Growers share their favorite dishes
LOCAL GROWERS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE DISHES OF THE FALL SEASON
To discover some healthy and tasty dishes turning up on people’s plates this fall, we went right to the source, as in our local farmers who are growing it, to see what some of them are cooking up this season.
Some have a shared love of squash, one vegetable that is getting its time to shine, for another meat is the main focus. Regardless of what ends up on their cutting board using what they grew or raised, they all offered some inspiration and helpful tips coming out of their kitchens.
John “Bing” Houston, the owner of Stony Hill Farm, a biodynamic farm in South Coventry Township, just wrapped up his market season with the Pottstown Farmers Market. Right now his primary focus is on selling his produce at the farmstand on his property along with the Phoenixville Farmers’ Market, which has an extended season.
At his stand and the market you can find Brussels sprouts, a variety of squashes, potatoes, bok choy, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Swiss chard and more. He also supplies his produce to local restaurants.
“We also have so many herbs and we are still getting tomatoes, eggplant and okra — we are going to let it ride until the frost takes it out,” Houston said.
Pumpkin Fritters
Houston, a father of six children, said that squash is put to use in the kitchen often this time of year at his home.
“My wife will make fritters out of pie pumpkin,” he said, adding she will also use the pumpkin to make pancakes, and it might even make an appearance at suppertime. “We’ll have chunk-roasted squash for dinner.”
A certain type of heirloom pumpkin makes its way into the pies made by Dorene Pasekoff, owner of Hill Creek Farm, East Coventry Township, with her husband, Frank Desimone.
“I think Long Island Cheese squash is the best pie pumpkin that is adapted to the area,” Pasekoff said of the 19th-century American heirloom that got its name because the shape of it resembles a wheel of cheese. “It makes a really good soup too.”
Good consistency and flavor
Pasekoff explained why the Long Island Cheese squash is so ideal for pie.
“It has the good consistency and it has the flavor,” she said. “People have been telling me they really like the flavor.”
For the pie, she uses the same recipe her mother used.
“The thing that’s a little different is I do the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves,” she said, noting it’s not common to include all four of these spices together in pumpkin pie. “It’s the way my mother always did it and I enjoy doing it.”
Pumpkin pie tip
When using fresh pumpkin versus canned, Pasekoff makes an adjustment in the kitchen. She shared her tip, which can minimize a pie’s baking time.
“I use dried milk powder instead of liquid milk because there is usually a lot of liquid in the squash and it has to cook longer,” she said. “It works out beautifully.”
At her small specialty vegetable farm that centers on heirloom varieties, Pasekoff has the full range of fall vegetables coming in, which you can find weekly at the Phoenixville Farmers’ Market.
“It’s all prep for Thanksgiving right now,” Pasekoff said.
Crockpot meals
For Natalie Albano, owner of Ironstone Creamery & Farm, South Coventry Township, with her mother, Kim, her focus in the kitchen is centered on meat, which is convenient for her since their farm centers on humanely-raised pastured pork, chicken and beef.
Given their limited time to cook due to the hours dedicated to farming, they do a lot of crockpot meals. This time of year, Natalie’s favorite dish is pulled pork that she makes using one of their pot roasts.
“I do a lot of pulled pork,” Albano said. “It’s my favorite because it’s super easy.”
She seasons it up with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and chili pepper. It then cooks for six hours in the crockpot.
“When I make my pulled pork it’s the first thing that I’ll do and then I’ll go and do my thing and work on the farm,” she said.
Reward for a hard day’s work
Eating her meal at the end of the day serves as somewhat of a reward to round out a hard day’s work.
“When my work is done, the meal is already done for me, so it’s the satisfaction of finishing what I had to get done that day,” Albano said.
She finds the pulled pork to be a warming dish that is perfectly suited for the colder seasons.
“I’m cold all day, so it does warm my soul after I’ve been out and my hands are cold and I finally get to go inside and not have to worry about anything else but finishing my food,” Albano said.
www.phoenixvillefarmersmarket. org
(Phoenixville Farmers Market runs year round, every Saturday April through December and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays January through March.)