Show mother’s offer to work up a suitable cold weather costume was a reasonable solution This Halloween the weather certainly cooperated — at least during the critical hours of trick or treating I started the day with a visit to the Jensen Historical Farm where pumpkin carving was in full swing One look at the big Tom turkey penned up in the farm's version of death row reminded me how little time is left to prepare for Thanksgiving At dusk we took what we thought was going to be a quick trip out to the Beutlers’ farm to go on the “Pumpkin Walk’’ More than an hour into the walk I was still as fascinated by the wonderful pumpkin scenes at the farm as any of the children Hello neighbors must admit that I have really been enjoying the wet weather of late Having grown up on the often wet often cloudy East Coast I can only take so many sunny days resplendent in perfectly crisp fall weather I need the challenges presented by an unpredictably cantankerous climate to truly appreciate a seemingly unlimited number of bright clear days I can remember one Halloween as a child when I had to wear leggings under my prised ballerina costume Being the d (some would say insufferably stubborn) child that I was I insisted on wearing my pink tights over my thick wool leggings What else could I do if my mother was going to force me to refrain from catching pneumonia on one of the coldest Halloween nights anyone could remember? As if wearing lumpy old leggings under pink tights wasn't enough of a humiliation I had to wear a turtleneck and sweater under my tutu I don’t know that any amount of candy could make up for the despair I felt as I looked in the mirror on my way out the door Thinking back I realize that I must have looked like a cross between and Miss Piggy doing a scene from “Swine Lake" and the Pillsbury doughboy It never occurred to me that my I strong-minde- who followed along wide-eye- d The Wallace and Ida Beutler family their friends neighbors and other volunteers certainly put a lot of work imagination and love into this annual pumpkin fantasy How wonderful they are to do something so special for children and their families every year at Halloween To my surprise the Pumpkin Walk turned out to be a feast for the stomach as well as the eyes At the end of the pumpkin trail I joined the happy crowd around the refreshment table There I enjoyed one of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had (and I've had a few in my time) and washed it down with a generous cup of deliciously fresh cider I’d love to get that chocolate chip cookie recipe I plan to continue enjoying these cool wet days and chilly evenings as long as I can I’ve been finding warmth by cooking with curry powder I didn’t realize until recently that curry powder is actually a blend of spices Also the curry that Westerners use is unknown in traditional India The word “kari" (curry) in India means sauce The cooks in India have different names for different types of spice blends and sauces Howard Hilman author of “The Cook’s Book" said that a Westerner who orders “chicken curry” in India is being as vague as an Indian who orders “chicken with sauce” in America The commercial curry powders made for the Western world are a pungent blend of turmeric coriander several kinds of pepper cumin cardamon cinnamon ginger mace fenugreek bay leaves saffron and mustard seed Hilmon said that an overabundance of turmeric is likely to be found in all but the curry powders In the best curries the more expensive saffron is used in greater amounts to add the familiar top-quali- ty yellow color While curry powder marries well with egg dishes rice cheese dishes and fruit salads I have been enjoying curried soups Here are two curried soup recipes I plan to add to my cold weather menus A word of caution from Hillman — don't saute with curry powder over a high flame Some of the spices in the blend may become bitter Curried Broccoli Soup 1 bunch fresh broccoli 2 cans chicken broth cup heavy cream Curry powder to taste 2 medium-larg- e onions 4 tablespoons butter or m argarine Salt and freshly ground pepper Chop onions saute in butter until translucent Chop broccoli peeling stems and steam til barely tender (still crisp and bright green) Coarsely chop in food processor or blender leaving large pieces Add broth to onions bring to boil Add remaining ingredients and spices heat but do not boil Taste carefully before adding additional curry powder Curried Carrot Soup 1 onion chopped 1 tablespoon butter 4 medium carrots peeled and chopped 1 quart chicken broth M teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 teaspoon sugar V4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspocn white pepper 1 teaspoon curry powder 3 tablespoons sherry Saute onions in butter until translucent Add carrots chicken broth lemon peel sugar salt pepper Simmer covered until done (about 20 minutes) add curry powder Pour into blender When blended add sherry and correct seasoning Reheat before serving if necessary Serve garnished with chives almonds or parsley Help I How about some holiday food gift and packaging ideas? That’s all for this week Send recipes and requests to Elizabeth Walker food editor The Herald Journal PO Box 487 Logan Utah 84321 or call 752-21- Taste Vermont in Salt Pork and Milk Gravy — BERLIN Vt The Wayside Jane and Michael Stem Restaurant is as pure and A Taste of America true a taste of cakes with real maple syrup This is maple country and so it is not surprising to find an ice cream sundae dripping with amber syrup or — our favorite dessert — a slice of maple cream pie in which a toffee-thic- k layer of maple filling is dinner rolls The most dish of all offered by the Wayside kitchen is a plate of salt pork and milk gravy Like hash and American chop suey it is a meal reminiscent of frugal farmhouse cookery Salt Pork and Milk Gravy pound slab of salt pork 2 tablespoons butter W cup yellow cornmeal 14 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup cream ft cup milk Pepper to taste Slice pork into pieces slightly less than thick Place in skillet full of water Bring to boil and simmer 3 to 5 minutes Drain Rinse salt pork in cold Vermont as we have ever found on one menu There is nothing l When you drive past the topped with a lightweight ribWayside on Route 302 just south about the menu the kitchen bon of whipped cream : of Most days the kitchen offers Montpelier it does not ap-- isn’t trying to prove its regional On occasion it is red to hash In character to fact it be a anyone pear anything special: is hash made from a to flannel come for possible brick entirely plain rectangle mustard-yellosurrounded by a hamburger or a BLT or a traditional New England boiled a parking lot with an American plate of scrambled eggs Of dinner of corned beef potatoes flag flying high on a pole out course those are not the meals carrots and beets (whose juices that have endeared the Wayside dye it the color of a farmer's front Inside it’s modern and com- Restaurant to us long Johns) It is served d Instead we recommend dis- mounded high in a fortable — a wide cafe with easy listenin' on the hes such as milk oyster stew or dish — a damp mass of y d radio and a couple of counters fish chowder and rows of booths bustling with haddock or fresh native perch water hot blueberry muffins or pan locals if - w - boat-shape- wood-paneled : oven-broile- 9 if y stick-to-the-ri- bs north-countr- ed Over medium heat melt butter in large skillet Combine cornmeal and 14 cup flour Dip slices of salt pork in mixture then fry in butter Use tongs to turn slices often as they fry cooking 6 to minutes until crisp and Remove from drain on paper 8 they are brittle golden-brow- n skillet towels and Remove all but 2 or 3 tablespoons of fat from skillet Over medium sprinkle heat gradually in remaining flour constantly scraping bottom of skillet as you stir When smooth slowly stir in cream and milk Lower heat Cook and stir 5 minutes until thick and smooth Add pepper to taste To serve spoon gravy over salt pork stirring Makes 4 servings 1987 Jane and Michael Stern Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate Aluminum Caiis 30 ch a pound VALLEY METALS 10th West 1st North 751-057- INC 1 Pat dry r' is olida REVLON at special savings Intimate Intimate Musk Charlie Jontnc Scoundrel Scoundrel Musk Off aiiv cosmetic or fragrance purchase totaling $750 or more j Coupon good at Smith s Food £ j Drug Centers Good November 4th 1987 through November 7th 1987 n Effective November 4th through November 10th 1987 1 i t 1 i i t -i r ri n T r i ‘ |