Fools Rush In

Ok, maybe I got a little carried away. It is still technically August after all, so it’s a tad early for roasting & such. But I was at the farmer’s market this weekend and it was full of apples and root vegetables and gourds of all shapes and sizes and it was all so unexpected and unusual after months of juicy peaches and ripe berries and sweet tender greens. And somehow I ended up with an acorn squash.

Now I don’t know about you, but I think acorn squash just cries out for roasting. So I complied with its request and popped that bad boy in the oven with a dash of olive oil, a pinch of garam masala spice, and a generous sprinkle of salt & pepper. At 400 degrees it took about an hour for the wedges to brown and become tender.

And then?

Well, then it was only just ok… sweet and subtle and not particularly thrilling really. I think it could have thrilled me – maybe with a roasted chicken or pork loin alongside or whipped into a rich pasta filling… but quite frankly, the oven had already been on for an hour, it was 80 degrees outside and I was starting to break a sweat.

The truth is, it’s just not roasting weather quite yet. So I spun my squash around with a little crumbled cow’s milk feta and then, oh then… it was downright delightful. Somewhere between savory and sweet with a little salty tang - it hints of the past and promises a comforting future - perfect for our present, somewhere between Summer and Fall.

An interesting and unexpected pairing, serve it as a salad at room temp or a side for your last BBQ of the season. And remember, good things may come to those who wait - but sometimes it's ok to peek ahead!