The deep-south heat of late July and August has taken its toll on my meals and my psyche. I am tired of eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. I have tried so many different recipes, delicious recipes, but I am ready for a change. Luckily, this past week, we harvested our first Seminole Pumpkin. It was the first one we have ever had and it was beyond scrumptious. The pear-shaped, tan outside cleverly hides what's inside--bright, creamy orange flesh that is so sweet you almost think you are eating a melon! A dear friend sent us a recipe to try using our pumpkin and it turned out to be a new favorite. The recipe is called Sicilian Spicy Pumpkin and marries the flavors of sugar, cinnamon, vinegar, and mint with a kick from the old cayenne. Makes my mouth water remembering it. Instead of baking, you slice the pumpkin like you would an actual melon and saute the pieces in a little oil before drenchin in the spices and let it sit and marinate for 15-20mins. before serving. We paired ours with locally caught, fresh Gulg flounder that I lightly pan-fried in my favorite cast iron. I will tell you, it is also absolutely wonderful cold if you have left-overs!
My dreams of greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, peas, and violas galore have been quelled by the fact that it is time down here to start planning and planting our fall/winter garden! One of the easiest ways we keep local veggies, herbs, and edible flowers on our plates is by having a plot in a community garden. The local community garden we are a part of is organized by Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ( http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?communitygarden&Home ) and has been around for over 30 years. The benefits of community gardens are too many to list, but one big one is locally grown food for people to bring home, share with family and friends, or donate to local shelters.
Our plot is 40x40 (bigger than our house!) and my husband has already drawn up a design for this coming season. Having this plot and growing our own veggies organically allows us to feel good about what we are eating and sharing. The community garden brings people from all walks of life together. On a typical Saturday morning (not in the middle of summer!) you will find the gardens full of people weeding, harvesting, tilling, fertilizing, planting, amending, and mulching. But you will also find gardeners sharing their produce, growing tips, and best of all--recipes!
This common goal of growing food creates a familial atmosphere. If someone notices that another gardeners crops are wilting, they will water them. If a plot neighbor had a crop attacked by disease or bugs, others will share theirs. We have learned so much already, and have even taught a few old timers about the benefits of mulch and planting flowers among their veggies! Keeping it local is easy when you are growing your own produce and benefiting from the advice and support of a community.
