Zucchini Processing

You may have noticed that it has been a while since my last post.

If you are really observant, you may have also noticed that

the long break came right at the time

when Orin and I left Massachusetts.

The reason for this is that although we made the flight back home,

my camera did not... in fact, it didn't even make it to the airport.

So although you have missed a couple post-worthy happenings

-including a camping trip with our neighbors,

an amazing Amos Lee concert, and Orin cutting several new teeth-,

I felt that without pictures you would find

my ramblings to be dull at best.

However, my camera arrived yesterday, just in time for a spectacular

event that I am sure you will be very grateful you didn't have to miss:

Zucchini Processing Day.

You might remember my troubles earlier in the year involving

my super-productive zucchini plants.

Well, after making zucchini soup, zucchini bread, and freezing a bag

for winter recipes, I still had a problem:

But I was not alone, my neighbor Hillary had the same problem:

Luckily, she had a solution:

A state of the art Zucchini Processing Machine.

All you have to do is cut the zucchini into chunks

and stuff it into the top of the machine.

A wonderful grinding noise follows and then, presto,

grated zucchini dumps into your waiting bowl.

Trust me, if you are in the market for any grated zucchini,

this machine beats the heck out of doing it by hand.

We got to work immediately.

Hillary's son, Cole, offered to help with the grinding

while Dakota scooped the seeds from the chunks before

they were fed through the machine.

Orin refused to help, stating haughtily

that he didn't even like zucchini.

But regardless of being down one set of hands,

the assembly line was quite productive.

Grated zucchini spilled forth almost faster than I could bag it.

In the end, however, we were defeated by the enormous pile.

Tired and sticky, after several hours

we decided to call the processing operation to a close.

Here are the survivors:

And my share of the less fortunate:

I am already looking forward to fresh zucchini bread in January.