What is your favorite way to celebrate the harvest?
A long hot summer has wound down into the crisp, comforting colors of fall. At the change of every season, I feel a melancholy for what has past. As the weekend days dwindle I find myself experimenting with ways to preserve the last vestiges of summer's bounty. The trees at my favorite farms are ready to be picked. My garden is prolific; herbs, tomatoes, greens, beans; what will I do with all of it. Sauces, Jams, and chutneys; I have learned to love them all. Enjoying them on toast is too tame. Fish, poultry and meats take on new dimensions with the sweet and savory concoctions I have playfully preserved in ball jars. My freezer is filling with all manner of sliced, chopped and purĂŠed squash, peppers and nightshades. I already know what my contributions to Thanksgiving and Christmas will be.
Adventures at the stove are sure to excite me all winter. Staples for the Indian, Tibetan and Argentinian recipes I have been waiting to try are all put up and ready for me to find the time. When the days are short and nights long I will happily cozy up to this list of things to do. My favorite way to enjoy the harvest is to savor it's flavors until the ground is ready to bear fruit once again. What is your favorite way to celebrate the fruits of this season?
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Simple Apple Sauce Nana's Pumpkin Bread Apple and Celery Root Salad My Mothers potato salad Oven Roasted Tomatoes Roasted Acorn Squash Moroccan Potatoes Roasted Root Vegetables with cider jus Indian Summer Turkey Chili Stuffed Peppers Roasted Pork Loin with Apples and Potatoes Baked apples with cranberries, raisins and walnuts Harvest Fruit Polenta Caramel Apple Slab Pie Apple Spice Cookies Tomato Martini Cranberry Crush
Simple Apple Sauce, a recipe for how to cook the flavor of the season
Nothing says fall like the flavor of a cooked apple. Applesauce is one of the best ways to preserve that taste of warm comfort but I have spent my life over looking it. Growing up I never appreciated this simple staple's power. The older I get I am amazed at how many recipes it makes better. Pork chops are never as succulent with out it. Baked goods take on an ethereal quality from it. If you like this apple sauce you may never buy another jar after making this recipe. It is that easy and so delicious with fresh apples. Try different varieties of apples for a treat.
• 8 apples (Cortland's are good a mushy apple for sauce), cored, and cut into chunks (peeling is optional) • 1/3 cup water or Zinfandel (yes that is right, red wine - for a delicious rich sauce) • 1 tbsp Russian Mulling Spice or Chinese 5 Spice 1/4 cup sugar (optional)
In 2-qt. microwave-safe dish, combine apples and water (or wine). Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap; microwave on high (100%) 12 to 14 minutes or until apples are tender. Check the apples every 4 or so minutes, turn the bowl around if you do not have a turntable in your microwave. Stir in the sugar (optional) and Russian Mulling Spice or Chinese 5 Spice. Return the bow to the microwave and cook for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Stir and set aside to cool before serving. If you prefer a finer sauce, mash or puree the apples after it has cooled. This makes 4 cups.
Nana's Pumpkin Bread
Every fall the tired old coffee cans came out of the cupboard and the scent of pumpkin and spiced filled the air of Nana's Kitchen. She would make a couple batches and end up with a dozen funny round breads. Some went into the freezer and others got dressed up for gifts. The shape lended itself to a pretty bag and a bow. The reason for giving was nothing more than to celebrate the season.
We adapted my Nana's original recipe to get rid of the gluten and much of the sugar. The result is a protein filled, heart healthy celebration of one of fall's favorite flavors.
• 4 cups Almond Flour • 1 tsp sea salt • 2 tsp baking soda • 1/2 cup sugar or Xylitol • 2 tsp Russian Mulling Spice • Xylitol • 2 cups Pumpkin Puree • 2 eggs • 1/2 cup Firm Silken Tofu • ½ cup Sun Maid raisins (optional) • 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts or Pumpkin Seeds (optional) In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and Russian Mulling Spice. In a smaller bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, sugar and tofu. Mix wet ingredients into dry. Fill three greased coffee cans 1/2 way. Bake at 375° for 60minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean, then turn off oven and leave bread in for 10 more minutes. Cool bread for ½ hour then, using a knife ease out of the coffee cans.
