The Golden Month

September 18, 2008

Ah, September! The golden month!

If months were colors, September would surely be gold, at least here in the Northeast - the color of the sunlight slanting through the trees in late afternoon, squash ripening in the garden, leaves starting to turn at month's end.

September is also, of course, a month of moderation - hammocked between the dog days of August and the fiery fall spectacle that is October - when the weather is just about perfectly balanced between hot and cold, and even the day and the night are at parity. The Autumnal Equinox occurs on or about September 23, when the sun spends an equal amount of time shining on both of the Earth's hemispheres.

This balance and harmony is also manifested by the Western astrological sign Libra which starts, coincidentally, around September 23. At the time Western astrology was developed, in Mesopotamia roughly 2,000 BCE, the constellation Libra was visible in the western sky during the month of September. The name comes from the Latin word for balance; its shape vaguely resembles a balanced set of scales.

September is the month of harvest, when fruits and vegetables are available in abundance. The great variety of available foodstuffs makes it seem positively silly to eat in ways that avoid entire food groups (yes, you practitioners of the various anti-carbohydrate, low-fat, get-all-of-your-food-shipped-to-you diets, I am speaking to you). Remember when dietary experts used to talk about a "balanced diet" as a way to achieve good health?

My sister-in-law Stacey emailed me a recent article in the New York Times that attested to a hopeful trend in eating for enjoyment rather than pursuing a "diet". If food is actually enjoyed, rather than viewed as a threat to be managed and subdued, it is much more likely to be eaten in reasonable quantities. Fresh fruit and vegetables just taste better. Quality, rather than quantity, should be the goal.

As someone who avoided carbohydrates like they were disease vectors for a few years, I can attest to the delights of dipping a piece of bread in olive oil and munching away. And yesterday, I went out to my garden, plucked a particularly gorgeous, ripe Brandywine tomato, cut it up and put it in my salad. It was heaven on a lettuce leaf.

September, the golden month, is a perfect time to increase enjoyment of life by seeking moderation and balance in eating. So, throw away those diet books, stop getting food by mail, and start savoring the good things available at your local produce stand. Bake, or buy, some really good bread. Use some fresh herbs. You will eat less and feel better.