A Guide To Fall Produce|Seasonal Cooking
I always thought I was a summer person—the hot weather, late nights, and abundance of fresh produce. But when I really think about it, fall actually has my heart. I mean, who doesn't love crisp mornings followed by warm afternoons and cozy nights? The changing leaves, the return of sweaters, and most importantly—soup season, which I LIVE for!
Fall is also when I am naturally pulled towards my favorite type of cooking. I start craving warming spices, hearty herbs, broths, and meals that slowly simmer on the stove intoxicating the house.
There is something comforting about the shift from summer into fall. The air becomes cooler and drier, the wind picks up, the leaves become crisp, and nature begins to slow down. It is also a season of letting go.
The trees literally tell us the story… they release what they no longer need in preparation for the long, cold winter ahead. I love thinking about fall this way: as a transition between the fire and activity of summer to the slower, quieter months of winter. Our cooking can begin to make that transition too. Instead of the raw salads, chilled dishes, and grilling of summer. We feel the pull to cook more warm grounding meals like stews and roasted dishes.
Fall Cooking
Moist Cooking Methods: As temperatures begin to drop, this is the time to bring back braising, stewing, simmering, roasting, and baking. Think soups bubbling on the stove, vegetables roasting in the oven, and hearty one-pot meals. Adding moisture and warmth to our food can help balance the naturally cool and dry qualities of the season.
Warming Foods: Fall is the perfect time for grounding foods such as squashes, pumpkin, and root vegetables. Warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg also begin making their way back into my cooking.
Hearty Herbs: This is when I start reaching for rosemary, thyme, and sage. These herbs pair beautifully with fall vegetables and are perfect for everything from roasted chicken to root vegetables.
What's Seasonally Available
One of my favorite things about eating seasonally is watching the farm stands slowly change. The tomatoes, corn, and summer squashes begin disappearing and are replaced by an entirely different kind of abundance.
Winter Squash
Butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti squash, honeynut, and pumpkin are some of my favorite ingredients to cook with this time of year.
Broccoli + Cauliflower
Cooler weather brings beautiful broccoli and cauliflower. Both vegetables are incredibly versatile and can stand up to the heartier cooking methods we begin using in fall.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that completely transform when cooked properly. When roasted until crispy and caramelized, they become slightly sweet and nutty.
Cabbage
Cabbage may not get as much attention as some of the prettier fall vegetables, but it deserves a place in the fall kitchen. As the weather gets colder, I love cabbage roasted, braised, sautéed, or added to soups and stews.
Leeks
Leeks are one of my favorite ingredients for building flavor in cooler-weather cooking.Their mild, slightly sweet onion flavor makes a beautiful base for soups, stews, risottos, and sauces.