Apple and Celery Root Salad
I love this salad, fresh, crisp and full of flavor. It is a lovely addition to any meal or terrific on it's own any day. Locally you can still get apples at Nestrovich up in Granville. Locally you can still get apples at Nestrovich up in Granville and Celeriac from one of many vendors at the Northampton Winter Farmer's Market.
• 1 medium apple, diced (we prefer a red variety with the skin left on) • 1 medium celery root, peeled and grated • juice of 1 lemon • 2 scallions, sliced thin • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts • 1/4 cup thick yogurt (we prefer the goats milk yogurt from Sweet Pea Cheese) • 2 tbsp mayonnaise • 2 tsp Gremolade Grate celery root in a bowl and add diced apples. Microwave lemon for 1 minute. Squeeze lemon juice on top and mix well. Toss in Walnuts, parsley and scallions. In a separate bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise and Gremolade. Fold dressing in to salad. Cover with a clear wrap and store in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
My Mother's Potato Salad, with radishes
I learned to love food and cooking from 3 amazing women. Grandma taught me about taste and technique. Nana taught me to make something elegant from nothing. My Mum continues to teach me that good food does not have to be slaved over. She is always searching for simple recipes that say something special, ideas for make ahead dishes that keep a hostess from being in the kitchen all day. She has made a more than a few great salads in her day. This potato salad is one that never gets old. It goes with hot dogs and beans as easily as it does with a Sunday roast. It is an amalgamation of some of my favorite flavors, especially the radishes.
• 4 lbs red potatoes • 5 hard-boiled eggs, separated • 1 small red onion, diced • 1 celery stalk, diced • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped • 1 cup red radishes, chopped • 1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional) • 1 cup Mayonnaise • 1 tbsp Spicy Horseradish Mustard • 3 tsp Midwestern Garden Radish • Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover 40 minutes or until tender; drain and cool. Peel potatoes and cut into roughly 1 inch pieces. Chop egg whites. In a large bowl, toss together potato, egg whites, peppers, radishes, peppers, carrots and onions. Using a fork, mash the yolks in a small bowl; Midwestern Garden Radish, mayonnaise, and mustard, stirring until well blended. Gently stir yolk mixture into potato mixture; adjust seasoning to taste with Salt and Pepper. Cover and chill 2 hours (it is even better if you can chill this overnight and serve the next day).
Oven Roasted Tomatoes from Red Fire Farm Tomatoes are one of the many crops grown well at Red Fire Farm. In fact Ryan Voiland's tomatoes often take 1st place in competitions. He shared his recipe to make simply sensational Oven Roasted Tomatoes. This is our take on it. • 6 medium tomatoes • Olive oil • fresh herbs • Salt, pepper and sugar • grated parmesan (optional)
Heat oven to 300º F. Slice tomoates crosswise 1/2 - to 3/4 inch thick. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; generously rub with oil. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with herbs, salt, pepper and sugar. Dust on cheese if you like. Roast until the tomatoes shrivel, the edges start to turn brown and most of the liquid around the tomatoes has caramelized, about 1 hour. Roasted tomatoes will keep 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator.
