garden to table: ratatouille

hope you had a great weekend. 

ours was nice and low key until an interruption by a surprise visitor. more later!

i feel like the garden has been slowing down a bit the last week so i harvested some of the waning vegetables and herbs to make an end of season ratatouille. paul introduced me to this garden healthy main dish many years ago. he remembers it fondly as a childhood favorite meal, made by mum.

i used cook's illustrated ratatouille recipe as it roasts the vegetables keeping them crisp and flavorful, which we love, avoiding a soft, stewy texture. this recipe is a bit of a time commitment so not a good choice for a quick make and serve busy weeknight dinner but the process is very enjoyable when you've got a free and easy afternoon to savor the sights and scents of preparing bright, fresh vegetables and herbs. we love it served over warm polenta. enjoy!

our surprise visitor one night was a strong and hungry bear! he must have been after the bbq grease drippings tray as i found it close by and torn to shreds. this past spring, we had an icy, cold snap in the valley which did damage to many blossoming trees. the bears' preferred chokecherries and wild plums didn't make it and as they gear up for hibernation, the bears are getting a bit desperate. yikes.