Given that it’s already, oh, mid April and the skies are light and fluffy and sometimes blue, and temperatures have already soared into the high 20s and it’s definitely shirtsleeve weather, I fear that the title of this one is a terrible misnomer.
It isn’t though. I’m just a terrible, terrible procrastinator.
[ETA: I've just edited the title so it's less confusing! It used to be visibly part of the Eating My Way Through Winter series; now it's just in the category]
You see, this has been in my drafts folder since last November.
My drafts folder, I might add, is ridiculously plump with unfinished posts.
This one? This is actually the third time I’ve hauled it out to write up. The previous two attempts were just me going on in really vague terms about how crappy I was feeling and how hard it was to write about pumpkins without letting my malaise seep into the text.
Which is tedious as hell to those who are not emotionally invested in my life.
Like, all of you.
The pumpkin scones themselves were baked, photographed and eaten about two months ago.
I was going through a rather brutal and cataclysmic change in my life at that point, which I dealt with through lots of creative experimentation with pumpkins and squash.
See the size of the ones you can get at the market up the street? The one in the photo below is the size of a small toddler. You have to really whack at it ferociously with a massive cleaver to cut it into roast’able rings. That one made a ton of scones, parathas, curry, mash, fritters, and hash.
I roasted it in slices, ring by ring, rubbed with olive oil and whatever spices took my fancy. The paneer curry spice mix my aunt sent me ages ago was my favourite. My Moroccan blend from a spice shop in Fes was also amazing.
Would you believe, this thing cost me about a buck in the market…
I’m doing much better now and so don’t need to rely on the catharsis of hacking up a poor defenseless gourd to feel at least somewhat sane.
I am, however, still buying smaller segments of gourd from the market and making wok parathas to go with whatever soups or stews or random leftovers find their way into the fridge.
I don’t normally do two recipes in one post but I figured I might as well in this case. After all, you just need to roast up some pumpkin and, lo! You have the makings of two really awesome- and yet not at all the same- quick breads! (more…)
Awesome Slow-Cooker Spicy Shredded Beef Tacos
Made in Jiānádà: Lanzhou Lāmiàn (broth!)
Wok Fajitas! Fajitas in the Wok! Fajitas con Wok! 
Not Your Grandma's Bazlama: Turkish Wok Bread!