Roasted Acorn Squash It was late September and unseasonably damp as we made our way from Lagos to Lisbon. Our moods were full of melancholy which seemed to match the weather. We decided to rest from the rain and have a last supper together. My love had a knack for finding something special off the beaten path. In a quaint village near Setubal, what looked like a home to me turned into a tiny family run restaurant. There was probably only room for 20 in their front parlor. The father waived us in and served our wine. His young daughter set the table and brought our bread and olives. Mama was in charge of the food. For him she suggested her special stuffed peppers, for me roasted acorn squash straight out of her garden. As was our custom, we shared. It was a meal that melted in our mouths, soothing the tension of our last goodbye. This is how I have recreated her sumptuous squash; • 2 med acorn squash (this would work with a small pumpkin too) • 3 tbsp Earth Balance (soy butter) • 2 red onions,sliced • 1 tbsp Olio do Panne • 1 clove minced garlic (optional) • 12 anchovy flats (optional) 1 cup cooked lentils (optional - I love to use beluga lentils)
Preheat the oven to 375 f. In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter; saute the onions. Stirring occasionally, cook the onions for 8 minutes or until they start to get translucent. Add the Olio do Panne, anchovies and lentils. Cook the mixture for 2 more minutes; then remove the pan from the heat. Another way to do this is put the onions, spice and lentils in a rice cooker and cook on the steam setting. Cut acorn squash in quarters. Spoon the seeds and stringy middle out of the squash, and discard. Top each quarter with a generous portion of the onion mixture. Roast them cut side up on a baking sheet for 50 min or until the flesh is just tender. Let the squash cool for 20 min. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the squash hot.
Moroccan Potatoes Some people call this a casserole, others a salad. However you choose to coin it, the flavor is pure Moroccan. Fresh, zesty and with a little bite it is great on it's own and a fabulous way to accompany a simply prepared main dish. The first time I enjoyed a version of this recipe was in the Portuguese seaside town of Lagos. It was plated alongside an elegant yet simply prepared grilled whiting. Fresh lemon, salt and pepper were all that accompanied it; the perfect accent to our potatoes.
• 6 cloves garlic • 1/2 tsp sea salt • 1 tbsp Picante Passion • 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro • 3/4 cup chopped parsley • 1 lemon, juiced • 3 tbsp red wine or Rosemary, Hot Pepper & Garlic vinegar • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces • 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares • 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces • 4 stalks celery, cut into 2 inch pieces • 1 pound tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges 2 tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine garlic, sea salt and Picante Passion in a food processor bowl. Process until mixture forms a paste. Add herbs, and pulse a few times to blend. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil; blend. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, peppers, and celery. Season with salt, and toss with herb sauce. Transfer to a large shallow baking dish. Scatter tomatoes among the potato mixture. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons oil over top, and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Continue baking until vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.
Roasted Root Vegetables with cider jus I am enamored with every season. There is something special in the changing light. The warm and cozy feeling I get as fall beckons makes me happy for the dwindling daylight. Root vegetables roasted in cider jus are an ode to that feeling. If I make it during the week, it alone is my dinner. On the weekends it is a grand foot soldier to a roast. Leftovers are perfect for a frittata or even a stuffed bread. This recipe is a classic.
• 3 tbsp olive oil • 3 cups apple cider • 1 cup apple cider vinegar • 1 1/2 tbsp Tomato & Parsley Vinaigrette • 1 1/4 lb turnips • 1 1/4 lb parsnip • 1 1/4 lb carrots • 1 1/4 lb red or sweet potatoes (I like leaving the skins on) • 1 large red onion, quartered 1 med chopped zucchini for color (optional) Boil apple juice and wine in a large saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 30 min. Whisk in olive oil and Veggie Rub. Preheat oven to 425 f. Peel and cut vegetables into 1/2 inch pieces. Divide between 2 roasting pans. Pour apple juice mixture over vegetables. Toss to coat. Roast until vegetables are tender & golden, stirring occasionally, about 40 min.
Indian Summer Chili - Great Party Food I don't remember how we came about this recipe. I do remember loving it instantly. It is a go to recipe for parties and preparing meal ahead of time. It is another of those meals that evolves with whats fresh, local, in the fridge or what people at the table can eat. At summers end, this one pot dish is full of my garden's harvest. Try it at your next tailgate picnic.
