My Freezer and the Challenge of Black Bananas

The moving date is pretty much set. January 10th(ish) - I'm choosing to be hopelessly optimistic.

So one should begin to think about packing - sorting, sifting, Goodwilling, boxing, trashing. (Should being the operative word here.) And even the kitchen is grounds for some editing and rewriting during the transition. I'm thinking the extra wok I've had in the back of the cabinet for sentimental reasons should probably be the first to go.

And then there is the freezer, chock full of memories, mistakes, surprising treasures, crap loads of future banana bread. Although it would be tempting to push this stash to the far reaches of my already-cluttered mind, and then just heave all of the tasty contents into the trash bin on moving day. Alongside those old gym shorts... That would not be very Mennonite of me.

Thou shall not waste. 
Wash your plastic bags. 
Turn leftovers into casseroles. 
Scrape the mold off that cheese. 
Put that black banana in the freezer. Again. 
Despite my elbow in the rib here it's something I really value about the Mennonite faith adn community - the tenet that one should never take for granted what one has, including in the freezer, and heaving anything in one's trash should be an intentional and thoughtful choice. Like the gym shorts - thoughtful and intentional.

Black Bananas are no exceptions.

So clearly I thought to myslef... "Self... This calls for a Freezer Challenge!"  I shall use every last thing in that intimidating freezer before I depart on January 10th(ish).
Here's my contents so far:

- Cherries
- Pears
- White beans - from that soup
- Mixed berries - from waaayyy too long ago
- 10 bananas - duh
- Shredded coconut
- Nectarines
- Breyer's ice cream
- 1 pint of Lovely's Fifty Fifty caramel ice cream - which was a dreamy surprise and so obviously has since been eaten! 
- Little squares of lime juice - from that time I bought far too many limes and couldn't bear the thought of not using the juice. Juice those suckers and freeze in ice cube trays.
- Corn tortillas - Uuuhhh.... really Katie?
- Masa - from tamales night with Janan
- Some meat from Gartner's that I didn't know was there - Question: Should one consume a meat of unknown origin? Discuss. 
- Dried red peppers
- Red chile peppers
- Galanga root
- Ginger
- Turmeric - a Cambodian theme emerges
- Lamb - Score!
- Razor clams - From Flying Fish... Another score!
- Green peas - Not sure about this one... I don't even really like peas.
- Pork stock - From this here pig-  This is where it gets interesting.
- Escolar - Flying Fish's 2nd appearance... Sushi night is calling.
- Crushed tomatoes
- Mozzarella cheese - I'm not actually sure you can successfully save mozzarella this way, but again... it was throw it out or freeze it. I couldn't bear the thought...
- Ricotta cheese - same as with the mozz
- Leaf lard - A hear a pie in our future.
- Cafe Umbria coffee beans - I know, I know... Don't freeze your coffee beans. What was I supposed to do? 
- Chocolate - From the wonderland that is Sheridan's.  

That be all. I must admit I'm a bit fearful of this task, but I'll keep you updated. Wish me luck...

It shall all be gone come January 10th(ish)

Uncle Virg's Custom Roasting Sticks

Yesterday was a good day - one of those days that just lingers by nonchalantly, not dramatic or extreme, just quietly sweet and pleasant...
Sunny skies in Portland
Keturah's sugar cookies in the oven
Engaging guest for dinner
Exciting box from the mailman...

Within that box and its many layers of cardboard, masking tape, duct tape and padding were the White's Custom Roasting Sticks we'd ordered, our names imprinted in the coffee-colored birch!
Katie B.
Eric
(and maybe a few gifts for some unsuspecting roasting-loving friends).

You see last week in Kansas, during our Thanksgiving visit, we quite wisely decided to invest in the

beauties which are handcrafted by my very own Uncle Virg White (pictured below). He is surely a food artist if I've ever seen one. 

The exciting delivery from the mailman

And maybe I shouldn't be making unsolicited plugs for my families' handicrafts, but what with the holiday gifting season, and what with the birch's photographic tendency, and what with my adoration of all things family and food-related.... it just makes sense.

  

Patiently awaiting their leather loop

Each roasting stick gets a pin in the map... One more for Portland (or Santa Fe)

Our family has the tradition of big bonfires surrounded by stick-wielding hungry folks, asking for the flames to do their job on the meal. Virg began making his roasting sticks simply for these occasions, but word got out about their quality and voila... White's Custom Roasting Sticks! 

Like I said... sunny, glistening skies in Portland. 

You can order yours here - custom made of course. Enjoy! 

The Happiest Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

I wasn’t exaggerating… I really did buy 6 small sugar pumpkins last week. What was I supposed to do? They were on sale and staring up at me all orange and adorable. And despite the fact that I’m moving, and despite the fact that all the pumpkin I pureed and froze last year only got used up last week, I unequivocally do not regret this purchase. And yes, I will be importing Oregon pumpkin to Kansas Thanksgiving. I figure this will make my pie exceptionally exotic, even if it defies the locavore within.

Though not exactly exotic, Thanksgiving is pretty much my favorite holiday. (Partly because I loathe Christmas carols… Sorry if this offends you. I just can’t muster the love for them.) Anyhow, my mass of a family gathers in Kansas every year, and it is truly a mass - both my mother and my father’s extended ancestry crunched into one very small prairie town. The slow, meandering Midwestern pace is all but lost for these 72 hours of feasting.

As for the Boyts meal, I got assigned dessert this year. Which means pumpkin pie. Clearly.