Sunday Gleanings

The past two days we've enjoyed homemade blueberry syrup over French toast. Geena and Brian here in Evinston have been supplying the community for the past month with large sweet berries from their home patch. Each morning Brian brings a tray of pints into the Wood and Swink store, where they quickly sell out.

Yesterday I gleaned some carrots and onions from Freddy Wood's garden spot behind the Wood and Swink store. The end of their harvest had come and Freddy plowed the field under. The carrots went straight to Bun-Bun, the Clog-wife's big indestructable white rabbit. The onions found their way into some fresh pico de gallo salsa and the soup that I am tending right now.

I chopped the onions and browned them in a little chicken fat (previously rendered with onions and kept in the ice-box), added a chopped celery stalk and a little diced tomato. When all had caramelized together I added salt, pepper, and a few cups of water. When the stock has simmered for a couple of hours I'll strain it, put it in a ceramic casserole, top with toasted rye bread and mozarella, and bake for a few minutes.

Voila'. Onion soup for a rainy day.