October's Beginning

I think that October is marking a very positive time for me. The growth in the garden is mirrored by my increasing excitement over things to come in my own life. First of all, it's fall which means really exciting things in the realm of root vegetables, my favorite things ever. The carrots, turnips and exotic radishes are doing so well, and I got a new area all ready yesterday to plant some more. I will have to pull out the tomato plants soon, and while this seems to mark an end to some sort of era, I am happy for the space to plant new and different things.

Also, it means sweaters, and soups, and trees changing color, blankets, bundling, and reading. Also writing more. It means I finally feel like doing things, and really loving a lot of the things I'm doing. Oh, and sweet potatoes. Maybe an outing into the mountains, and a cabin weekend. Music. Also apples! The real stuff, not that stuff found in grocery stores. I am hoping to delve into the unexplored realms of pastry, and hone my bread baking. In one of my more momentous moments, I just bought two tickets to India for next February, which marks the start of a new sort of life that I will be so happy to live with my companion.

One of my first culinary homages to the fall came last week, inspired by a visit to the Williamsburg, VA farmer's market. I was down there to visit one of my best friends who decided to move a little further south. The market was so great. It had everything I could have wanted but without all the alienating bustle of the Washington DC markets. I came away with so many treasures: goats' milk soap, delicious cheeses, spelt bread, orchard apples, and 3 pounds of sweet potatoes. My first sweet potatoes of the year! I bought the apples and potatoes together, and new instantly how I wanted to handle them:

Whiskeyed Appled Sweet Potatoes

3lbs Sweet potatoes

2lbs Apples

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

1 Cup cheap whiskey

1/2 Cup butter (1 stick)

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Start out by piercing the skins of the sweet potatoes, and then microwaving until they are softened slightly. I had two large ones, and it took about 6 minutes each. Slice them into a good eating size. Then, core and chop the apples, placing all this into a 9 X 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg on top, mixing it in a bit among the slices. Pour the cup of whiskey over the ensemble. Dot with slices of butter. Top with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the mixture with tin foil, and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Take the foil off, and bake for 15-20 minutes more, until everything is soft and done looking.

Bear in mind that the quantities here are very general, and can be changed according to taste. The most important aspect is having good base ingredients. I find there is a huge difference between store sweet potatoes, which are pretty bland, and locally grown ones raised on a smaller scale. In fact, I hated sweet potatoes until I started digging them up for myself on a farm. I wish I had gotten my act together and started planting my own sweet potato slips this year. The farmer's market product made a fine replacement though, and made a really simple dish that evokes so much of the goodness of fall.