As I sat down to write this, I saw a crinkly beige leaf float from the London Plane tree outside my window. This shocks me every summer — that there are a few rogue leaves falling weeks ahead of any autumnal chill. It always makes me want to eat as many tomatoes, watermelons, ears of corn and drippy cones of soft serve as I possibly can before the arrival of Labor Day clicks our brains into Fall Mode. Only a few days to go!
Of course, there will be plenty of good eating in the fall. And as much as I loathe giving up zucchini panzanella and caprese salads (like this one with stone fruit!), I’m also getting pretty excited about roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash soup.
If you are, too, bookmark these three sisters bean patties with raspberry aioli (above) from Ethan Tyo. The three sisters — corn, beans and squash — are a cornerstone of the cuisines of many Native tribes across the East Coast. And they’re part of Kevin Noble Maillard’s story about the Indigenous food sovereignty movement, which aims to make Native communities self-sufficient through a network of tribal farms, community gardens and home gardening. It’s a fascinating read.
You’ll need a subscription to access his recipe. If you’ve been meaning to subscribe, now is an excellent, back-to-school time to do it. We’d love to have you join us.
Now, in my “Invite any famous people to a dinner party” fantasies, I always try to come up with someone who could keep the conversation sparking while I fuss with the hors d’oeuvres (yes, I’m still cooking in these scenarios).
I think I found that person in Adam Shatz of the podcast Myself With Others. His conversations with cultural pioneers like Claudia Roden, who I profiled in the Times; Vivian Gornick, a personal hero; and William Parker, a new-to-me jazz icon, match my ideal of dinner dialogue. They are welcome at my table anytime. Now what should I cook?
Maybe Kim Severson has some ideas. She’ll be here on Friday, and I’ll see you next Wednesday.
