If you’re a sushi lover, you’ve invariably had—or at least seen—kappa maki. It’s a sushi roll (maki) filled with cucumber, and often garnished with sesame seeds.

Most of us assumed that kappa is the Japanese word for cucumber. Today we discovered differently.

The kappa is a well-known Japanese mythological creature, a water imp that inhabits rivers and ponds.

Threats of the kappa have been used to warn children of the dangers lurking in rivers and lakes. A kappa may try to lure them into water, and pull them down.

Tke kappa is a trickster. It is typically depicted as roughly humanoid with scaly reptilian skin, about the size of a child.

Cucumber is their favorite meal. Hence, kappa maki was named for them. The Japanese word for regular cucumber is kyuuri.

Here’s more about the kappa.

[2] Be sure to use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains sugar and spices (photo courtesy Libby).

[3] Libby and other brands offer organic pumpkin purée (photo courtesy Libby).

[4] Enjoy the pretzels with a glass of stout (photo courtesy American Craft Beer).

Fall begins at 4:02 today, the autumnal equinox.

An equinox is the moment in which the plane of Earth’s equator passes through the center of the Sun’s disk. This means that the Sun is exactly overhead at a point on the equator. It occurs twice each year.

 
That’s the science lesson; now for the treat.
 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN & STOUT PRETZELS

This recipe, sent to us from the CraftBeer.com website of the Brewers Association, is a treat you can serve through the end of the year. Buttery, salty and sweet, the pretzels are enhanced favorite fall spices: cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.

The plain, uncoated pretzels can be frozen. Just wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a zipper-sealed plastic freezer bag. When ready to serve, thaw, brush with butter and toss them in the sugar-spice mixture.

The recipe was developed by Sandy Smith of Growlers And Lace.com. Prep time is 1.5 hours.

Serve them with a glass of stout or other favorite beer (the different types of beer).

Ingredients For 10-12 Large Pretzels

 
For The Topping

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the stout, pumpkin pureée and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until very warm but not hot (no hotter than 110°F). Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle yeast over the pumpkin mixture. Stir and let stand 5 minutes. At the end of that time, the yeast should be “blooming.”

2. ADD the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt and spices to the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in the pumpkin-yeast mixture, add the oil and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to moisten the dry ingredients. If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon or two of stout. Using the dough hook attachment…

3. KNEAD on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball around the hook and doesn’t cling to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes. The dough won’t quite double, but it should have a decent lift.

5. BRING a stockpot or other large pot of water just to a boil. Add the baking soda carefully (it will bubble aggressively for a moment). Stir to dissolve. Boil the pretzels in batches for about a minute, turning halfway through.
Remove pretzels from water bath and let drain for a minute on clean towels. While you’re boiling the pretzels…

6. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Place boiled pretzels on the parchment-lined and sprayed baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Transfer the pretzels to a rack to cool completely. While they’re cooling…

7. COMBINE the sugars, spices and salt in a pie plate or a similarly-rimmed dish. Brush the pretzels with a very light coat of melted butter, then toss in sugar-spice mixture until coated. Ideally, serve warm.
________

*If you buy yeast in 1 pound packages instead of individual packets, the equivalent to a single yeast packet is 2.25 teaspoons.
 
  

Before deli departments were fully incorporated into our nation’s supermarkets, many larger cities had small, independent delicatessens, typically patronized by immigrants who sought a taste of the homeland. These delis predominantly served cold cuts, typically on display in loaf or sausage form, to be sliced and served cold.

For instance, bologna, now considered quintessentially American and a kid favorite, has ties to Bologna, Italy where mortadella is a beloved sausage meat. Liverwurst? That’s an Americanized version of German leberwurst, or liver sausage, another kid favorite.

We recently discovered that one savvy food company, Freshpet, is catering to the other “kid” in the family: the beloved dog or cat.

FRESHPET = NUTRITIOUS, FRESH PET FOOD

Freshpet offers all-natural pet food made from scratch with the freshest ingredients; which is why their products, including their loaf styled Freshpet Select, are only sold in a special pet refrigerated section at supermarkets and pet stores.

Ingredients are sourced from the U.S., which delivers a much safer product for those who remember pet-threatening tainted grains from China and other dangerous vittles from countries less vigilant about food monitoring.

Since the fresh ingredients are domestic, including veggies grown at local farms, the packaging features a small American flag.

The Freshpet product line is varied to meet all picky tastes: Freshpet Select Stews, varied fresh meats in resealable bags to mix in with other food, and tasty rewards such as Dog Nation Treats, Dog Joy Treats, among other choices.

Freshpet prepares its varied and full product line in the company’s own kitchens. Their chicken and beef are gently cooked at low temperatures, which maximize nutrient retention including vital amino acids, the basic building blocks that help your pet thrive.

Equally important: there are no preservatives, almost unheard of in the billion-dollar pet food industry. Your pet enjoys the same high-quality ingredients that you use to cook a well-balanced, delicious meal.
 
A BOON FOR AILING PETS

How did we manage to become familiar with Freshpet? We worried about our ailing dachshund, Liesel. Under the weather, paralyzed from a back injury and heavily sedated, Liesel had lost her appetite.

The dog’s vet advised that home-cooked “human” meals were only a short-term solution, because only a high-quality dog food offers those crucial, canine- specific nutrients necessary for healing and eventual recovery. Human food just doesn’t have the nutrient mix for sustaining a dog’s health.

[3] Freshpet Select Roasted Meals Chicken with Carrots & Spinach.(photos courtesy Freshpet).

For more information visit Freshpet.com and sign up for Twitter.com/Freshpet.

—E. B. Wyer