It’s The Great Pumpkin….Chunking

Wikipedia defines “Pumpkin Chunking” as the sport of hurling a pumpkin by mechanical means for distance.  The “American Chunker” does it with a chunkin’ deluxe, state of the art, technologically advanced pneumatic air cannon.   These guys can chunk a pumpkin over 4000 feet!

The team is based out the Nashua NH area and placed 4^th at last years “World Champion Pumpkin Chunkin Competition”.  This was the “American Chunker’s” first competition and the “Chunker 2.0” is expected to be one of this years top contenders. 

This sunny afternoon out in the fields of a local farm, it’s not about competition… it’s about entertainment.  The wicked long cannon was not pointed upward, but instead was aimed at an old travel trailer, strategically placed at the opposite end of a huge open field.

The Master of Ceremonies explained “If the cannon were pointed upward at a specially calculated angle, pumpkins would bomb unsuspecting folks over a half a mile away”.  While it was a bit disappointing to miss out on the sight of pumpkins sailing off into the distant sky, it’s understandable. Can you say “Chunkin’ Law Suit”?

As the Chunker’s air compressors began to hum you could feel the excitement resonate from some of the little kids and all of the grown men. The pumpkins are inspected and loaded, the countdown ensues, air horns blast a warning and the giant air cannon fires. In a show of raw chunkin’ power, the pumpkins blow right through both walls and out the back of the trailer.

With every blast from the cannon came “ohhhhs and ahhhhs” from some of the little kids and all of the grown men.  I enjoyed the chunkin, I absolutely see the entertainment value and I appreciate the engineering talent and effort put forth by the team.  Not to mention, they are non profit and benefit “New England Basset Hound Rescue”. 

However, as a chef and food lover, with every pumpkin chunked, I said to myself “ohhhh there goes a beautiful pumpkin risotto, ahhh pumpkin ravioli with herb cream, all those seeds toasted with garlic and a slice of pumpkin pie sure would hit the spot right now”.

I’m trying not to think about pumpkin recipes just as one of the pumpkins explodes in mid air and it starts to rain pumpkin chunks.  Some of the kids and all of the grown men cheered and I said to myself “pumpkin gnocchi with sage and brown butter”.

World Campion Pumpkin Chunkin will be aired on national cable outlets during the month of November.

More info on the American Chunker Team - http://americanchunker.blogspot.com/

New England Basset Hound Rescue –www.newenglandbassethoundrescue.org

Pumpkin Gnocchi Dough

2 C      cold mashed or riced – cooked ripe pumpkin

2 C      ricotta cheese

3          egg yolks – local brown nest eggs from happy hens are best

 Add 3 C AP flour – A little more – A little less – to make nice stiff dough

Mix pumpkin, cheese and egg yolks with whip until smooth

Add flour slowly to bowl with pumpkin & ricotta

Use dough hook or knead by hand

Mix until dough ball is well formed

Roll small portions of dough into long lengths – about an inch in diameter

Slice the lengths into small pieces about an inch wide – They dont have to be perfect!

Press your finger into one to make an indent

Drop into salted boiling water and cook until they float.

It’s that easy!

Sage and Brown Butter Sauce.

2 Tbl unsalted butter

4 Sage leaves chopped – more or less to your taste

 Brown butter over medium head

Add fresh sage

Toss in the gnocchi

Top with graded Parmesan cheese

It’s that easy!

More info about the chef and more recipes - www.LuciasTavola.com

Celebrate Your Vegetables

One thing you can say with certainty about Italians is “Italians Celebrate”.  Italians celebrate the seasons, food, drink, art, religion, literature, family, community and amore. You name it, Italians celebrate it. 

During the height of the great Roman Empire there where 182 official days of celebration. The scheduling of all these events may be what prompted Julius Caesar to reform the old Roman calendar and replace it with the new Julian calendar.

