We can get a little overwhelmed with the abundance that the zucchini plants gift to us. By March we've usually done a batch or two of zucchini soup for the freezer, a few batches of zucchini pickles, a whole lot of zucchini chips and grated, frozen zucchini for cakes and soups later on. We've been eating zucchini at almost every meal for the past 3 or 4 months and taking any opportunity to gift zucchinis or use them for potluck meals.
We might start devaluing these precious gems at this time of year, but we also know that the seasons are changing, the first frost will come through before long and there will be no more abundance of zucchinis, until the warm weather returns.
Living like this in the temperate climate, we have to recognise the seasons and their cycles. We work hard when the frosts are ending to make sure we get enough strong summer plants in the ground, preserving whatever we can for eating throughout winter and spring.
We never seem to quite get it "right", not that there is such a thing. We had an underwhelming bean and chili crop this year but thanks to our community, we have swapped and been gifted beans and chillies! This is one of the things that makes strong community connections so important.
Some of our favourite meals with lots of zucchini include:
zucchini fritters (grated zucchini mixed with egg, flour, and your choice of spices/nuts/greens)
zucchini ribbon salad (using a veggie peeler, make ribbons of zucchini and add these to your green salad or sprouty salad)
zucchini, beetroot salad (grate zucchini and beetroot, add buckwheat kernels (pre-soak), red currant vinegar, oil, etc and any greens, seeds or nuts)