• 3 tbsp Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Sesame Oil • 1 1/3 lbs ground turkey breast (as lean as you can get), ground beef or 5 cups cooked beluga lentils • 2 tbsp Picante Passion or Bayou Blackening Balm • 3 tbsp Rosemary, Hot Pepper and Garlic Vinegar • 1 med onion, quartered • 2 large bell peppers, chopped (any color combination, red, green, purple, yellow or orange) • 1 bottle of beer (the alcohol cooks out - we love Blue Moon for this) • 2 cups corn kernels (optional) • 2 cups shredded zucchini (optional) • 1 shredded carrot (optional) • 1 bag Cajun White Bean Chili, prepared (or 4 cups great northern beans cooked, 1 tbsp Bayou Blackening Balm and 4 cups stewed tomatoes) 1 (14 ounce) can chunky tomato sauce
Heat a large pot over medium to medium high heat. Add oil and the turkey. Season the meat with Picante Passion or Bayou Blackening Balm. Break up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon into small crumbles. Brown meat 5 minutes, then add onions and bell peppers and cook 10 minutes more. Add beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the drippings and cooking off the alcohol. Add corn kernels, carrot and shredded zucchini.
Stir in Cajun White Bean Chili and tomato sauce and bring to a bubble. Let chili simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and heat level to your taste. Remove from heat and serve. Dipping and scooping into your chili: Pretzel Rods, Yellow, Red or Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, Pita Chips, Yukon Gold, Red Bliss or Blue Potato Chips. Toppings: Choose from any or all of the following for topping your chili: Shredded Cheeses: smoked white sharp cheddar, Cheddar, 5 peppercorn Cheddar, Monterey Jack, sliced canned jalapenos, drained Salsa, Sour cream, chopped raw onion, chopped olives, pimentos, cilantro leaves, diced tomatoes, etc.
Simple and Satisfying: Stuffed Peppers As the daylight fades earlier and earlier time can seems to get away from you. It is often more of a challenge to come up with dinner options. Stuffed Peppers are a simple and satisfying meal. If you have the time make a bigger batch and freeze a portion for future use. To find local growers visit FarmFresh.Org.
Essential Ingredients • 4 large green, red or yellow bell peppers • 2 cups rice (I like a brown/wild rice blend) • 1 small onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tbsp Olio do Panne or Picante Passion For Carnivores • 1/2 lb ground beef • 1/2 lb ground pork • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese • 1 egg • 1 small can tomato paste (optional)
For vegans • 4 cups cooked lentils (in this dish beluga are my favorite) • 1/2 cup Firm Silken Tofu chopped • 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast • 1 small can tomato paste (optional)
Mix ingredients rice, onion, garlic, spice and ingredients for meat filled or vegetable lovers peppers. Slice tops off the peppers and clean seeds from the inside. Stuff with rice and meat or lentil mixture.
Line a baking pan or cookie sheet with parchment. Place in an oven heated to 350f. Your can also place on a grill heated to that temp. Bake for 45 minutes. Take off the heat and cover with foil for 15 - 30 minutes before eating.
Roasted Pork Loin with Apples and Potatoes Okay, it is another one of those Sunday's when I have awoken thinking about diner. As I sit here enjoying my steaming coffee I cannot get a whole lot of motivation to find an adventure outside this morning in the cold drizzle, interrupted by bursts of pouring rain. Instead a warm stove and the apples on the counter beckon. Comfort food is on my mind.
We often had pork roast on Sunday because it was my Nana's favorite. Today the other white meat is one of the first things I think of when planning a cozy meal. When we used to be a vendor at the Springfield Farmer's Market I was in heaven because I had weekly access to both the apples and fresh cut bounty from Outlook Farm. And then Red Fire Farm would provide the sweet and red potatoes. This is easy, delicious and satisfying. With staples from your local farmer's market it is easy to whip up this special dish in a pinch. • 2 lb boneless pork loin roast • 4 red potatoes, peeled and sliced • 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced • 2 tbsp Perk Up your Pork • 1 tart Granny Smith or McIntosh apple - peeled, cored, and sliced • 1/2 cup butter, sliced Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the pork roast in a medium baking dish. Rub Roast thoroughly with Perk Up your Pork. Arrange potatoes around the roast. Place apples over the roast and potatoes. Top with butter slices. Seal baking dish tightly with foil. Cook 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature of the pork has reached 160 F.
