O Sole Bio!

There is nothing, and I do mean nothing that is better than harvest time.

It's mother nature at her best, unabashedly showing off. The colors, the textures, the smells of the market, inviting me to come hither. The possibilities at each stall--of soups and purees, of pies and salads--send me into a veritable tizzy. Yesterday, at our annual organic market (called "O Sole Bio:--where Bio on this side of the world actually rhymes with Mio) I spotted for the first time in a year a butternut squash.

Yeah, that's my life...going into a tizzy over farmer Hans's butternut squash. Even he looked a bit nervous about the attention I gave him over the squash.

Inevitably, I buy more than I can use. Well, I could use it, but then there's that small task of preparing it.

With fall on it's way, I'd like to share with you one of my all time favorite autumn recipes for Butternut Squash. This recipe originally showed up in Gourmet Magazine in 1994, and it's been a staple on our Thanksgiving table ever since. And it's not that tough to do...you need time to roast the squash but that's a no-brainer. If you roast the squash ahead of time and put it all together, you can bake it the next day. Or the day after that. And it will be FAB.

Even if you're not a squash eater, please try this. You will email me and thank me all over the place for making you a believer.

PS: Sorry, it ain't that healthy, and may even be fattening.

Bonus: great vitamins, fiber, and a good time had by all. No one says you have to eat it every day. And anyways, you could call this a dessert in which case you can sign me up for the world's healthiest yet tastiest dessert contest.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WOOTEN

1 large butternut squash

1 stick of butter. Yeah, a whole stick, really. OK, a half stick IF YOU MUST

2 tsp coconut extract. I don't care if you don't like coconut. It's not the same without it and you will positively not even be able to recognize this flavor in the final performance. Just put it in.

brown sugar to taste. Here's where you can cut, if you really must

2 eggs, beaten

10-12 Nilla Wafers or other plain cookie crumbs.

Directions:
If you live in Switzerland, get one of your American friends to smuggle over some coconut extract the next time they go back. It's not on the Migros shelves, I've already searched pointlessly.

Bake squash at 375F/190C for about one hour. I like to cut the squash lengthwise and bake it cut side down on a piece of foil (makes for easier clean up later).

When tender (you'll know it's OK when you can easily put a skewer into it and it's soft), scoop out the flesh and cool. Put it in the blender to puree. Add butter, coconut extract, and eggs. Mix well. Pour into a buttered baking dish. At this point you can store it in the fridge overnight. If you're ready to do it the same day, then top it with the Nilla Wafer crumbs and bake in a 350F/180C oven for 30-45 minutes, uncovered.

Remove from oven, and resist the urge to eat it all in one sitting.