This week we’ll be treated to a true prize of winter.  That ivory hued, less well-known cousin of the carrot, the parsnip, requires cold weather to develop its characteristic sweetness.  Without winter’s frosty touch, these subterranean veggies are just another starchy root.  Once harvested parsnips store better than most vegetables – placed in the crisper drawer, loosely bagged, they’re likely to last for weeks and even months.  These gnarly roots not only resemble their orange brethren, they lend themselves to many of the same cooking methods.   Unlike carrots though, parsnips are not suitable for raw consumption and require proper cooking to bring out their nutty sweetness.

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Christmas sugar cookie shapes wait for decoration.

Starting about October this family dives, head first, into a holiday season packed with cross-cultural destinations.  Diwali, the Indian “festival of lights” often starts us out (link to journal entry), but sometimes it’s an American favorite, Halloween.  Soon we’re preparing for Thanksgiving, featuring a bird-less feast inspired by culinary delights from around the world (link to journal entry).  December brings holiday parties, cookie exchanges and an ample amount of general over-indulgence (isn’t that part of what it means to be a holiday?).  If we’re lucky, we get invited to celebrate Hanukah with Jewish friends, but if not, we’ll often celebrate anyway in our own naive way.

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It’s a time for resolutions, reflection and new directions – we cut back a little while determinedly trying to fit into those pants that suddenly seem a bit too tight.  Luckily there’s a full bag of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables on the counter just waiting to be rinsed, cut, roasted, sautéed, tucked into a warming soup or simply popped, without any treatment at all, right into our mouths.  Wholesome goodness ready to nourish our bodies and souls while also reorienting our eating habits after weeks of, let’s just admit it, whole-hearted over-indulgence.  The good news is that getting back into a routine of healthy eating doesn’t need to be bland, boring or devoid of pleasure – in fact with the ready assistance of a little olive oil and some herbs and spices, all of the components of this week’s bag can be served up in a fabulously flavorful way, while reining in the fat and calorie load to a reasonable, pre-holiday level.

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Fall brings crisp, cool weather and with it, some of my most cherished holidays – Thanksgiving prominent among them.  I love the idea of a day centered on taking time to pause and reflect (no, it’s really not just all about football).  Some people I know object to the concept of a Thanksgiving holiday, given our nation’s checkered history regarding treatment of native people.  I prefer to view the day outside its historical significance, as a time for folks of any and all shapes, sizes, races, religions and cultural traditions to come together, sharing a meal with thanks for the gifts in life, big and more often, small.  Simple gifts – those we might sometimes take for granted – our persimmon tree laden with fruit; loving sisters and daughters; autumn leaves’ fiery burst of color; older parents still with us; summer thunderstorms that arrive out of nowhere; generous husbands; a flock of robins in the rain; golden sunflower fields; infectious giggles; hot tea shared with friends – the list is, of course, endless.

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