Simon Says: Daily Food Quote, November 16, 2012

Published by Friday, November 16, 2012 Permalink 0

by Simón de Swaan

The king and high priest of all the festivals was the autumn Thanksgiving. When the apples were all gathered and the cider was all made, and the yellow pumpkins were rolled in from many a hill in billows of gold, and the corn was husked, and the labors of the season were done, and the warm, late days of Indian Summer came in, dreamy, and calm, and still, with just enough frost to crisp the ground of a morning, but with warm traces of benignant, sunny hours at noon, there came over the community a sort of genial repose of spirit — a sense of something accomplished.–Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery. It reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom. It energized anti-slavery forces in the American North, while provoking widespread anger in the South.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Simple Sustenance: Pumpkins, When the Beauty is in the Imperfections, a photo essay by Renu Chhabra

Published by Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

The harvest moon hangs round and high
It dodges clouds high in the sky,
The stars wink down their love and mirth
The Autumn season is giving birth.
Oh, it must be October
The leaves of red bright gold and brown,
To Mother Earth come tumbling down,
The breezy nights the ghostly sights,
The eerie spooky far off sounds
Are signs that it’s October.
The pumpkins yellow, big and round
Are carried by costumed clumsy clowns
It’s Halloween – let’s celebrate.
–   
Pearl N. Sorrels, It Must be October

Color and rusticity are the characters of autumn

Warm tones and ­­rustic gifts from nature fill our hearts with a sense of wholeness. It’­­­­s a feeling that reminds us of our connection with the earth and our humble existence.­­

Orange, yellow, red, and amber are the colors of fall, visible in landscapes and farms alike. Pumpkins, gourds, and squashes add soul to this season. Greeting us on the front porch or displayed inside the house, they adorn our spaces with fall bounty; they are festive and inviting. They bring with them a certain positive energy.

And what’s fall without pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and  pumpkin soup? It’s the pumpkin heaven that embraces us, at home or anywhere else. We all want to savor the season’s bounty to its fullest.

I am intrigued as much by the great pumpkin’s beauty as by its imperfections. Some of the very deformed ones are the most intriguing of all. But who said nature is perfect? Nature is beautiful, yet free-spirited when we see it in its natural and organic form. And we see its beauty in these colorful gourds that exude their individual characteristics in their own special ways.

They have different colors, shapes, sizes, and personalities. Yet they are beautiful and unique, despite their imperfections. They all bring something special to our tables in terms of taste, texture, and quality.

Just like us, human beings.

What do you think?

Celebrate the season!
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