"Garden Tour" Sylvester Manor
You know those moments when everything aligns, and in a whirlwind of wonder, a totally unplanned miracle happens? When I was touring Acabonac Farms, I pulled up the driveway at the same time as Bennett Konesni, the co-founder of Sylvester Manor Educational Farm. In a sort of unbelievable occurrence, Bennett invited me to stop by the Manor House after my cow duties were done. I love the East End of Long Island, and I thought I knew a lot about this history and what happens there, but, Sylvester Manor was something I had never heard of, let alone been to, so I took him up on his offer.
Michael and I pulled in the white gates of Sylvester Manor (you know those ones at the stoplight by the IGA that you've always seen but not really seen) and drove down to the cutest yellow house. Bennett met us on the porch, and looking over the water, he told us about the history of the farm. Bennett introduced himself as internationally-touring musician, who focuses on northern fiddle and dance music as well as worksongs for field and forest, and other songs of rural places. (I thought, whaaaa? but trust me it all made sense in the end).
As we began to walk through the house, Bennett began to explain to me the ways in which food and culture are inextricably linked at a place like Sylvester Manor. Once a Native American hunting and fishing ground, Sylvester Manor became a provisioning plantation for the sugar trade. It has been home to eleven generations of its original European settler family in 1652. It became the home of Professor Eben Norton Horsford, the inventor of baking powder and a pioneer in the understanding that nitrogen makes food grow. Most recently, it has become a working educational Farm, which is dedicated to bringing sustainable architectural practices back to Long Island. It's archives and grounds mirror the history of America's evolving food economies and social landscapes. The Farm's archives are a glimpse in to the history of evolving food economies and the culture surrounding them across centuries of America— who grew the food, how it was processed, how it was shared or marketed, and the associated skills, songs, dances, and stories.
Bennett was set to inherit this farm from his Uncle in 2009, but decided he wanted to do more with the land than just own it and pass it to the next generation of his family. Bennett seems to have a bit of a complicated relationship with the place--he didn't want to be an owner of something that once housed slaves, but he also didn't want to hide this piece of history. He wanted to acknowledge it, and figure out how all peoples could learn from it and share this land and its treasure in a spirit of justice. He made the choice to share it with all those who love the East End. He worked with his uncle and a dedicated group of volunteers and staff to craft a place where people could come to learn about the history of Shelter Island through song, dance, and food.
While we were there, we walked through the Manor house and over to the Farm. The Farmstand was closed, but they had just harvested some beautiful delicata squash, tons of kale and other greens, and lots and lots of eggs. If you read this blog frequently, you're familiar with my pleas to shop locally and support family farms. Sylvester Manor is one of those places--in addition to the farm where you can get fantastic produce year-round, there are many events that will encourage you to think about food and music in new ways.
Bennett has spent the majority of his life preserving and sharing the historical songs of planting, harvesting and eating, and what he has learned is that the growing, sharing and preparing of food go best with music, no matter where in the world you are. There is a traditional connection between art and the culture of food, yet somewhere, these pieces have gotten severed in our modern lives. The mission of Sylvester Manor, is to teach people how to bring them back together.
I was inspired by the delicata squash there to create this recipe. Delicatas are a wonderfully low-maintenance squash--you can eat the peel AND the strings if you want, unlike their designer cousin Butternut. I wanted to do something different than traditional roasting, but it took me a while to come up with something that I was happy with. In the recipe, I used local honey, and while that's not necessary, there is some research that suggests that eating local honey can help you build a tolerance to allergens in your area. I don't eat honey enough to make a difference, but I'd love my allergies to go away, plus I like to support local small businesses.
Chili Honey Delicata Squash
What You'll Need
2 large delicata squash
4 TBSP local honey
2 TBSP chili garlic paste
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp sesame seeds (for garnish)
1 tsp green onions (for garnish)
pinch of salt
What I Did:
Preheat your oven to 375. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Slice the squash down the middle, vertically. Using a spoon, remove the seeds. Place the flat half of the squash down on your cutting board, and slice into 1/2 inch thick half-moon shapes.
In a large bowl, heat honey gently until it is pliable. Add chili paste, olive oil and salt. Add your sliced squash and use your hands to coat the squash in the honey mixture.
Arrange squash moons on the parchment paper. Pour the remaining honey mixture over the squash. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip. Bake for another 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion!
