Ramblings on an autumn evening
By Candi Smith
Woodlander in the Land DownUnder
Global Correspondent
It’s Tuesday 15 April 2008 and autumn is setting in. The days are growing shorter and the warmer days of summer are memories of weeks ago. The first school term break has started, so the kids are running rampant everywhere and I have to pull the cobwebs out of my brain to remember how to keep them busy for two weeks.
I noticed the baker made pumpkin bread, which means stew, casserole and thick soup recipe cards will be dusted off again. I have never had to figure out what to do with the pumpkin overload that my mother deals with every year. Here, I just buy a small butternut pumpkin whenever I want to make pumpkin soup. Yes, Butternut pumpkin is what you would call Butternut squash. I have no idea why the two names for the same vegetable, but then I can’t explain several things about Australia.
Pumpkin soup is almost as good as pumpkin pie, so long as you have the right recipe – for either the soup or the pie.
Australia will mark ANZAC Day on 25 April. Similar to Memorial Day in the USA, Australia pays tribute to all the men and women who have served to protect their country. The tradition comes from the ANZACs who fought in WWI at Gallipoli. ANZAC = Australian New Zealand Army Corps. It’s a day of remembrance and thanksgiving all in one. My husband’s family had members fight in both WWI and WWII (father and son actually). Both Charles (enlisted at the age of 40) and Archibald (enlisted at the age of 37) came home safe, so the family was very lucky.
As we slowly move towards winter here, my family is looking at a change of scenery. Soon we will move to Queensland... across the country from our happy home on the Indian Ocean. I will be closer to the USA and see the ocean that I am much more familiar with, the Pacific, one again. Brisbane is the third largest city in Australia, and we are very excited to have a change. I will have to adjust to the accent change as well.
Autumn is here. It’s time to reflect on this last year as I watch the beautiful color array of every sunset. It’s time to bring out the cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and make the house smell like grandma’s house... the smell of something baking. Yearnings to go to Apple Hill and show off its beauty to my girls have to be quelled with brewing up my own apple cider… mmm, even more cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. The longing to smell a pine grove reminds me how much I miss living in California.
Autumn is here and I have this deep sense inside me that says I should be doing the spring cleaning. Go figure.
6 comments:
Dino,
If I knew that you would attached a Pumpkin soup recipe to this post I would have given you my recipe. Mine is much different to that and I think just from looking at it I can say that mine is better.
Would you like me to email it to you?
Candi
I didn't know I was going to do it myself... when the notion popped into my head I thought I was being clever. Please do post your soup recipe here under comments - I'll take the link off your great story! Are the other links okay?
PS: How 'bout posting your pie recipe, too : )
I have made this pumpkin soup many times and I just love it!
1 1/2 lbs pumpkin
2 leeks - sliced
8oz potatoes - peeled & chopped
3 chicken stock cubes
4cups water
1 cup thickened cream
salt and pepper
chives - chopped
Peel pumpkin, cut into small pieces and put into large saucepan. Add leeks, potatoes, crumbled chicken stock cubes and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or until veggies are very soft and tender. Remove from heat and puree everything together in blender (I leave everything in the pan and use a Whiz Stick).Return puree to heat and add cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil stirring; reduce heat and simmer a further 5 minutes uncovered.
Serve with dollop of thickened cream and chives sprinkled on top.
Candi
Pumpkin Pie
I grew up on this recipe and forever will be a pumpkin pie from scratch eater....no Libby's canned pumpkin for this girl!
9" pie
1 3/4 cups mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups milk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
Beat all ingredients together in mixer. Pour into pastry lined pie pan. Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 40-55 minutes - just until a knife inserted into the side of the filling comes out clean. The center may still look soft but will set later. Serve slightly warm or cold.
It's so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Candi
Dino, the links are fine. You can now take off the soup recipe :) I have posted my beautiful recipe for everyone. And the pie too!
Candi
Thanks Candi! I can't wait to try them!
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