Gardens, recipes make memories

Gardens and kitchens are memory makers. Summer brings back a flood of reminiscences about friends, family, and neighbors from past and present lives.

Recently, I used my mother's old blanching kettle when I was freezing some swiss chard. And I started thinking of all the hours of stringing, "frenching," blanching - same kettle - and packaging, buckets - just buckets - of Kentucky wonder beans to freeze for winter. Mom had a whole stash of paring knives (not very sharp, as I remember), and anyone who happened to be at the ranch during "bean season" got to pick a knife, grab a bouncy outdoor chair, and cut beans. We would drink iced tea with lots of mint and lemon, chat and laugh, and enjoy the shade of the big cottonwoods, until all of a sudden all the beans were done.

Years later, when a neighbor in Northern California introduced me to romano beans, which didn't need so much prep, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

My cousin from New England sometimes spent summers with us, and at one point my father said he'd pay us a penny a bean to pick them. He also did that for rusty nails - they had to be rusty - no new ones. A penny a nail. Most of them were the hand cast square kind, and they were all over the place, just waiting to catch our bare feet or make flat tires. We didn't get rich on nails and beans, but we had fun. And did you know you can stick bean leaves all over your shirt 'till you look like a garden nymph?

The "back to the land" movement in the late '60s and early '70s, when I lived in Northern California, was the time when I started canning and pickling. The local extension service offered free canning, freezing, and preserving classes and lots of booklets, as well as free babysitting for those taking classes. I still use those pamphlets often.

My old recipe box is full of directions for candied apples, Mom's Chow-Chow, zucchini relish, and a most favorite one from a neighbor for "Bobby Reed's Pickled Beets" that I've made almost every year for about 40 years. Cucumber-carrot relish, dilly beans, tomato catsup - all from friends and neighbors. There's a certain continuity in gardening and preserving; there is lots to share. The camaraderie of family and friends who like to garden and get together to cook, and make jams and jellies, pickles and sauces, makes the most compelling memories.

This time of year, just about everyone - who has a garden - has an abundance of summer squash and their beautiful yellow blossoms. The blossoms can be stuffed with ricotta or goat cheese, and fried for appetizers, or sliced thin and added to omelets and frittatas.

There are hundreds of recipes for zucchini breads and muffins, and I make those a lot, but one of our favorite simple and quick recipe is for zucchini fritters (more like a pancake, really). They are good with breakfast entrees, at lunch with a salad, or at dinner. I often serve them with a simple yogurt and sour cream sauce.

Two of my favorite references for things to do with vegetables are: Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" available in bookstores, and a little pamphlet from the Lyon County Extension Service called "Zucchini Recipes", available free from them by calling Marcia Moffitt at 775-577-5049, or writing to P.O. Box 811, Yerington, NV.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS With Yogurt-Sour Cream Sauce

Grate but do not peel about 11⁄2 pounds zucchini or summer squash, squeeze out some of the moisture. If the squash are big, scoop out the seeds and pith and discard before grating. I use the Cuisinart. This should give you about 2 cups.

2 cups finely grated, squeezed squash

2 eggs, separated

1⁄2 cup very finely chopped onion

1⁄4 cup very finely chopped pepper (hot or not), (optional)

1⁄2 to 3⁄4 cup flour

1 tablespoon each minced parsley and chervil or basil

1 clove garlic, very finely minced (optional)

1⁄4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Squash blossoms for garnish, if desired

Beat together egg yolks, onion, pepper, and herbs. Add squash. Sprinkle with a little salt to help extract a bit more moisture from the squash. Then add enough flour to make sort of a gooey mix. Add parmesan or romano cheese. Add pepper and more salt if needed. This much can be done ahead of time.

Just before you want to cook the fritters, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and fold in. Drop about 1⁄4 cup for each fritter into about 1⁄8-inch hot oil in fry pan. Fry until bottom is golden brown, then turn, and fry the other side. Don't over cook; the insides should be a little creamy, and the outsides crispy. Serve hot, accompanied by Yogurt-Sour Cream sauce. Garnish with some squash blossoms.

About 4 - 6 servings.

YOGURT SOUR

CREAM SAUCE

2 parts plain, low-fat yogurt

1 part light sour cream

And as much snipped dill, parsley, and chives as you'd like (don't skimp on these!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients.

• Muffy Vhay and her husband own and operate the Deer Run Ranch Bed and Breakfast in Washoe Valley.