Before the new Julian calendar astronomers were a bit confused about the difference in a solar year and a lunar year.  The old lunar calendar calculated a year as twelve months of 28 days.  Because of the shortened year, over long periods of time the lunar calendar caused months and seasons to become out of sink with seasonal rituals and sacrifices.  Christmas in July and out-of-season sacrifices must have been a scheduling nightmare for the Emperor.

To remedy this Caesar consulted with an astronomer from Cleopatra’s court and introduced the new Julian calendar. The new calendar consisted of twelve months with a total of 365.25 days.  This added an additional 22 days each year for celebration.  Leap year added an extra day to the calendar every four years. This was a great accomplishment and should be celebrated.  Hail Caesar!

Just like here in New England, Italians are currently celebrating the harvest season.  Local farm stands and markets are loaded with beautiful fruits and fresh vegetables.  As a chef, celebration enthusiast and lover of fresh local food…..I wish I could add a few more days to the calendar each year to celebrate the harvest season. 

One of my favorite autumn recipes is a simple dish of roasted vegetables, which can be prepped ahead of time and left in the oven for hours. 

Roasted Harvest Vegetables

Fresh vegetables from your garden, local farmer’s market or farm. 

The selection depends on what’s available and your own personal taste.

A few suggestions:

• Red and Yellow Pepper, Squash,  Zucchini, Fingerling Potatoes, Eggplant, Celery, Fennel (one of my favorites) , Green Beans, Heirloom Tomatoes, Broccoli, Onion, Asparagus and Wild Mushrooms­­.
• Washed, peeled if desired and chopped to uniform size

• Arrange in large shallow baking dish
• Coat lightly with extra virgin olive oil
• Add a splash of balsamic vinegar
• Season with chopped garlic, sea salt and course ground black pepper
• Add your favorite herbs – Rosemary is always a good choice

Bake for two hours at 200 degrees until tender and slightly browned.

While you wait - Celebrate the harvest with a nice glass of vino ….or maybe two.

Drizzle with white truffle oil and/or dust with grated parmesan before serving.

Enjoy as a side dish or as a vegetarian main course.

NH Eat Local Month

In 1930 the first frozen food was sold in Springfield MA by the Birds Eye Frosted Foods Company. In the early 1960's Swanson's one upped that with the introduction of the “TV” dinner.   Processed food was making it's way into America's pantry.  Betty Crocker made cake baking glamorous and Frosted Lucky Charms were magically delicious.

Little thought was given to nutrition and as more and more products were developed, our food became less expensive, less nutritious and was produced or sourced from greater distances.

Mega supermarket produce sections grew and roadside farm stands disappeared.  People stopped buying seeds and gardening supplies from local feed and seed co-ops.  Open farm lands were bought out by mega-farms or sold to developers. New Hampshire dairy farms have dwindled from 896 in 1970 to only 130 working farms in 2010.. The future of the local farmer is  “A long row to hoe”... ( that's southern for uphill battle).

The resident Grandmother of our house grew up on a farm during the “Great Depression” and  is quick to point out that she grew up on a diet of fresh, local, organic and it certainly had  health benefits. Farm fresh eggs and milk along with homegrown  fruits and vegetables sustained  the family and gave them good health during very difficult times.  She also adds “we didn't know how lucky we were” life on the farm was hard but unlike their counterparts in the city “we could do for of ourselves”...(that's Southern for live off the land).

While I am sure none of us long for the good old days of the “Great Depression”  we are turning our attention back to more locally produced sustainable food supplies.  August is eat local month in New Hampshire.  Local farms, restaurants, hospitals, supermarkets and many others are joining together to spread the idea of eating healthy and local. Eating local is good for your health, the health of the environment, reduces energy consumption and stimulates the local economy as well as taste buds.

I will be judging the “Healthy Chef Competition” at  St Joseph's Farmers Market this year.  The event is planned for August 27^th.    Lucia's won last year with a great dish from our menu “Polo Murattore –Stoneworker's Chicken” which is pressed as its cooked with a large chunk of granite.  Now that's local and also a very tasty dish, made with fresh tomatoes and basil.

