The sounds of spring are back! The birds are screaming, the rain has been humming, and the lake burbles sometimes. The sounds of vibrant life are here and it’s beautiful. Living on a lake is one of those special things that you have to stop and think about because it’s so easy to let the time pass by quickly.
I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is a trek to get to from Holderness, New Hampshire. Not everything is that different- people there are also obsessed with loons. Even though I was growing up in a big city the sounds of nature were abundant since Minneapolis has the best park system in the country, it is the land of 10,000 lakes after all. The juxtaposition of city life mixed with every residential area being within 6 blocks of a park is one of my favorite things about living there but it’s definitely not the same as living in a less populous area. Here I get to wake up to a bit more wilderness than I’m used to and watch the sunset over a lake instead of rows of houses. Spring here is a lot earlier too which is a welcome change for people like me whose favorite season is summer. The extra hours I can spend outside without getting chilled mean freedom and feeling more connected to the nature around me. It means being able to go on walks feeling the wind on your skin and beavers slapping their tail at you while you’re watching sunset over the lake or planning a garden using things left over from last year’s group of Americorps (thanks for the raised beds and cute signs).
I’ve heard summer is going to get really busy so I’m taking extra time to cook while I can. One easy cheap meal I make when I have time is homemade gnocchi!
Sweet potato gnocchi:
Get some boiled, skinned, mashed sweet potatoes and add salt, pepper, and flour. Add the flour a cup at a time and knead until the dough is soft and less sticky. Add some spices if you want too! Sage, rosemary, and oregano go really well with sweet potatoes.
Once the dough is to your liking let it rest for a half an hour or so and then cut chunks of the dough, roll them out into ~half an inch thick rolls and cut them into smaller pieces. Cooking the gnocchi is super quick, just boil in a pot of water until they float.
Sweet potato gnocchi are good with a tomato sauce, cheese, or even just butter and salt. Enjoy!
Freda is a full-year member serving at the Squam Lakes Association. Learn more about Freda here!