Ffwd: Baked apples with cranberries, raisins and walnuts This is another deliciously simple recipe from Dorie. My mother has started making the recipes out of this book. She is enamored with the "a little of this and a little of that" style, as am I. The caramel like quality of the filling is rich and satisfying. The sweet creamy baked apple crust makes it light and refreshing. I cant wait to try this particular tome with different types of nuts and dried fruit, perhaps some agave nectar and maybe even pears. I don't believe it will ever get old. You might come for brunch one day and enjoy it with filled with figs and filberts, topped with fresh yogurt. Next Christmas eve it could make an appearance full of dates, almonds and apricots, garnished with creme fraiche and a side of shortbread. The options are endless.
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2 cortland apples 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries 1/8 cup Local Honey 1 tbsp Russian Mulling Spice 1/8 cup cranberry juice 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 lemon 4 tsp butter or Earth Balance (soy butter)
Preheat oven to 350f. Peel apples 1/2 way down. Core apples. Mix nuts, raisins and apples with honey and spice. Rub peeled parts of the apple with lemon. Fill apples with fruit and nut mixture. Place apples and peels in a baking dish. Pour juices in the dish. Top each apple with tsp butter. Place the remaining tsp butter in the juice.
Bake for 50 to 70 minutes, basting the apples every 15 minutes with the pan juices. Apples are finished when they are cooked to your liking. Serve hot or at room temperature. Eat as is or topped with ice-cream, yogurt or cream. Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.
Harvest fruit polenta
A lazy train made it's way from Rome to Venice. It was old and dusty and full of school children. That is how I came to meet Daniella and get introduced to fruit topped polenta squares. She was already on board when I arrived. Seeing that I was looking for a seat she shooed away the pesky boy who was trying to get her attention. Offering the seat next to her, I accepted and we became fast friends.
At the age of 10 her rudimentary knowledge of English far surpassed my 22 year old attempt at Italian. Through miming and lots of drawing she managed to tell me that she and her classmates were from Rovigo, Italy; a city famous for its ceramic tiles. Her mother had passed away and she lived with her father a musician and their cat, Antonio. Daniella spent a lot of time with her grandmother and was learning to cook. Many look at polenta as peasant food in Italy. Daniella's grandmother saw the value in simple foods that could be carted around in a busy child's backpack. To this college student with wanderlust, the simple fair was like manna from the heavens. Here is my version of her offering;
• 2 cups Polenta Mix • 6 cups water • 1 cup shredded cheese (optional) • 2 cups Roasted Harvest Fruit
Add polenta and water to a rice cooker. If you don’t have one, add it to a high walled stock pot on you stove top. The rice cooker is easiest. Just point it to the white rice setting and let it take care of itself. On the stove top, cook on high until it reaches a slow rolling boil. The simmer, stirring ever 15 minutes until the polenta has reached a porridge like consistency. Cover and let stand a few minutes. If you want to include cheese in the polenta, fold it in at this stage. Pour polenta onto a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Spread roasted fruit on top. Bake at 350f for 30 min. Let cool before cutting. Serve as an appetizer with gorgonzola cheese or desert with ice cream. These bars are also excellent for breakfast on the go.
Caramel Apple Slab Pie
As I bike through Granville in the morning I am over joyed by the site of trees prolific with fruit. Through a mist that promises a beautiful Indian summer day, I spy dots of red through the green leaves and my mind swirls with how I am going to enjoy the local bounty this week. By the time I got to work on Friday my plan was to rework our recipe for Caramel Apple Pie into a bar treat. Going from formal to casual this desert can come to work where Justin will be eager to critique the evoluton.
