4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
5 cups chicken stock
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 15-ounce can corn, drained
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce,
minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Yield: 8 cups

This recipe can also be found in our "Soup Yourself, Recipes from the Eastside" cookbook. Available in our gardening and cooking retail store, Pitchforks and Tablespoons.
Call Pitchforks and Tablespoons to Order: (512) 494-1464
 
 

Arugula is one of the great treats of winter gardening in Austin. It is a fabulously spicy, slightly bitter little green. (Harvest it while it’s young to avoid having it become too bitter.) Used as a lettuce in salads tossed with your favorite vinaigrette, it makes a truly fabulous side dish, or top your favorite fish, a steak, or some toothsome pasta with spicy Arugula Pesto and treat yourself to winter garden heaven.

Arugula Pesto
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh arugula
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp chopped fresh garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/4 tsp salt
6 tablespoons olive oil

Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and puree until smooth. Slowly add olive oil until pesto thickens.
Yield: 2 cups
 
 
We harvest daily to make your dining experience the freshest in Austin. Some restaurants talk about fresh food...we grow it.

Now Growing
(still growing until the
first freeze)
• Eggplant
• Basil

Winter Garden
• Baby Carrots
• Romaine Lettuce
• Oak Leaf Lettuce
• Spinach
• Tatsoi
• Arugula
• French Breakfast
• Radishes
• Nasturtium
• Curly Endive
• Snow Peas
• Lemon Grass
• Kefir Lime Leaves
• Beets
• Bay Leaves
 
 
Come see us and walk through our garden or sit in the shade of our 125-year-old American Elm tree; shop in our cooking and gardening store, Pitchforks and Tablespoons; and let us feed you in the comfort of our old home. It will make you very happy.
Making Pumpkin Chipotle Chicken Soup to warm you from the inside; picking wine to go with your Turkey dinner (Come sample our “Rosés From Around the World” wine feature. Rosés go perfectly with either white or dark meat!); and shopping! We have the perfect gifts for your own chef’s and gardeners at Pitchforks and Tablespoons.
 
The thing about White Zinfandel is that it has just about ruined pink wine for much of the wine drinking population of the U.S. We tend to see something pink in a wine glass and recall syrupy sweet, bubble gummy wines that we liked when our wine palates were young, but that no longer interest us. And unless you’ve traveled in Europe where Rosés are quaffed with abandon, you may not even know that there are pink wines out there with exceptional beauty and class and sophistication that are completely dry and fabulously refreshing. Try these wines and a new and wonderful pink world will open up for you.

The fascinating thing about red grapes is that their juice is clear. Try this next time you go to the grocery store (you may want to make sure no one is watching). Squeeze a red grape into the palm of your hand. The juice will be as clear as the juice of a white grape. So if the juice of a red grape is clear, how does red wine get it’s red color? From the skins of red grapes. First, red grape clusters are pressed to release their juices, then the grape skins are added to the juice where the color bleeds from the skins and tints the wine. Longer contact between juice and skins gives you a red wine; shorter contact gives you fabulous pink and salmon colored wines.

 
 
Ladoucette La Poussie 1997 Sancerre Rosé, France
Sancerre, known in the U.S. almost exclusively for its Sauvignon Blanc, also makes exquisite Rosés from Pinot Noir grapes. This is a beautiful, vibrant, salmon-colored, seductive wine.
Bottle 38.00
Glass 9.50

Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2002 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, Los Carneros of Napa Valley
Not only is this wine one of Robert Sinskey’s personal favorites , but it is also organic, from his Vandal Vineyard in Carneros. Whole clusters of Pinot Noir are lovingly pressed to create pink magic. Only 545 cases made. We’re very lucky to be able to get some in Austin.
Bottle 32.00
Glass 7.95

Cantina Bolzano 2002 Lagrein Rosato “Pischl,” Alto Adige, Italy
Lagrein, a little known Italian varietal, is usually associated with huge red wines, but is also know to produce some of the finest rosés in the Alto Adige region.
Bottle 24.00
Glass 5.95

Tortoise Creek 2001 “Les Amoureux,” Rosé d’une Nuit, South of France
Unique because it is a rosé of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Les Amoureux is fuller in body than some, but still fruity and lively. Read the back label for a touch of French humor.
Bottle 20.00
Glass 5.00
Margaine Brut Rosé, Champagne
This is an incredible bottle of Champagne! Fabulous pink tiny bubbles of love ascend the glass into the heavens.
Bottle 52.00

Cristalino Extra Dry Rosé, NV, Spain
A glass of bubbly just makes any occasion more fun, and that’s what this Cava is all about, fun. Besides it just looks darn good in a slinky little flute number.
Bottle 20.00
Glass 5.00
Great gifts for the entire family:
For the gardener we have durable and ergonomically designed tools from the Rumsford Gardener as well as their terrific Portable Greenhouse that stands 50 inches high and can be used indoors or out. We’ve organic seeds from Seeds of Change and lots of books to help you make your garden a success.

For the kitchen we’ve got a fun selection of modern and vintage utensils that put the “fun” in functional. There’s a great selection of fun and festive cocktail and luncheon napkins sure to brighten any holiday affair. We also have a super collection of wine related gifts. Wine tools from Metrokane as well as wine gift boxes and accessories.

Gift ideas for the rest of the house include an incredible selection of locally produced art and crafts. From right here in the neighborhood we have beautiful fired earthenware pieces from John Barkley and yard art from Fire Island Glass in addition to wonderful framed art from House of Goo. Other locally made gifts include fun glass serving dishes from Colours of Harker Heights. And don’t forget our selection of hand crafted soaps and oils from Austin companies.

Making the holidays bright for the little ones is easy with gifts from Radio Flyer. We’ve got a fun selection of miniature and full size red wagons. Some of our favorite things for the kids include puppets from Manhattan Toys, Story book dolls from Almas’ designs and great books by Eric Carl and Piggy Toe Press.
 
• Tools from Rumsford Gardener
• Portable Greenhouses
• Seeds from Seeds of Change
• Wine accessories and tools
• Wine gift boxes and books
• Vintage and modern tools for the kitchen
• Locally made arts and crafts
• Fired earthen ware by John Barkley
• Yard art from Fire Island Glass
• Handmade glass serving dishes from Colours by Neva
• Hand crafted soaps and oils
• Puppets from Manhattan Toys
• Books from Piggy Toe Press
• Storybook dolls from Alama’s Designs