Its That Time Again...

Summer has officially ended in Athens. School is in session and the students have returned in full force. Traffic has quadrupled, as have lines at the grocery store, the streets are packed with very fashionable young women and the bars are open every night. This means a return to regular hours at the National instead of our abbreviated summer hours. That abbreviated schedule left room for lots of fun but left a gaping hole in my finances despite my recent small raise (yay!). So I for one and welcoming the students back with open arms and an open wallet. Football season will begin soon, leading the way for even longer days and more shifts which I will certainly celebrate less enthusiastically by week 2 but which I am looking forward to right now.
Changing seasons also mean changing menus. Though our menu changes regularly throughout each season, a more noticeable change occurs with the seasons as certain local produce becomes unavailable and we more toward more hearty fall fare. Last night I cooked local pork chops over butternut squash cous-cous dressed with sherry-vidalia jus and a peach and green chili chutney. This is one of my favorite dishes that I have cooked in quite awhile. The pork looked lovely seared on the grill, was extremely juicy and, with the bone in, held its place on the plate nicely. I think this dish is really perfect for the in between season, utilizing the first fall squashes in a way that is still light and simple as well as the last of the Georgia peaches.
Another way we ushered in the season with squash was on our scallop plate.  This simple appetizer dish of two large seared scallops drizzled with a little brown butter vinaigrette and set atop a mound of roasted spaghetti squash was a favorite with both guests and staff last night. I had little experience with spaghetti squash but I have a feeling it is going to become a fall staple for me at home and at work.  Spaghetti squash can seem a little intimidating because of its extremely tough exterior however with a sharp knife, a steady hand and a little patience you can enjoy this healthy and flavorful gourd as a base or side  anywhere you might use a typical starch or grain, such as potatoes or rice. Spaghetti squash is so-called for the fibrous texture of its flesh which when prepared properly resembles capellini pasta. This is how we prepare ours:

• Carefully remove the stem and end from the squash and cut in half.
• Scoop the seeds from the interior
• Season the flesh with salt and pepper and coat generously in olive oil
• Place squash face down on a sheet tray 
• Pour 1 cup of white wine and 1 cup of water onto the tray and cover in tin foil
• Back at 300 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until done. The squash should give to the touch but not be mushy
• Allow to cool to room temp before using a fork to loosen the fibrous flesh from the shell
• Serve immediately or store and reheat later by sauteing on low heat for a few minutes

* Sorry for the lack of photos in this post, my phone has been out of order for a while but is back now so look for some photos of these awesome dishes in the near future!