St Joesph's event is just one of many planned throughout New England this growing season. So eat local and enjoy fresh from the farm as often as possible.  Support you local farmer, support your families health and let's move back in the direction of “doing for ourselves” 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States imported $4.1 billion worth of seafood and agricultural products from China in 2006. In 1995, it was $800 million.  Ask yourself....Does my buck stop here with the local farmer? ….or does it stop in a foreign country or at some corporate mega farm?

It's not that hard to take a stand, just take a look at your local farm stand.

It's as simple as this months recipe.

Local Water

Local Corn

Local Butter

Local Beer 

Boil Water – Cook Corn – Spread Butter – Drink Beer – Enjoy!

More Info

www.LuciasTavola.com

StJoesph.Hospital.Com/FarmersMarket

NhEatLocal.Org

SustainableaAgriculture.Net

TuckermanBrewing.Com

Happy Fava's Day

Happy Fava’s Day

The American Tradition of Father’s Day by some accounts was started in 1910 in Spokane Washington by Sonja Dodd, to honor her father and all fathers.  With the help of her church and the local YWCA it got off to a slow start and the holiday almost died, partly because people felt that is was being over commercialized. Attempts were made by Teddy Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge to make it a National holiday, but their actions were blocked by members of congress who also feared over commercialization. 

Just when it looked like Fathers’ Day holiday was almost forgotten, in stepped the “National Fathers’ Day Committee”.  The group was founded in New York City in 1930 and did a wonderful job of preserving the holiday.  The group was actually a part of the “Associated Men's Wear Retailers” and later became know as “National Council for the Promotion of Father's Day”  (I wonder if they sold “Ties” too?..... just saying)

So the American tradition of Father’s Day which almost died due to fear of over commercialization was saved by the retailers.   Now every beloved Dad in America is honored on his special day by the gift of an ugly tie. American Capitalism at it’s finest!

Of course In Italy the tradition started a little earlier, around 500 AD the Sicilians were experiencing a terrible drought and prayed to “San Giuseppe” and promised to honor him with a feast day if their prayers were answered.  The rains came and the fava bean crop was saved. Sicilians were saved from starvation and even to this day fava beans are placed on their alters to honor “San Giuseppe”. 

The holiday evolved to honor all fathers on “San Giuseppe Day”, which is celebrated in March in Italy.   And while fava beans saved the Sicilians they really don’t make that great of a gift for Dad.   That’s when the a baker named Pasquale Pintauro stepped in and started the tradition of “San Giuseppe” or St Joseph’s cakes, also know as Zeppole.  Italian Pastry at it’s finest!

Zeppole were featured in many episodes of “The Soprano’s”.   Tony loved them so much he often felt faint in their presence and Christopher opened fire in a local eatery and almost whacked a waiter because he wasn’t served the little treats first.  While we don’t want Dad to faint and certainly don’t condone the whacking of waiters, we would like to make you an offer you shouldn’t refuse.  Skip the fava beans, although it’s been said they do go great with a “Nice Chianti”.  Skip the bad tie, the American retailers will understand. Instead make Dad some Zeppole and enjoy Festa del Papa.

 

Zeppole

Ingredients:

•  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (2 1/4 teaspoon) package instant yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 eggs
• 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

• Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.
• In another large bowl, empty the yeast package, and then slowly add the warm water, mixing with a fork to fully dissolve the yeast.
• When the yeast mixture forms some bubbles, add the mixture to the flour/salt, then add the three eggs.
• Mix the batter, then set the bowl on top of your refrigerator (or other warm place), cover with damp dish towel.
• After 20 minutes, check the dough for rising, mix again and let rise for another 20 minutes.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil to medium heat.
• Add the dough by the spoonful (about the size of 2 golf balls) Experiment with the first batch to make sure the oil is not too hot.
• Remove when golden brown and place on paper bags to absorb the oil.
• Place warm Zeppoles in a paper bag with powdered sugar and SHAKE. You want them well covered with the powdered sugar.
•  These are messy.
•  If yours are not messy, you need more sugar!
• En joy!