Happy Halloween

It's Halloween. Pumpkins are everywhere!

Sugar baby variety pumpkins are delicious to bake with. Wash the dirt off, put some knife slits in the skin and pop into a 375 degree oven to bake for an hour.

When cool enough to handle (I can never seem to wait and am constantly uttering ouch, ouch, ouch...), slice down the middle, remove seeds and transfer the pumpkin pulp to a bowl to be mashed.

I have a recipe for sweet bread that is delicious anytime of day and easily frozen.

Food and Pottery Connection:

Food: Laura Moore's Maple Pumpkin Bread - makes 2 loaves

from the Mystic Seaport "A New England Table" Cookbook

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups pumpkin
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

1. Combine wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients. Add wet to dry.
2. Pour batter into 2 buttered loaf pans. Bake at 350 for at least 1 hour.

Pottery: decorated plates with leafy design

Potato Potato

Powisset Farm grows many varieties of potatoes that end up in my kitchen after a farm distribution. Some are pictured below:

 My favorite variety of potato is All Blue.  

The reason is their vibrant color!

The Food and Pottery Connection:

Food:  All Blue Roasted Potatoes

All Blue Potatoes -

 scrubbed free of dirt and cut into like size pieces

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Roast potatoes in a 425 oven for 35 minutes.

Pottery: Serving Bowl 

in a color equally as beautiful with hints of orange to play up the All Blue potatoes.

Lisa WB Walker Wheel-thrown Bowl

Asian Flair

An excellent sushi restaurant opened near us; last week we gave it a try. It was delicious. I had forgotten how good sushi can be! Ever since, I've been making jasmine rice and vegetable stir fries and pausing whenever I see an Asian recipe. Here is one that is easy and delicious with fresh salmon.

Salmon Steaks with Hoisin Glaze - serves 4
Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

1 T fresh orange juice
2 T hoisin sauce
2 tsp honey (local)
4 salmon steaks (about 1 1/2 lbs)
Salt and pepper

1. Heat the broiler.
2. Combine orange juice, hoisin sauce and honey.
3. Wash fish and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place fish in an oil coated dish and paint on glaze, using all.
5. Broil fish 4 inches from heat for 10-13 minutes, basting once.

Beautiful bowl with rich golden mahogany glaze for serving stir fry to accompany fish....