Chestnuts (Fagaceae – Beech species) are a cool season crop; available in the markets from October through March, peaking in December. In Asia and Europe, they are now harvested and processed employing traditional methods. Early in the 20th century the American chestnut trees were almost wiped out by a pathogenic fungus! In the stores, choose big sized, fresh nuts. Since they are rich in starch and fewer fats... Read More
It’s November! Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away and it’s already the halfway point of autumn before the winter solstice (December 22nd). Some thoughts to carry you through the holiday rush; ✦ “Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.” Elizabeth Bibesco ✦ “It isn’t the great pleasures that count the most; it’s making a great deal out of the little... Read More
His face, too broad for beauty, shows Complexion far too florid; His eyes are vacant, and his nose Triangular and horrid. The spaces left between his teeth Would shock an orthodontist; His lid has not a hair beneath… He’ll win no beauty contest! Yet when a candle set inside Is lit, he looks quite mellow, And very quickly we agree That he’s a charming fellow.... Read More
Got a spare goat’s horn laying around the house? If so, you can create a beautiful centerpiece celebrating the abundance of the season’s harvest. Most of us will have to settle for the typical, hollow-horn shaped wicker basket you can find at the local hobby/craft store. The tradition of filling the ‘horn of plenty’ can be traced back to 5 B.C. The Latin word ‘cornucopia’... Read More
Those beautiful orange berries we all know as pumpkins are abundant this time of year and there are many sizes, shapes, and colors to choose. After the perfect pumpkin has been selected, some helpful tips are needed to ensure its stay in your home. Neighborhood squirrels will be delighted to share the bounty you have placed on your front porch, and they won’t even ask! The seeds are the... Read More
The artist and poet Ashleigh Brilliant, once said, “Constant change is here to stay.” Change can be disturbing for some and a relief for others. The changing of seasons happens to all. We talk of the “seasons” of our lives which are demarcated by the experience of growing older. From the ancient of times, humans have been rooted in the seasons, always watching the “signs” of change. This... Read More
September…traditionally the time of the year to celebrate the harvest. Food festivals, County Fairs, canning and preserving workshops, farmer’s markets over-flowing with the Earth’s bounty a perfect time to try a new recipe! Coloradans anxiously await the annual harvest of Hatch Green Chilis from New Mexico. Road side “roasters” have set up their wares ready to prepare this southwestern gastronomic delight. The village of Hatch, New Mexico and the... Read More
An Almanac is a publication containing astronomical and meteorological data for a given year (ie: “Poor Richard’s Alamanac,” circulation since 1792), and often includes an arrangement of miscellany and other information each month of a year. Some faction and some fiction make these calendar accountings an interesting read. Be ready for impromptu conversation starters with these dates on the September calendar: 3rd – 19... Read More
According to the National Center for Home Preservation… Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum eating quality for at least 1 year. Canned food stored in a warm place near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sunlight may lose some of its eating quality in a few weeks or months, depending on the temperature. Dampness may corrode cans... Read More
Don’t you just love fresh flowers at home? Cosmos on the dining room or coffee table, bachelor’s button by the bathroom sink, or sunflowers on the bedroom bureau-but they can wilt after only a day or two. Follow these steps and watch your cut flowers stay stunning for over a week! Harvest the flowers when the buds are just starting to open. If possible, harvesting in the early morning... Read More
