Seasonal Cycles (and Maple Baked Beans recipe)
Clear skies surround us as we start our daily walk at the park. At this time of year, the sun follows a lower path through the sky and throws a diffused light across the landscape. On this late afternoon, as our shadows lengthen, we take in the golden hour. The view is stunning. Around us, the trees slowly give up their leaves in bright and muted colors, and the grasses heavy with seed whisper as they sway. Critters skitter as a hawk high above scans the ground for its next meal. It’s the best time of year at Ox Bow County Park.
I, too, can feel it in my bones: that last hurrah before nature shuts down for the season. It’s time to pick the last peppers and cherry tomatoes. And also time to think ahead to spring and get the bulbs in the ground. I feel a sense of urgency to get those last things crossed off of my list. After a busy summer, I’m looking forward to the quiet and pleasure that comes after the hard work is done. As the season turns, so do I. I’m slowly stocking my pantry with fall and winter ingredients. I’ve already baked some pumpkin for a couple of batches of Pumpkin Swoons (a pumpkin cookie with brown sugar caramel frosting) and a Pumpkin Ginger soup.
Tonight, to celebrate the arrival of autumn, we fire up the grill for supper and spend a few hours outside. We soak in the fading light and the last insect chorus. We dodge the walnuts that the squirrels drop from our overhanging tree. The pesky mosquitoes are still holding strong so we finish our meal on the front porch, windows open, as twilight descends.
For this meal, I make the first baked beans of the season to go with our hamburgers and roasted vegetables. They’re the perfect combination of sweet, spicy and heartwarming, and a good way to welcome the changing season.
As I start to hunker down and shift over to a new normal, I take the time to watch the changes around me. I need these cycles to remind me that the world is not static. It keeps moving round and round. Here’s the recipe for the baked beans, if you want to try them.
Spicy Maple Baked Beans
¼ yellow onion, chopped
1 small bay leaf
2 peppercorns
¼ c. maple syrup
2 T. dark brown sugar
2 T. ketchup
¾ t. sweet chili paste
1 t. fresh ginger, grated
Pinch of salt
1 can pinto beans, mostly drained
¼ lb. ham chunk, cut into pieces
Mix all of the ingredients in a small soup pot. Simmer gently stirring occasionally for 30 to 40 minutes, until nicely thickened. Makes enough for 2.
