Delicata Squash with Sage and a Maple Glaze

Grandma Annie subscribed to every women's magazine on the market in the 1960s: McCall's, Ladies' Home Journal, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes & Gardens, Women's Day and Family Circle. They were often called the seven sisters of women's magazines

Even then I sensed that each magazine had a slightly different market, although each also had a home-related focus. I loved the fiction, read it word for word, searching for clues of what life was really about; I can't say I found any real answers. But my magazine education is probably responsible for my love of all things related to homemaking.

My favorites were Women's Day and Family Circle, which apparently began as grocery circulars, because they featured columns by Faith Baldwin and Gladys Taber. I loved their writing, the way they captured the changing seasons, nature, friendship and food and wrote about them in such a way that made me feel cozy and appreciative of the simple things in life.

From time to time, I still read the magazines of my childhood, mostly at the dentist's office.

On impluse the other day, I grabbed the November issue of Family Circle at the checkout. Slow Cooker Suppers, Holiday Dessert Preview, and Festive Fall Decorating Ideas were the promises on the cover. I have time for those things now.

I had a delicata squash (curcubita pepo) from Coldwater Farm in my larder. This squash is so aptly named. It is the elegant, slender representative of the winter squash family.

This dish, on page 160 of next month's Family Circle, was very easy to prepare. All you need are extra virgin olive oil, salt, maple syrup and chopped fresh sage.

After rinsing your squash, slice it. The recipe recommends you cut in lengthwise and then in half-moon slices, but I sliced it the way you would slice a cucumber, and then cleaned out the pulp and seeds.

Toss it with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and a dash of sea salt.

Preheat your oven to 400. Once it's ready, roast the squash slices in a shallow baking dish, or on a foil covered baking sheet.

Meanwhile, place 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup chopped sage in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for about as long as the squash is roasting. Then pour it over the squash and roast for another 20 minutes.

The result is sweet with a subtle earthiness. Maple and sage have to be one of the more autumnal taste pairings, a bit less obvious than tart apples and cheddar cheese.

I served the squash as a side dish with chicken, brown rice and cole slaw.

Wine Pairing: We had some tart Riesling with an apple finish on hand. Perfect!