Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

smashing pumpkins 273

house.

y

WINTER

tender

(^3) ⁄ 4 cup last
2 tablespoons dill
Salt to taste
per. Unfortunately, eating potato skins is not always safe. Because they grow
underground, conventional potatoes are among the most pesticide-
contaminated vegetables. Potatoes in the United States commonly contain
chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides and sometimes even residues of
DDT, dieldrin, and chlordane, extremely hazardous chemicals that have
been banned since 1978 but linger in the soil. Conventionally grown pota-
toes are so contaminated, the Environmental Working Group warns par-
ents not to feed them to infants and toddlers unless they’re thoroughly
peeled and boiled. This makes a strong case for buying organic potatoes
from trustworthy growers who know the history of the land where their
produce is raised.
We’re lucky enough to have home- grown. Potato salad is one dish our
household never goes without, although it changes with the seasons. We
eat many other root vegetables too, and plenty of sweet potatoes and winter
squash in the autumn months. I’ve included Mom’s infamous pumpkin
soup recipe here, and dinner menus for a typical autumn week at our

FOUR SEASONS OF POTATO SALAD

4 cups large storage potatoes, coarsely diced and boiled until fi rmly

3 hard- boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped

summer’s dill pickles, fi nely chopped

Mayonnaise—a few tablespoons

Combine potatoes, eggs, and pickles, being careful not to mash any-

thing. Add dill and salt to mixture and combine thoroughly. Add just

enough mayonnaise to hold the salad together.