A Tale About a Pumpkin and a Goat

Seemingly different, and yet, they go together in this little story

Hello!

It’s been so long since I’ve written, and, other than it obviously being entirely my fault, the delay has been further extended as time ticked on because I felt pressure to have the “return” newsletter be so interesting and fascinating to make up for the delay that I psyched myself out. Did I write three different newsletters that will forever remain drafts? Yes, I did. 

I return not with a wow-ing, life-changing story, but a tale about a goat and a pumpkin. You have to start somewhere, right?

I should preface this all by saying that part of why I haven’t written is that I have been distracted by a challenging house hunt: either a year-round rental (which is quite difficult to find on a seasonal island as owners can make more money in the summer months) or, ideally, one to buy. I won’t bore you with the complexities of the housing market here, which is difficult given its increasing popularity—meaning a shortage of housing and increase in prices. I don’t want to keep moving every 5 to 6 months, so buying is ultimately the better bet.

A stunning sunset and pretty beach to counteract my whining

To date, I’ve seen over 20 houses, both to rent and buy, some of which have been incredibly enjoyable. One woman I truly wish I could be friends with and just sit and ask her about her life: She is in her 80s, and her house was filled with beautiful and intricate plates, items collected from around the world—a carved jade chess set from China—photographs and gorgeous, worn books. As I openly admired her bookshelves, she joked that she has books in every room, along with plants and cookbooks. I replied, probably way too enthusiastically, Me too!! (When my friends helped me move my things out of my current house the other day, there was one van of just plants and the rest was mostly books and clothes.)

Another visit included a small farm with a house where the owner was so lovely. I tend to find that when I mention that I like to cook, people who feel similarly light up and love chatting and sharing, much like the lady above. He was such a person and, as I left, waving goodbye, he went back to his shed, got a pumpkin and gave it to me, which I lugged through town and back to my house. Since October, it’s been sitting on my dining table, more as decoration than with an intention to cook it.

The fun quickly slipped into pure panic as time went on with my lease finishing at the end of November. When a friend came to visit a house that I was considering buying, kindly and gently said to me, The fact that you’re interested in this house shows me that you’re feeling desperate. 

And I was. I had heard tales of the island rejecting people, forcing them to leave by making it impossible for them to stay, and I couldn’t help but think, was it rejecting me?! Plus, I had thought that this house would be my home for awhile, so I had started collecting plants, books and pots and pans for cooking, so I was no longer nimble and able to bounce around while I looked for somewhere more permanent.

Look at how content this pig looks sleeping! Another beautiful sunset

On a particularly low day, I went for a long walk in the afternoon to a favorite beach of mine that was empty other than one other person. I slipped into the water, the temperature cooler than the summer months but still warm enough to swim and refreshing in its chill. The fish, no longer scared of the boats and wading tourists, were circling all around me. I sat on the beach, drying off in the sun, and felt a little tug to look up to the large cliffs looming over the beach. There, on the edge of a small rock bed jutting out of the beach was Dumbledore, the goat.

Now, that’s not his real name, he’s a wild mountain goat, so one can’t be sure what he goes by, but that’s the name that best describes his “vibe,” if you will. I had passed by him once before, on a narrow path inland just past the beach where I currently was. He looked so wise and regal, with his long gray hair hanging down from both his face and body like a robe, resting on a rock platform with younger goats surrounding him, as if he were holding court. I couldn’t even bring myself to take a picture out of respect for him. When I told a friend about him, she said, “He’s like Dumbledore!”

A disciple of Dumbledore

Looking at him watching the water, calmly, steadily and silently, I couldn’t help but think, I need to be more like Dumbledore. Everything felt uncertain and unstable, yes, but that is inevitable in life, no matter how much I plan or try to control things. I will probably forever be moving in and out of some kind of limbo where I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I needed to let it wash over me rather than reacting to it and letting it consume me.

Even with this awareness, it was ridiculously hard to actually do, so I don’t want you to think that I have now reached enlightenment and all my problems and anxiety have disappeared (far from it), but Dumbledore’s reminder was there to keep trying.  

Ultimately, I think the intense amount of stress and sleepless nights that this caused me is much deeper than just finding a house; it’s more that the uncertainty that comes with being alone in a new country, where I am still learning the language and all the change, both good and bad, that has come with it, suddenly became overwhelming. When the “stable home base,” where I thought I could stay for as long as I needed, was taken away because they unexpectedly sold the home, it threw me off balance, and I felt really alone and unsettled. And confused.

