Soot, peppers and tradition
![peppersisistastesa2014](https://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/allin/files/2014/09/peppersisistastesa2014.jpg)
Roasting peppers on an open fire is not for clean-freaks. But, ooh, they taste so good. Isis, here, testing our work. Photo: Mary McCallion
For years, my friends Mary Harding McCallion and Isis Melhado and I have been getting together in the fall to roast peppers. For this week’s garden post, I share a series of photos taken recently as we gathered for our annual Roast of the Peppers, with friendly participation from Mary’s husband Jochen Sieckmann (who helps out even though he’s not a fan of garlic and our method involves a lot of garlic). We’ve been tracking your gardens all summer–great photos on an almost weekly basis from growers across the region. Now, it’s harvest and clean-up-the-garden time. Keep the photos coming! Send them to me at [email protected]. For the rest of this post, I’m going to let the photos tell the story.
It starts with peppers, an open fire, and lots of garlic.
![One of the largest ones, totally charred, before peeling. (That's the Oswegatchie River behind us, by the way.) Photo: Mary McCallion](https://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/allin/files/2014/09/pepperslargeonecharreda20141.jpg)
The big one, after charring, before peeling. (That’s the Oswegatchie River behind us, by the way.) Photo: Mary McCallion
![Adding the garlic to the peeled, cut up roasted peppers. Add olive oil, put in bags and freeze. Photo: Mary McCallion](https://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/allin/files/2014/09/peppersisishandsbowla2014.jpg)
Adding the garlic to the peeled, cut up roasted peppers. Add olive oil, put in bags and freeze. Photo: Mary McCallion
Part of the tradition is an al fresco meal. This year, Jochen made squash soup and we roasted some homegrown potatoes.
![Slightly over-roasted potato...another mess. But I love those fire-charred spuds. Photo: Mary McCallion](https://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/allin/files/2014/09/peppersellencharredpotatoa2014.jpg)
Slightly over-roasted potato…another mess. But I love those fire-charred spuds. Photo: Mary McCallion
Remember: send me those harvest and garden clearing photos, or photos of harvest meals. [email protected]
Ellen, what a wonderful post. Love your text with my photos. Especially the really gritty ones. A fun day we will remember as we eat the peppers all winter long. Thanks for getting these all together and telling this late summer garden story.
Delicious story!
Wonderful photos!!