Fall is the preamble to the harsh, cold winter season. It is the time to prepare for the months ahead that render the landscape barren and stolid. Like in a battle it is important to gather items that can survive the elements and ensure that you survive as well.
My mum and I explored two roadside fruit and vegetable stands last Sunday afternoon. The weather was in no way an indication that fall had arrived. The sun beat down on our shoulders with intensity like that of a mid-August day. The humidity in the air made our hair frizz and our sinus’ act up. Upon arrival at the first roadside stand we discovered a beautiful selection of chrysanthemums on display. I favored the orange ones right away and my mum the white ones. Mums, as they are affectionately called, are a hardy flower. They have an internal clock that tells it when the day length is less than 15 hours. In essence, it knows when the fall season starts, even if Mother Nature does not agree. The beautiful flowers the mums produce are evidence that it is time to prepare for the harsh winter season ahead. They symbolize the symmetry of the definition of hardy. Hardy is described as being “robust, courageous, and brazenly daring…and capable of surviving unfavorable conditions.” This is the very thing to celebrate and forage in the harvest season. It is also a beautiful reminder that in nature as well as in ourselves there is a built-in system for survival. In essence, we have what we need.
At the second roadside stand we found ripe and luscious mackintosh apples and other fresh vegetables that were thriving. These vegetables inspired me to make a delicious hardy lunch. When I arrived home I made my version of a ploughman’s lunch. The ploughman’s lunch originated in Britain and is basically a lunch that a ploughman would take with him at the beginning of his day. It consisted of food that would sustain him until dinnertime. The typical recipe calls for crusty bread, a variety of cheeses, salty meats such as ham, celery, carrots, apples, a hardboiled egg, and a jar of chutney or jam.
I put together my favorite version of a ploughman’s lunch with what I had on hand in my refrigerator.
Jenkins’ Ploughman’s Lunch
Serving Size: 1
2 Celery stocks, cut on a bias
1 carrot, peeled and cut on a bias
1 mackintosh apple, chopped
4 pieces of whole wheat melba toast
4 pieces of sharp cheddar cheese
Take all ingredients and assemble on a plate. Served traditionally with beer.
Sarah Jenkins
