Dark Days Update #5 (Punta Cana) & #6 (Quiche)

Eating locally has been especially challenging the last 3+ weeks as the kitchen in our apartment is being redone (only a few more days to go then I'll be cooking up a storm!). With this in mind as well as our recent vacation our last 2 dark days meals come from interesting origins.

First off is the Dark Days meal Gail and I enjoyed while in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic last week.

Update #5 - Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)

One of the dinners we had while on vacation in the Dominican Republic was made with locally sourced ingredients! A creamy pumpkin soup made from local pumpkins. It was absolutely divine. Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap a photo but it was otherworldly paired with a delicious blue cheese. I am counting it as a Dark Days meal because it was local to where I found myself to be at the time, which I believe fits into the context of this challenge.

Update #6 - Goat Cheese & Bell Pepper Quiche

Before the kitchen work began Gail and I prepared and froze a variety of heat and eat meals to enjoy while the work was being done, that we would not be stuck eating exclusively junk and take out. One of the meals Gail made was this fantastic Quiche!

Everything except the pie crust is locally sourced! The eggs came from Jane's chickens (Jane is Gail's sister), the variety of peppers were frozen in late summer from local farmers markets, and the goat cheese is local, but the name of the producer escapes me at this point. It was really nice to be able to heat and eat something that still tasted fresh and healthy.

Look for a return to real cooking as soon as humanely possible. The redone kitchen is going to look great, but I am ready for a fully functional and accessible kitchen.