The most important book Ive read in a long while.

Barbara Kingsolver

This Organic Life

Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader

Joan Dye Gussow

PUT IT IN THE CELLAR

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Return pan to stovetop for 3 to 5 minutes, tilting and shaking pan to let eggs settle. Put pan in oven, and bake until eggs are just set (10 minutes). Do not overcook.

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The onion/potato crop salvage operation was not driven by parsimony, though I had excellent training in that. There surely was a time when, if Id known how to grow so much of our food, the money saved would have made a difference. But were comfortable now, we live in a village where the store is a block away, and can go to the Community Market to buy potatoes and onions if ours fail us. The anxiety produced by our root vegetable shortfall therefore seemed unwarranted. Thats when I realized that several years earlier, without really knowing we had stepped over a line, we had achieved the goal I had been heading toward for years. We had reached the point where we simply never bought a vegetable. We found ourselves eatingand trying to feed guestsentirely on what we grew (aside from animal products and grains). The crops in our first year in our new home were sufficiently oversized that we could use our own potatoes freely for dinner parties, invent dishes to use up sweet potatoes, and eat onions with abandon all winter.

Mashed Potatoes for Twelve

(with enough left over for Mashed Potato Cakes)

Peel and remove eyes from: 5 pounds yellow Finn or other good mashing potatoes Cut into 11/2- to 2-inch chunks, cover with water, and bring to a boil.

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Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour or until tender. Remove from heat and drain. Mash potatoes with a potato masher, and remove to bowl of electric mixer (or remove to large bowl and use hand-held beater). Add: 2 teaspoons garlic powder (I know, but its the only thing I use it fortime saving when Im cooking a big meal!) 4 tablespoons butter When butter has melted add: 1 2 cup milk, to start (I use skim) / salt, to taste Now begin beating the potatoes at high speed, adding milk as needed. They should be soft and fluffy like well-beaten egg whites, but not wet. With luck, youll have some left over.

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Mashed Potato Cakes
To make four mashed potato cakes, mix: about 2 cupfuls mashed potato 1 egg (optional, the potatoes will hold together without an egg) Mold a small handful into a patty smaller than a quarter-pounder. Heat a black iron frying pan very, very hot, lightly spray with oil, add the potato cakes, and turn down the heat. When one side is brown and crispy and you can easily slip a spatula under it, turn up the heat for 30 seconds, turn the cake over, and let the other side brown. Scrumptious.