GoodStuffNW: Your Tomorrows Start with Action Today.
I’m kicking off October’s newsletter with a request: Vote. Vote like our democracy depends on it. Which it literally does, especially in this election. If you’re not registered, it takes just a couple of minutes to do so at the online registration site. (The deadline to register is October 15.) If you’re not sure if you’re registered, you can check your status here. Thanks!
With my fingers crossed that I’ve made enough jam to last through the winter—two kinds of plum, raspberry, strawberry, marionberry and blackberry—this year was a breakthrough for me in that I found a new technique, one that takes the guesswork out of the process and guarantees a great result! It requires no pectin and works for almost all berries and stone fruits, and you can read about it here.
This time of year it feels incredibly liberating to be able to get out the braising pot or turn on the oven without worrying about heating up the house. With the ash trees surrounding our house turning a brilliant Van Gogh gold in the afternoon sunlight and fall temperatures hovering in the low 70s, we’ve been feasting on lush and creamy tomato soup, zingy kimchi stew and our favorite casseroles, including that throwback to childhood, a tamale pie my mom would have loved.
But it’s far from a downhill slide into winter around here. I’m in the process of making a couple of fermented hot sauces from the chile peppers that are at their peak at the farmers’ markets right now. And with Hispanic Heritage Month in full swing until mid-month, it’s the perfect opportunity to bone up on all things capsicum with this guide to chiles from Ginger Rapport, market master of the Beaverton Farmers Market.
And in addition to voting—Oregon’s mail-in ballots should be arriving mid-month—you can make your voice heard by signing this petition opposing an attempted land grab in Washington County. Governor Kotek and developers are trying to subvert the state’s land use laws that have been in place for a half century, siting sprawling semiconductor plants on some of the richest and most productive farmland in Oregon. Take action today and stop the sprawl.
Shout-out and big thanks to stalwart sponsor the Beaverton Farmers Market, and to you readers for your support of this source of news you can actually use!
Thanks for reading,
Kathleen Bauer