On September 8th I asked my readers to host picnics and to send me the results. The following is one of 27 amazing submissions, the best of which will win an entire cow, courtesy of US Wellness. Vote for your favorite on October 8.

Read all about the Seattle Tribe’s 2010 San Juan Grokfeast (PDF)

About a year ago to date, the Seattle Primal Group had their ?rst picnic at a Seattle park. It was love at ?rst sight and since then, we have met up for a cooking class, a Cross?t class, and then a day at a trampoline sports center with a potluck dinner at Gigi Baker’s house. Eager to reunite with our fellow Groks, we had to plan our next trip….to San Juan Island!

We spent four days in Sean and Lindsey Bissell’s cabins right on the water with spectacular views. Our activities  included a tour through the mausoleum at midnight, dance parties, a primal pirate scavenger hunt, amiable wrestling matches, exploring tide pools, driftwood construction on the beach, and great conversations around the bon?re. The highlight of the trip was the incredible meals that everyone crafted!

Note from Mark: Read about the rest of their Primal adventures in the PDF above.

The Feast

Pumpkin Sausage Soup (serves 6)

• 1-1 1/2 lbs bulk breakfast sausage
• 1/2 a large onion, minced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small cooking pumpkin, peeled
• And cut into 1-inch chunks (or
• One 15-oz can of pumpkin)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Pinch of dried rosemary
• 1 tsp paprika
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 2 t butter or some other fat
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Heat the butter in a heavy deep pot and saute the mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden. Remove from the pot to a small bowl, leaving the butter.

Add the onions to the pot and saute them until golden, then remove them to a separate bowl.

Add the sausage to the pot and brown it until it is cooked through and looks tasty.

Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

Add the pumpkin to the pot and deglaze with the chicken stock*.

Add the onions back in and simmer until the pumpkin is soft, about 10 minutes.

Puree the soup (a hand blender is easiest, but a regular blender will do). Add in all the remaining ingredients except the coconut milk (don’t forget to add in the cooked mushrooms and sausage!), and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk.

* The easy way is to cook the onions, mushrooms and sausage all together at once and use canned pumpkin, saving some steps and a dirty blender. The easy way makes perfectly fine soup, but it won’t have the same layers of texture and flavor that the harder version does.

The Tribe

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