Recipes for fall, by Ellen Nadreau

Fall is coming!

Mark and I love living in Northern Nevada, where we can enjoy the four-season climate. Fall is a favorite for us, so as the summer flowers in our yard fade, after bringing us beauty and joy for the past few months and the nights and early mornings get a little cooler, we are excited... Fall is coming!

Smith’s had pumpkins and kale today, the trees are just starting to turn and will soon be blazing in Fall color. As the leaves start dancing down the backstreets of Carson, we know no better feeling, it’s nesting time...

As I write this, I realize that it will be published on a date very special to me, Sept. 16, my Mom’s birthday. In memory of Barbara Harris, I would like to share with all of you a simple tradition that Mom followed every year for as long as I can remember, and one Mark and I have continued to follow every year.

Water in a copper pot on the stove, set to simmer on low heat, and filled with one sliced orange, one sliced lemon, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 TBS cloves, and 2 star anise; I have since added 1⁄2 cup cranberries to the mix, so be creative and create your own signature mix! Check your water level and refill as necessary. Throughout the fall and winter, the aroma from that copper pot greets us every time we arrive, it means home, it means love, it means family, neighbors and friends. Best of all, to me it means “Mom”. Enjoy!

All of us at Piazza want to extend our deepest condolences to Susan Crowell and the Crowell family on the passing of our beloved Mayor Bob. An avid supporter and visionary for Carson City’s downtown, his legacy will live on in the many, many ways he improved our City and the lives of all who live here. Mayor Bob will be missed by all.

Another sign that Fall is on the way, the Farmer’s Market is nearing a close. At Piazza we are buying all the fresh, homegrown produce that we can get during the last few weeks of the Market, so we can extend those local summer tastes on into the next seasons... Chef Dan is working hard to preserve the last of the season’s fruits and vegetables. Speaking of preserving, we have a call to arms! Please search your pantries and cabinets for any Ball canning jars, they are in short supply. If you have any jars and/or lids that you won’t be using, we ask that you bring them to the Farmer’s Market or drop off at Piazza. Linda Marrone will find a home for them and make sure they are put to good use!

Fresh, Local, Seasonal

By Executive Chef Dan Burnham Piazza

The best way to extend the goodness of the Farmers Market is to preserve your favorite fruits and vegetables. There are many ways to do this, canning, freezing and dehydration. As the summer comes to an end, the bounty of your home gardens and our farmer’s fields are ripe and ready to process for that fresh taste throughout the fall and winter. I know that not everyone has the equipment and time to can the old fashioned way that Grandma did. Also, this year (due to COVID) there is a shortage of Mason jars and lids! Freezer jams and freezing sauces are a great and easy option for preserving.

Here is a quick and easy recipe for freezing tomato sauce:

Fresh Frozen Tomato Sauce

5 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes 1 Large onion, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
2 cups white wine

1 large bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped 1⁄4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

In a large sauce pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Place a few tomatoes at a time in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Quickly remove from boiling water and place in a large bowl of ice water. Slip the skins off and discard. Set your tomatoes aside while you start the sauce.

In the same pot, heat olive oil slightly and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until translucent. Add wine and reduce for 5 more minutes. Now add the tomatoes and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.

Turn off heat and add the fresh basil. Now, this part is important! Let your sauce cool at room temp until cool to the touch. Place in a blender or food processor just until smooth. CAUTION: if the sauce is hot it will expand when you blend making a huge mess and potentially causing severe burns.

Pour 4 cups sauce into Quart size freezer bags and remove the excess air. Place bags flat on a cookie sheet and freeze overnight. When you are ready to use your sauce, just grab a bag and let thaw overnight in the fridge. It will smell and taste just as fresh as the day you bagged it! So grab some of those heirloom tomatoes at Saturday’s Farmer’s Market and happy freezing!