• 1 portion of gluten free pasta frolla or a rolled out pre baked crust of your choice • 6 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced thin (Cortland & McIntosh are terrific) • 2 tsp Russian Mulling Spice • 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar • 1 cup packed brown sugar • 1/8 cup Earth Balance (soy butter) sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional) Heat oven to 350ºF. Toss apples with brown sugar and Russian Mulling Spice. Blend in chunks of butter. Roll out crust onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Lay apple mixture onto dough. Fold edges over the sides of apple chunks. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or the crust is golden brown to your liking. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream (if desired).
Apple Spice Cookies; a recipe for comfort when the air turns chilly The morning sky glistens as it only does around the change of seasons. The striking chill to the air invokes a feeling of comfort to me. I had intended to go for a bike ride as soon as I awoke. The mornings when I will be able to do that are dwindling. Instead I was lazy and decided to sit on my couch covered in a downy comforter and watch the early morning unfold through my window. A steaming cup of hot cinnamon tea has brought apples and comfort foods are on my mind. As soon as I get a whiff of ambition, I am going to turn on the oven and make these cookies. Life is tough!
• 1 cup All Purpose Baking Mix (or Jiffy Mix) • 2 cups almond flour • 2 tsp of Chinese 5 Spice • 1/2 cup Coconut Oil • 1/2 cups packed brown sugar • 1/3 cup apple sauce • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • 1 cup chopped apples (try McIntosh) 1 cup craisins (optional)
Cream together Coconut Oil and brown sugar. Then add apple sauce and vinegar. Fold in Baking Mix and Russian Mulling Spice until dampened. Mixture will be very thick. Stir in almond flour, apples and raisins. Drop by tablespoon 2 inches apart on a lightly parchment lined sheet. Bake 12 to 16 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Let cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet.
Tomato Martini Shopping at Rays, our little local farm stand, is a guilty pleasure. I go in for an onion and leave with a bushel of tomatoes. That was yesterday's story. I am considering just going there by bike from now on, or at least until winter. Otherwise I will need to spend a week in the kitchen making the most of all of the delights that just tickled my fancy.
This morning I awoke dreaming about the crates of eggplant and zucchini that were just begging to come home with me. The first sip of coffee reminded me of the tantalizing tomato martini my trip to the market turned into. What a way to wind down a wicked week!
• 2 very ripe tomatoes • 2 large green olives • 6 ounces chilled vodka (Try Tito's Handmade) • Tomato slices, quartered to garnish Chop tomatoes and green olives roughly. Add vodka and marinate for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Mash and add ice cubes. Shake and strain into glasses. Serve with tomato slices, as many as make you happy. This makes 2 very healthy martini's.
Cranberry Crush
To me cranberry is the color of fall. Rich and soothing, it warms my heart both by sight and taste. Last September I sat on a beautiful shaded balcony. The sun warmed what had started as a crisp day. It glistened on the waters of the canal below. I went there in search of a place to work outside. While I did not speak the language of it's servers or patrons, the northern Italian restaurant offered fine wines and German beers. I chose the fresh cranberry juice.
Ocean spray is a pale comparison to the luscious beverage I was served. As the day wound down I drifted between toiling away at the task at hand and day dreaming about a languorous Sunday, good conversation and a pitcher of a spirited version of that juice. Today I lived that dream.
• 1 lb fresh cranberries • 1/8 cup Orange Vanilla Sugar or 1 1/2 tbsp Xylitol • 8 oz vodka (Try home made thyme infused vodka or Luksusowa potato vodka from Poland) • 1 cup orange juice • A few sprigs of fresh thyme Pulse all ingredients in a blender. Serve chilled over ice.
There are a million ways to enjoy the bounty of the harvest!