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As fall approached, our ancestors concerned themselves with harvesting their fields in preparation for the long winter. This was a time of canning, preserving, smoking, pickling and drying various items in preparation for the winter months, when very little food grows.
In our modern lives, where food is available in grocery stores year round and in which our vegetables and fruits typically travels an average of 1300 miles from farm to table, we tend to forget that fall is a season marked by abundance, thankfulness and activity. Many cultures have their own celebrations in the fall in which the community comes together to harvest food for the winter. Fall provides us with a wide variety of items, since many summer and winter crops are generally available at this time as well.
When I think of fall produce, I think of apples, pears, cranberries, mushrooms, cauliflower, leeks, greens, lettuces, cabbages, brussel sprouts, and the glorious varieties of sweet squashes—butternut, Kabocha and acorn squashes, which are related to the most popular autumn treat, pumpkins.
A great way to take advantage of autumn vegetables is by preparing them in soups. At the restaurant, butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkinseeds is the most popular dish on our menu. Squashes are very versatile vegetables that can be used in both savory and sweet preparations and are wonderful as side dishes or even desserts! The orange flesh of the autumn squashes denotes sweetness that only nature’s process of maturation can provide, and packs mega doses of beta carotene, fiber and B vitamins.
To prepare your own soup, simply chop whatever vegetables you find at your local farmers market, sauté them in olive oil until brown, add some vegetable stock and simmer until tender, season with sea salt and lots of chopped fresh herbs such as tarragon, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley or cilantro. Just before serving, sprinkle with toasted seeds for a special treat!
Since you’re probably already incorporating the traditional pumpkins into your fall meals, why not roast your own pumpkin seeds? They are densely packed with zinc, fiber and various minerals. Seeds and nuts can be roasted with a coating of olive oil, sea salt and spices at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, depending on the variety. Roasted seeds and nuts provide a great snack during the autumn because of their healing properties and high levels of nutrients.
Maple syrup is a healthy seasonal sweetener to complement your grains and other foods when you desire a sweet touch. The sap of the maple tree turns sweet during the fall season, when it is harvested and boiled down into syrup—sixty gallons of sap will produce a gallon and a half of syrup. Ounce for ounce, maple syrup has more calcium than milk! But, as with any sweetener, use it sparingly and you will find it is a delightful addition to the autumn diet—especially as a replacement for refined white sugar in recipes.
Game birds including pheasant, turkey and quail are appropriate sources of protein during the fall season. If you hunt, or know a hunter, this is a good way to indulge in game birds. Alternatively, you can find a farmer that raises them in a sustainable manner. Both lend themselves to be paired with autumn vegetables.
Eating seasonal, local produce aligns us with nature’s cycles, which translates into better health, improved mood and better sleep. Who in our busy, modern world can afford to pass up such a simple way to fortify themselves against the pending harshness of winter?
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