The crisp cool air is welcomed, the brilliant array of leaves, amber grasses grace the landscape and the pace of everyday life seems to switch gears. Our to-do lists are just as long while we get ready for winter, we simply have less sunlight "to do" it in. The bounty of summer wanes a bit and colder weather greens are flourishing. Harvest season is upon us.

The seasonal changes usher in changes of meal strategies. Comfort food takes more center of the plate, hearty soups and stews, slow braised meats and using every bit that we can get of the local produce we’ve grown or bought locally.

I thought I’d share a few of our favorites. They are seasonal, colorful and warm the heart and soul. Creamy parmesan polenta, ratatouille and slow roasted herbed pork loin. Oven roasted tomatoes and roasted garlic with spicy turkey meatballs. Fluffy potato gnocchi, crispy chicken and fennel sausage, a spicy honey glazed oven roasted butternut squash. Sliced roast duck breast with Bing cherry port sauce, braised endive and charred colorful carrots.

Lets just go over ratatouille for a second. It is one of the quintessential base recipes of French cuisine, a peasant dish known worldwide. It's a dish not too different from Turkey’s Turlu or Egypt’s Torly with lamb and many of the same vegetables. I am one for loving the traditional mix of eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers and summer squash with a healthy slathering of great olive oil. However, I have to admit, my wife’s theory of using all the vegetables from our garden and the fridge and slow roast it with garlic, onions, basil and great olive oil, tastes amazing…nine out of 10 times. The addition of fennel, Romano beans and habanera (the not- spicy yet super fruit-forward, musky pepper) was music layered with my freshly made polenta last week.

Of course, there are a few things I could certainly do without during this time of the year. At the top of my list is the ridiculous overuse of pumpkin spice in absolutely everything from candles to popcorn to coffee. Don’t get me wrong — I love the smell of pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread baking in the oven! I absolutely loath the smell of pumpkin spice in 99% of all of the other applications the marketing geniuses deem as seasonal hits and yes, that’s why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors: so there is something for everyone. Wishing you all a safe and healthy fall season.

My query this week: What is your favorite comfort food for fall? Pumpkin spice tacos with a pumpkin beer??

Cheers, and live well always.

Autumn muse

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