Grist for the Mill
As another summer season sets, we once again shift into the gloaming of the year when the days shorten, and the pace relaxes. It’s a time of warm days, cool nights, and room to breathe. For seasonal businesses, it’s a time to begin wrapping up and settling in for a well-deserved winter break. For year-round establishments, the show must go on but at a much more manageable pace. Gardens and planting fields are put to bed to recharge for next year. Many fishing vessels are pulled from the water, and lobster traps are stacked in yards and on driveways. It’s no wonder the fall is the favorite season for many of us. “Locals’ summer” is just that. Our time to enjoy the natural beauty of where we live, to explore and experience the things that draw so many from around the world to our shores.
The pages of edible CAPE COD are filled with stories of Cape Codders making their mark and making a difference. Often, their work ethic is instilled in them by previous generations. Parents and grandparents pass down a passion that lights a fire within, and the next generation continues the charge. In “A Bogside Tradition”, Karen Bento introduces us to Chris Wilson and his wife Lindsay who are carrying on the family business of growing cranberries started by Chris’ dad and uncle decades ago.
Not all passions become business endeavors. Just the joy of a shared pastime and the memories of time spent together are enough to keep traditions alive. Linda Maria Steele returns with tales from three local shellfishers who share their remembrances of clamming as kids long ago and passing on the tradition today in “Shellfishing Lure”.
Another source of imparted interest comes from our teachers. We all have that one (or more) teacher who piques a curiosity and fans a flame. Norma Jean Anderson is one such educator with her culinary arts program at Nauset Regional High School in Eastham. Norma Jean spends her days opening a world of tastes and cultures to her students. Joan Graham shares Norma Jean’s story of teaching essential skills, expanding minds and broadening horizons.
Fall is the time to take your foot off the gas a bit and remove your nose from the grindstone for a while. It’s a time for renewed acquaintances and gathering around the table for a shared meal with friends and family. Perhaps you might enjoy one of the recipes John Carafoli shares from his friends and finish the night with Becca Miller’s Hot Toddy, created with her latest forest find.
So, enjoy that quiet stretch of beach or those cozy seats that just opened up at your favorite spot.
