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On a moonless night I sat in the midst of the Oregon woods, relying on all of my other senses for navigation. At first, it was alarming as I realized that I would have to slowly and carefully make my way through invisible obstacles to slowly move back out of the woods. Then, it became absolutely fascinating, even exhilarating! I could feel soft moss on my bare feet, then a surprise of a cold stone. My hands grazed the roughness of the bark on a fallen log to guide me along. Suddenly, the shock of a blackberry thorn and then the sudden wetness of a puddle. Just an hour ago, this environment felt known, comfortable. Now it was a dreamscape filled with new experiences. I moved through this alien environment transfixed, as if experiencing every part of it for the very first time. That was the night I truly found my love of darkness, nyctophilia. 

That night gave birth to a series of mixed media ceramic bowls celebrating the various textures of the dark woods. Inside, they are all the same - smooth, black, and food-safe. The outsides, however, are an exploration of texture. I used everything from glass to wool, feathers to foam (and of course the variation in textures of the ceramics alone) to convey as wide a variety as I experienced on that dark night. 

I used these bowls for my event titled Nyctophilia. For the dinner portion of this special gathering, my guests were presented with comfortable blindfolds, and then handed these bowls full of foraged delights to explore without their sense of vision. Since every single bowl had a different texture, it was fascinating to listen to how my guests perceived those textures, and how that affected their experience of the food they were eating too! 

Ever since that magical evening, I have loved using these bowls as a way to remind myself that food is an experience, not just a flavor. The same dish served while out camping would taste and feel completely different on the dinner table at home. How can one accurately describe the sensation and flavors experienced by eating a specific recipe of food if they do not know how it will be served? I do my best in my descriptions to portray the flavors and textures involved, but that’s as far as I can go. The dish that I cook will be different from the dish that you cook. There are too many variables for standardization, which I think is a beautiful thing. How can you present something as simple and wholesome as an autumnal soup in a way that creates a whole new dining experience? 

Burdock and Pumpkin Curry: 

This is autumnal comfort food at its best. A rich base for this curry comes from the last of the ripening tomatoes of the year. Layered in are sweet pumpkin, earthy burdock, and lots of warming spices and flavors! A creamy base holds textural chunks of roast burdock and pumpkin pieces, while a scattering of toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds add a welcome crunch. This curry has a very mild spice. If you enjoy spicy food, feel free to dial up the heat with the inclusion of a pepper or two! 

I love the way the burdock roots stay a little more textural as the roasted pumpkin softens. Burdock is an introduced species that can take over the landscape quite quickly, so digging up a plant here or there is not a threat to the population. It’s a biennial, meaning that it has a two-year growth cycle. The first year it puts up leaves and sends down a big taproot, then the second year it forms the burrs that are its namesake. I usually identify it by finding a second year plant standing tall and covered in burs, then I look for smaller first-year plants around it to carefully dig up, as the roots will be less woody and more nutritious. You can also find burdock roots at many Asian groceries, where it usually goes by the name of “gobo.” These roots have an earthy flavor that I find pleasant, and are high in lots of nutrients, including inulin, which is a fantastic pre-biotic for supporting healthy gut flora! This soup will give your immune system a welcome boost. I’ve based it on  this lovely recipe, with lots of adaptations. Serves 8-10

Ingredients: 

1 medium baking pumpkin or Hokkaido pumpkin

2 large burdock roots 

3 Tbs. coconut oil, melted (plus extra

Salt 

4 medium fresh tomatoes 

1 Tbs. cooking oil 

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

A pinkie sized piece of fresh ginger

3 Tbs. tomato paste

½ c. fresh-squeezed orange juice 

1 can coconut milk

1 Tbs. maple syrup

Lime juice to taste 

3 tsp. Curry spice blend 

1 tsp. Pumpkin spice blend 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 300F. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Peel, then cut into small bite-sized chunks. Put half the chunks in a bowl and set the other half aside. 

2. Scrub the burdock roots really well and peel any tough skin. Chop into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl with half the pumpkin chunks. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and toss. Add salt and toss again. Spread out on a non-stick baking sheet and roast until tender, about half an hour, flipping once. 

3. Meanwhile, prepare your curry ingredients: chop the onion finely, mince the garlic, and mince the ginger. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic and ginger. Chop the tomatoes and add them too, binging the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for about five minutes. 

4. Add the pumpkin and simmer, covered, for another five minutes. 

5. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it is mixed in completely.

6. Add the coconut milk, orange juice, and spices and mix in well. Season with salt, pepper, maple syrup, and fresh lime juice. Simmer until the pumpkin chunks are tender. 

7. Puree in a blender until smooth, then return to the cooking pot. Add the roasted burdock and pumpkin and heat until warm throughout. 

8. Serve with long-grain rice, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh cilantro

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