Fall Into Cooking
by Buck Reed
With the changing of the seasons, we see many trends coming our way. The changing of the leaves from green to an endless variety of colors, as well as the cooler temperatures, is a sure sign that the change in season is coming. One recent trend that is gaining a foothold is pumpkin spice everything. We cannot do anything about the leaves or the weather, but I believe if we all band together, we can absolutely put an end to this whole pumpkin spice thing. Here is a start: Let’s agree not to buy anything with this seasoning, unless it is actually added to pumpkin.
Next, we see soups are making their way back to the table. Not just soups for lunch or a cup of soup as a start to a cool evening meal, but soup as a meal, by itself. We see beautiful soups made with wonderful fall vegetables, as well as seafood chowders, thick with shell fish and potatoes. I know many people who would wonder what else is for dinner after a weak soup, so you want to make sure your soup is worthy of being called a meal.
I saw my first pie or sugar pumpkin today and am looking forward to roasting a few for the chickens, as well as some for soup or bread. Other squashes include acorn squash as well as butternut, which can be found in abundance. If prepared properly, with enough flare, they can be a memorable part of any meal. Local corn and tomatoes may be set aside, but that just makes more room for root vegetables. Rutabagas and turnips make great side dishes for this time of year, and leftovers can be added to hash for breakfast or brunch.
If you want to try a variety of apples, you can look in your grocery store, but think about hitting a farmer’s market or going directly to the orchard. Cider is also gaining popularity, and hard cider is making a respectable comeback. Drinking cider is obvious, but consider cooking or baking with it as well. Baked apples cooked in cider makes a great side dish for poultry, pork, or game dishes, and are also great in soups as well as desserts.
And don’t overlook sweet potatoes. Although available all year, they seem to only shine in the cooler months. Try a Hispanic sweet potato soup, flavored with peppers and spices, to warm up your day. Or just roast them up for a delish side for just about anything you can put on a plate.
Fall foods are more than one-dish wonders. Most are easily incorporated into every course in your meal. Don’t be afraid of cooking extra and adding the leftovers to your next meal.
Going from summer to fall is all about change, so why not do a little changing of your own and try a new technique with fall ingredients.
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