Tarts & Trails
This week, I moved my oldest child in to his new college and found out I have to replace my car. So…all I have for you is a recipe and a poem I love by someone else.
Pennock Trail
(I freaking love this poem. I have for years and I still think about it all.the.time. Shout out to Lucien, check out his website here and get his book!)
Pennock Trail by Lucien Darjeun Meadows
There was a boy who was a boy who was a tree who was a
river and a rock and a cloud. Who was a nothing more than
a something who wanted to be nothing but a flash under sky
over field. Who wanted to be a space between dusk and dark
between night and sunrise when the temperature drops just
before dawn and the ghosts of the hollers come running back
to their beds. Who was a breath when he should have been
a fist, a kiss when he should have been a kick, some ill-timed
sparkle of a boy in his mother’s dress, a bruised boy when his
father came home early when the mines got too hot to work
one summer day. Who stood naked in his changing body out
in the grapevines and crushed the long black fruit in his hands,
smearing his face in darkness. Who wanted just to pass, pass
white, pass straight, pass cool, pass normal. Who wanted to
remain 59 pounds forever. Who wanted things that could
never be named. Not things, people. Who would sleep beside
the river, in the crook of the old sycamore, out in a tent of
branches and leaves on the game trail. Who hoped, every day,
to wake changed into a deer, a good boy. Who wanted to run,
and run, and run until he woke up from this dream. Surely this
is a dream. Let it be a dream because no one can hear me.
Tomato Zucchini Tart
This tart is GF (potato crust) and very simple and very delicious. It’s great for a potluck, when you want to seem kinda fancy and also want to make sure your gluten free friends will be able to eat it. (You could easily leave out the cheese or sub a non-dairy cheese alternative and make it dairy free & vegan, too.)
You need:
a pie or tart pan or really any baking dish
a zucchini
couple of tomatoes
bit of feta or parmesan or chèvre or whatever cheese you like
clove of garlic (optional)
2-3 potatoes
Turn on your oven to 375 F.
Ok first, peel your potatoes and grate them into a big bowl (watch those knuckles!). While you’re at it, grate the garlic clove, too. Gather all the grated potato together and, over the sink, squeeze the potatoes together firmly and tip the bowl to the side, letting the potato juice run out. No need to hurt yourself, just get out some of the extra wetness. Now, salt and pepper the potatoes. Generously butter or oil your baking dish, then spread the potato out thinly to form a crust, including up the sides of the dish.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
While the crust is baking, slice your zucchini and tomatoes. When the tart comes out of the oven (without burning yourself), layer the zucchini slices onto it, slightly overlapping them. Salt the zucchini layer. Then add a layer of tomatoes on top, and salt and pepper it.
When I made this yesterday, I happened to have an ear of corn, so I cut the kernels off and added those, too. Why not?
Finally, top it with some crumbles of cheese, as desired. Then back in the oven it goes for at least 30 minutes. Use a fork to poke into the zucchini layer—you want it to easily go into the zucchini. Then it’s done, bring it out and serve hot or room temperature. Keeps well, although it’s best hot out of the oven.
Have a good week. And good luck pissing off capitalism. Every bit counts.
(And, since unfortunately I do have bills to pay, here’s my reminder about my chapbook class upcoming with Write or Die, which starts Sept 12)
