As Summer Fades the Flavors of Fall Fill our Homes

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • August 17, 2010
  • 298
                        
The unofficial end to summer is always signaled by the Labor Day holiday. The kids are either back to or on their way to starting school again, the weather cools a bit, especially in the mornings and evenings and the flavors in the kitchen begin to become heartier, warmer and more robust. Where once we were eating fresh tomatoes and basil drizzled with a bit of olive oil, we are now turning the last of the summer’s tomatoes into sauces and stews to satisfy our bigger appetites. Poultry and meat once reserved for the grill has found its way indoors into the Dutch oven and Crockpot. Casseroles loaded with potatoes and cheeses are gladly baked indoors to get the chill out of the air and our sweatshirts will certainly hide any added weight we might put on as we hunker down for another Ohio winter. The transition from summer to fall brings a bounty of flavors from the garden. Late season squash, pumpkins, potatoes, broccoli and leeks give us plenty to choose from when preparing the comfort foods of fall. Meals can include soups that a few months ago seemed heavy and labor intensive. In the crisp autumn air, standing in front of the stove seems like the perfect way to warm up. Spices traditional to fall cooking make food come alive and might even surprise you when used in new ways. Allspice is great in baked goods but equally wonderful in cabbage, carrots, cherries, chicken, chocolate, goose, lamb, parsnips, peas, pumpkin, spinach, turkey, tomatoes and winter squash. Wonderfully aromatic, cinnamon is not just for toast. Try it with beef, pork, pears or cherries. Ginger is slightly sweet and peppery and compliments chicken, rice and even salmon. Nutmeg offers a harmonious element of flavor to cheeses, greens and mushrooms. Hearty yeast breads made with whole grains go great with fall dishes and make delicious sandwiches when packing school lunches. Serve them hot out of the oven and save the leftovers for the next day. Add nutritional value by including seeds and nuts or even dried fruits like cherries and currants. Quick breads like pumpkin and carrot are delicious slathered with butter or flavored cream cheese. They are great for breakfast or included in packed lunches, in smaller portions of course. Best served at room temperature, quick breads often taste better a few days after they have filled our kitchens with the intoxicating aromas of autumn. We do tend to over eat this time of year and without the activities of summer to keep the pounds off it is important to enjoy the flavors of fall in moderation. Fortunately, we are all blessed with enormous amounts of willpower and can resist the temptations coming from a warm and cozy kitchen, right? Soon we’ll be planting bulbs and putting the mower away for the season. No more will we need the hydrating properties of lemonade but rather the warming properties of mulled cider and hot cocoa. Nothing sets the autumn stage like hot, mulled apple cider. It goes well with most everything and even serves as a reason to gather friends and family to enjoy the first cool evening of the season. Here is a simple cider recipe made best with apples grown close to home. Mulled Apple Cider 1 orange 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 10 whole allspice 10 whole cloves 6 cups apple cider Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) in strips from orange. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add peel, sugar, 3 cinnamon sticks, allspice and cloves; stir 1 minute. Add cider; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes or as long as it lasts.


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