finally upon us? I am working on transitioning from the meat and root based dishes of winter to the greens based dishes of spring. I finally get to bring back my fresh greens based cassoulets, asparagus and pea soup (using fresh peas from the garden, not frozen!) and planning for summer recipes.

This week, I'm planning some fresh asparagus recipes as well as a red lentil dal with cauliflower and carrots. I saw some wonderful purple, green and white cauliflower at the farmers market last week and I wasn't sure what to do with all of it, so I put it in soup. The soup started with a few shallots and carrots (because I didn't have any celery). I added the red lentils next and swirled them around in the olive oil. I had about 2 cups of vegetable stock, so I added that with about 2 more cups of water and about 2 tablespoons of Moroccan Marrakesh curry mix (all kinds of spices - if you are Moroccan and from Marrakesh, you probably know - otherwise the usual tumeric, cumin or standard curry mix all work, the Moroccans and Marakeshites are probably cringing right now). I also added a bit of Hawaiian black lava sea salt - just a shake, not even 1/4 teaspoon.

I simmered the soup 20 minutes, until my kitchen smelled so heavenly I had to try some. Then I did, two bowls worth. Yum!

I found this great website: http://noteatingoutinny.com/category/recipes/.  I thought what a great idea, not eating out in New York. I always find it hard to follow other people's recipes exactly. My ADD runs away with me, I get a basic idea and then alter it to the things I like and it usually works out, better sometimes I think :)

I started making this chocolate cake one year based on a recipe from culinary school and I forgot the water once, forgot the sugar another time. The cake came out differently, but still good. I altered it so that I made two or three new variations on the recipe that were well, my recipes. I encourage you to do the same. Cooking is an art form, like singing or writing. It is meant to be creative, expository and at the same time you can't be afraid to take risks. If you have 6 people waiting for you and only 2 hours to cook, you might want to follow a recipe more carefully or at least do the experiment once on your own on a smaller scale, but if its just you, your partner or children waiting, give your creativity a whirl. You'll grow as a cook and its always great to be pushed to cook outside your comfort zone. Give it a try or drop me an email and I'll help.