From Tree (and Farm, and Garden) to Table...

We have been picking and purchasing and bartering and harvesting the most incredible bounty of produce this past week. It keeps my kitchen busy (and messy) most days, and will serves us beautifully throughout the winter. 

We visited the local organic apple orchard this weekend to pick apples with friends in the warm sunshine. Those apples are destined for saucing this afternoon (and perhaps a crisp is in order to appreciate their loveliness as well).

Tomatoes from a local organic farmer are stacked in my kitchen. Today I will salt and roast them and then freeze for sauces and other goodness throughout the winter. Some will become salsa and others (if there is enough) will be for our first foray into ketchup.

And the pesto. Oh, the pesto! Our house smells of garlic and basil this morning after yesterday's all-day-pesto-thon. My freezer is brimming with cubes of pesto and basil puree. I made it from a variety of locally and homegrown garlic varieties, basil from a friends' farm, sunflower seeds and/or pine nuts, and olive oil. (The puree I left without nuts or garlic to include in non-pesto recipes during the winter.) For pesto I measure nothing, so each batch will be a surprise. 

And in the non-culinary realm, thank you for the kind words about the gnome hat! Inspired by my post, Living Crafts Magazine has a generous offer for each of you as well! With each new subscription you will receive an additional issue - a copy of the fall 2010 (our issue!) at no additional cost. Five issues for the price of four, an $8.95 savings over the cover price. Use coupon code F10clean on their website.

And the winners of the current issue of Living Crafts Magazine are:

Andrea who said:

you were kind enough to send me a tutorial quite a while back after your orginal gnome hat post! sadly, i have yet to getting around to making it. i think i found a red sweater to use though... I need to get moving!!!!

I've love a subscription to the magazine!

and

Karri R. who said:

love the hat! she's an adorable gnome!