Hallown vegetables
Pumpkin
Maybe it's the colour or maybe it's the size but pumpkins are becoming demonised as the embodiment of America's crass commercialisation of Halloween. It's not even that they're imponed: most of those in the shops are British grown. Makes for an impressive (if heavy) lantern but the flesh tends to be too stringy and wet to cook really well. Even pumpkin pie aficionados use tinned puree. Lantern: 0... Eating: O
Custard Squash
Once the butternut seemed exotic. but now October ushers in a wonderfully colourful collection of oddly shaped winter squashes. This one. a larger version of cOurgette—like flying saucers called patty pans. gets it name from its similarity to a custard pie. The flesh. particularly in the larger Sl/OS. is a bit bland. so it's probably best stuffed With meat. cheese or spiced rice. Has potential as a weird lantern.
Lantern: .0 Eating: O.
Winter turnip
Not to be confused With a swede. which is a turnip eaten in Winter. Your best bet is to go for the smaller ones. which can be cooked and served whole. though plenty of butter is recommended. As a baby vegetable. they're sweet to slice thinly like a radish and tossed into a salad or served as a crudite. Doesn't really perform on the lantern front though. unless dolly has to come guising too
Lantern: 0 Eating: COO
Onion Squash The terminology is confusing. Pumpkins. sguash and marrows all belong to the gourd family. llllltllX; are related to cabbages. And this one's called an onion sguash only because it's shaped like one. Deeper in colour and richer in flavour than an ‘American' pumpkin, some of these are so sweet they can be roasted. topped ‘.'~.’|lll a bit of brown sugar and honey. then served as a dessert.
Lantern: .00. Eating: O...
For more food and drink visit www.l|st.co.uk/food
Swede
OK. a neep in Scotland. the symbol of our cultural heritage around Halloween. when it represents all that's noble and true about the autumnal celebration. such as diabolic superstition and scaring the y/ils out of little children. Rich. silky but earthy turnip puree is becoming a favourite in smart restaurants. and of course it'll get boiled to sinithereens ‘.'.'ll(l'll Burns' iiiglil comes around. Try it roasted instead. Lantern: 0.... Eating: .0.
Butternut Squash
Much of the time when you next; ‘puiiipkin‘ it'll be this. the gourd shaped. pale skinned but richly orange‘tleslitxl butternut. Hltllll‘, regarded for its buttery. nutty flavour and keeping (ltl(tlll‘,', it's very versatile: roast it ill chunks. puree ". (l()\.'.ll‘.. stick it in a curry. and stir it into pasta or a risotto. You can even roast the seeds for a crunchy garnish. But don't bother \‘Jllll the lante lantern: 0
l ating: 0.00.
With thanks to our suppliers of colourful winter veg: Damhead Organics (damhead.co.uk). ECO (www.eastcoastorganics.co.uk) and Tattle Shaw's (35 Elm Row, Edinburgh)
a. "a ‘7':
this?!
I FOOD
Falko Burkert
Master bread-maker
My eating habits are the worst you can iinag:i‘e. lottei‘. pegir‘ "‘y day a‘. xiiii‘.
when I start making bread. I'll grab a fiye minute break for a coffee and or‘e o‘ 37‘2-
bre/el lpret/elsi we make. l have a sort of breakfast at Slant
I got up -
Fidinburgh shop out to the (‘iullane cafe. I get my lunch when I'm Fdinburgh around 1% o'clock. l'll rust eat \.vliate‘xei Icai‘. find
s-_:-\.-'e.'i .'t()t.tf; afie'
coffee and a croissant. I then drive a van with the cakes from ou'
>ack il‘.
,t's t'iat strange
feeling of being hungry but not kiioy/ing what you ‘.'.'ant lliui‘tstelrl has semi:
nice food she; s so I might get to Claiks for soiiie cheese. I'll .ise my ()‘.'.i’.". bzeazi.
of course
my favourite is Koininiss'tn‘ot. which uses a ‘;();ll(l( rugn stgiite' tl‘at's
been going for 100 years. Dinner is the only proper meal I eat. and I'll £ti‘~.'.i(t\,’f3 cook it myself. It's my pleasure time. We have a great t-:;lin‘-<)iigei in l-Ziiiiitst'eld. it
have a glass of Wine ‘.‘/lilt my meal and I'll get to bed at Tt),.«1(}oi t‘pnx
I Falko Ko/irlitor/ne/ste/ rs opening a new cafe at ltto Hrunts/ie/d Plat ‘e i/' ear/i
November: Falko ‘.r‘.//// also present some of his breads at laste ‘."-/orks/rops during the BBC Good Food Show at the SUX) in (3/.iisgo'-.v on I and J’
November (( /as< out/.bbct oritfloods/it)w.coni). J . .I
News to nibble on
I II"! (pronounced ‘shee’ — Gaelic for ‘peace’) is a new cafe at 459 Dumbarton Road just around the corner from Partick Underground station in Glasgow. Run by two women with strong connections in the Gaelic and Gay/LGBT communtities, it incorporates a café, art and crafts gallery, shop selling fair trade clothing and a simple alternative hang-out space. The food is simple but thoughtful with baked sweet potatoes, tapas, wraps, panini and dinner specials. Coffee is organic fairtrade and there’s wi-fi, board games and various music, knitting, and Gaelic conversation sessions through the week. www.sithcafe.co.uk, 0141 334 9013.
3 CALM!“ MOIIIIOI. ()'-.='-.'ner of lteiisn dot: in Leitn. has opened up l-locksalt cafe at 46 Constitution Street in the old William Nimmo printer's shop. With more space for tables and a kitchen. he's been able to develop a full menu with allday breakfasts. nice salads and a daily stew. There's a good cross-over with Relish. which wilt sell food r.)repz_ired at Rocksait. while the good local food ayz‘talabie at the deli has a place on the cafe menu and in a coupl,> of small deli fridges. It's open from 8arii daily. Sam at the x-veekends. 013‘. 5:34 €3‘8i'3.
I II.” 0" A PIACI theme
Satish Kumar, editor of Resurgence mag and one of the UK’s more engaging ecological and spiritual thinkers will deliver the annual Stewardship Lecture at the House of Falkland in Fife on Thu 30 Oct at 6.30pm. His subject is ‘Reconnecting with Food’ and the event includes a Fife Diet supper by chef Christopher Trotter. Tickets £25 from Centre of Stewardship, 01337 858838 or www.bigtentfestival.co.uk
‘i'? s, (i T ."XfiX‘i THE L'ST 11