I have moved a lot, but I saw this house as my home, much like I view the island, too, so there was a part of me clinging onto the idea of the house being my safe, secure place, which can be tricky. It’s true in some ways that that’s what a home is, but, in other ways, I know we all know that external things can’t bring happiness, and I was relying a bit too heavily on this one. I know this might sound like a ridiculous thing to complain about as I’m lucky to be on an island that I love with the option to buy a house the biggest problem in my life, especially compared to larger issues in the world. Plus, I have wonderful friends who offered me rooms in their homes and so on and are helping me in my search, so I would not have been cast out on the street.

And it did work out, just not like I wanted it to or on my timeline. I found a temporary home the second week of November to buy me more time to search. Two lovely friends of mine are leaving for the winter, so I can stay in their home in the countryside. It has a beautiful kitchen, fireplace, so, so many citrus trees (hello, preserved lemons!) and other fruits. Currently pomegranates are hanging outside of their kitchen window. Maybe this all happened for a reason, who knows, time will tell, I guess.

This all left me with a pumpkin to cook before I left for the States for Thanksgiving, which led to the loose-ish recipe below. On that note, if you’re in LA or SF, I’ll be in both places in December. LA for a talk with the lovely Aishwarya, Founder and CEO of Brightland Olive Oil at Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica (it’s free, you just need to RSVP). And then in SF doing a demo (free food! I’m making a kale, ginger and turmeric noodle soup from my book) at the Ferry Building market on the 14th. Hope to see you there!! 

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, if you celebrated, and have a happy holiday season, wherever you are! Xx

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Baked Coconut-Curry Pumpkin/Squash Pasta

The pumpkin after cooking + pasta with chive oil

At first I wanted to make a lasagna with the pumpkin as Adeena Sussman posted a delicious looking butternut squash lasagna, but I couldn’t find noodles in Menorca so this turned into a pasta bake of sorts. You can do this with a squash like butternut or acorn, pumpkin puree or leftover roasted squash, as all you need is 6 cups of squash. The idea is just to get soft, mashable pumpkin/squash that you can mix with pasta noodles.

I love topping this with a mixture of chopped chives, sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers, lime juice/zest and coated with olive oil to make a spicy green olive with a hint of citrus to balance out the sweetness of the dish. This mixture is also wonderful on rice, cooked meats or simply roasted vegetables. That’s optional, of course, but always fun. Season to taste with a little bit of salt and more citrus juice, as needed. If you didn’t want to make this spicy oil, then you can add red-pepper flakes or a squeeze of lime or lemon juice at the end.

For butternut or other squash: Halve, remove the seeds, pierce a few times with a knife all over and coat with olive oil and salt. Cook at 400 F until the skin is browned and crinkly and the flesh easy to scoop and mash, 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the squash. I like to put it in the oven as it’s warming up as well so that it slowly heats up the squash too and then start the timer once it’s at full heat. Use a spoon to scoop out bite-sized pieces.

For a whole pumpkin: Pierce through the flesh into the center cavity in about six places for ventilation, coat lightly in oil and cook at 350 F until slightly deflated and browned, about 1 hour. I also put this in as the oven is warming up and then start the timer once it’s at full heat. (Save the seeds to toast later.) Use as spoon to scoop out bite-sized pieces.

Note: You could also use soy sauce instead of cheese, but it needs a little something salty to counter the sweetness of the squash and coconut milk, in my opinion. 

Serves 4

• Salt

• 1 pound short dried pasta, whatever you like, tubular is great or curly, such as ziti or cavatappi

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 cups of cooked squash or pumpkin (from a large butternut squash or 2 acorn squashes), in small scoops or cubed

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 packed cups of greens, such as chopped kale or chard

1. Bring a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid of water to a boil over high heat. Season well with salt. Cook the pasta until it’s just short of al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander in the sink. 

2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot along with the squash over medium-high heat. Season with salt, cumin, turmeric and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. If any of your butternut squash chunks are big, then you can use a wooden spoon to break them up. Pour in the coconut milk and pasta water, stirring to combine and bring to a simmer. 

3. Add the pasta, most of the parmesan cheese and the greens, stirring to coat the noodles. It will be liquidy and that’s okay. Top with remaining Parm, cover and reduce the heat to low. Let cook covered while the flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook until it’s saucy but not soupy, 10 to 15 minutes more. 

4. Top with the herbs or chive/pepper mixture, if using.