Comfort Food Season
Last week, a friend that grows the most beautiful culinary garden in the summer months, excitedly shared that she had harvested her herbs and dried them for the first time. This week, in the thick of cozy, comfort-food season, she sent me a photo of her roast drizzled in her very own dried rosemary and thyme.
This is what it’s all about really. Well, okay, maybe not for everyone but during a year that has most certainly had its challenges, it has been amazing to see a new wave of people starting sour dough mothers, whipping up new dishes they’ve never made, and just generally spending more time around their food. So, as we wrap up a beautiful fall season, I’ve been thinking about our final quarter of this preeeeetty long year. How do I want to finish it up? More time over a pot of something delicious simmering away? Yes please!
Maybe some of the items we’re cooking with are those we grew and harvested ourselves or picked up from a local farmer. Is food preservation a new concept? Something you’ve been thinking about trying too this year? What if all the bountiful goodness the Palouse has to offer nourished us all winter? And, we could even keep it super simple?
Okay, challenge accepted. Here are some simple ways to hold onto to summer and enjoy our Palouse treasures year round.
Preserving peaches… cut them into halves and peel them. If they are just slightly underripe the skin with peel off with your fingers. Then cut into quarters, remove pit, dip in a bowl of fresh lemon juice, and place on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a Ziploc bag and date. These will make the most amazing winter smoothies or peach cobbler.
Any berry is also be the same routine minus the cutting and the lemon juice.
Preserving tomatoes… cut into bite size chunks and put them in a Ziploc for the freezer. Some people might say you ought to blanch and peel the skin and/or remove the seeds but then they’re just like any other can of tomatoes. This way, you are reminded that you preserved them and the peel and seeds gives your next soup or pasta a homemade vibe.
Kale and any thicker hearty green… chop into bite size pieces and put in a Ziploc for the freezer. Perfect for all your soups through the winter months.
We also use a home food dryer. Ours is simple and allows us to dry cut peaches, pears, apples, and plums and depending on their size, takes a day or two to dry. I recommend finding one that doesn’t have a fan. Ours is old and no longer in stock or I’d share but it’s nice to have a quiet one.
As I’ve delved more into simple food preservation I see the fruit trees, gardens, and farm fields differently. They become provided local food all year round! The Palouse is stunning during our growing seasons and provides us with so much. So maybe this final quarter wraps up with a win?
- MEGAN RAE
