With the air turned cool and the leaves falling I realized it is surely time for me to make use of the most glorious of autumnal vegetables, squash. And not just any squash -
Cucurbita Moschata - that's butternut squash to you and me. Though technically a fruit, the plant is starchy and was one of the three staple crops of Native Americans (beans and corn being the others).
Although you can sometimes find this vegetable all year round, it reaches peak flavor in September/October/November. So when the chill starts seeping under your door, then you break out the butternut. The seasonal climate change works to your advantage because aside from making an excellent ravioli filling (serve such pasta with a browned-butter and sage and your tastebuds will sing) butternut makes a delicious and hearty soup which is simple to make.
Continued...
I find that the cinnamon nicely compliments the inherent sweetness of butternut squash, while the sage and rosemary are just classic earthy spices bound by tradition to this fruit.
1 large squash (or two smaller squash)
5 small cans of chicken broth
butter
flour
milk
cinnamon
ground sage
rosemary
salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
Start with one large or two small squash. Clean exceptionally well, and cut length-wise. Remove seeds and clean the bulbous end of all stringy goopy guts (this is just like a jack-o-lantern). Cut the squash into 3/4 inch slices and place in a steamer. Cooking until squash is soft and yields to very gentle pressure. Drain liquid and return squash to a tall stock pot.
Add chicken stock to the pot and place on low heat. Using a immersion (stick blender) puree the squash with the stock until it is totally liquefied.
In a separate pot melt one stick of butter and add spices to taste. When butter is frothy add an equal amount of flour, cook this until the mixture acquires a nutty smell. Add 3/4 of a half gallon of milk (I use 1 percent) and whisk briskly to intergrate the flour. Lower flame and bring milk to a bare simmer, at this point the milk should have thickened considerably.
When the milk base is thickened add to the stock/squash mixture and stir. Allow to simmer for smoother texture and more mellowed flavors and textures, but the soup is ready to serve as is.
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Watching "The American Experience: Race to the Moon" tonight on PBS about the Apollo program and more specifically Apollo 8, which was the first trip to the moon, choked me up quite a bit. The whole program was beautifully put together, but it went beyond the standard fair - this included candid photos and footage of the wives and children waiting with held breaths or gaping mouths.
Not only does it make me exceedingly proud to know that my brother, who has dreamed of being part of spaceflight since he could talk, is now following the footsteps of such a program, but it made me proud to see what humanity can achieve. And here is the rest of it.
