Squash, Sprouts and Symphonies

Accompanying this fall market meal was the sweet and savory serenading of Andrew Bird's latest album's extension, Hands of Glory. The carotene laden roasted sweet butternut squash, savory fennel, red onions and garlic cloves were simply dusted with fresh sprigs of thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil and thrown in the oven at 400 for about 40 minutes. I took brussel sprouts fresh from their thick stalky vine, cut them in half, and sauteed them with garlic and some proscuitto. I added a side of Arborro rice to bulken it up a bit - but honestly the two veggie dishes would have sufficed.

Needless to say, Andrew Bird's poignant layering of violin, voice, and looping symphonics synchronize well with a fall dish such as this - you have savory flavors of the earth soaking up the last of the season's nutrients generating an orchestral foundation for the trusted and sturdy cruciferous vegetables that grace our presence through the Northeast November. Adding to that the reliable flavors and fillers of proscuitto and rice, just as Bird peppers in his whistling, and mostly dependable guitar, you cultivate a rich and layered meal, providing your body, soul and sense with the abundant nourishment of the seasonal transition.