Weekend Coffee Share TenWest in Tucson

October 22, 2016 — #weekendcoffeeshare, produce, soup shots, TenWest, tomatoes, Tucson

my produce haul

my produce haul

If we were having coffee I would tell you that my quiet, at-home routine will be suspended this week. I have signed up for TenWest, a Festival to mimic South by Southwest in Austin.  There is a plethora of educational, social, and artistic content offered.  The week-long event began last night.  The first event I will attend is a big concert in a local park very near my home.   During the week my plans include a couple of workshops on podcasting, one about 3D printing, and a symposium about our special city of gastronomy designation.  I may attend the final concert and the TED talk also, even though they are past my regular bed time.  This will be a great week of learning and entertainment for me.  My schedule rarely gets this crowded, but this will be worth the effort.  I look forward to learning a lot.  I should have lots to share with you next weekend.

I can offer you coffee, or all kinds of tea again this week.  I am lingering over iced roiboos tropics while we savor a heat wave here.  Summer is still with us, which means my big stand-off with tidy muse has not yet been resolved.  I am still wearing shorts and summer dresses.  It was 94 yesterday, so there is no rush to get out the winter gear.  I have promised myself that the big clothing purge will take place when I do the seasonal switch of my wardrobe.  I have inquired about giving my friend and neighbor some of the jackets..but that does not really count.  I am still just procrastinating…in flip flops and shorts.  This too will pass.

Please help yourself to soup shots. On the buffet you will find white demi tasse cups and saucers.  Serve yourself from the wide selection of soups.  We have sweet pepper cream, corn bisque, tomato basil, minestrone, gaspacho,winter squash and ginger, with all your favorite toppings.  Add sliced green onions, crispy fried shallots, croutons, nuts, or grated cheese to complete your composition.  Although it is still warm, the produce season is leading us into winter.  A light meal featuring all these different seasonal delights is a great way to share this fall weather and our news. Who doesn’t like soup?  Enjoy the sensuality of the season with all the colors, tastes and aromas.  Hang out and tell us what you have been doing.

In the winter months Tucson is lucky to be served by the Santa Cruz County Food Bank. The excess produce from the big produce wholesalers in Nogales is shipped to Tucson and sold.  For 60 pounds of produce we pay $10.00.  This boon to our budget is very welcome, since fresh fruit and vegetables make up a big proportion of our diet.  My partner had to work today (Saturday), but he called me while he was out on calls to let me know that the food distribution had started in the neighborhood.  The scheduled start was Nov. 3, but they had produce, so they began today.  What an excellent October surprise this is!!! The truck was full of squash, coconut, tomatoes, cucumbers, two kinds of sweet chiles, and watermelon.  I give away as much as I can to neighbors, and then get to work roasting and processing it before it goes bad.  I will be charcoal grilling vegetables for a few hours today.  I love the smokey flavors it imparts to all the dishes I make with them.  If you stay for a while you can taste some tomatoes fresh off the grill with some pesto I made this week.  I promises to be a very delicious day.

If you want to join this international coffee drinking, weekend sharing soiree just click here.  Add your 2 cents. Let us know what you think.

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