Eating Seasonally – Autumn

eating-seasonally-autumn

I’m pretty sure that we can safely say that it is finally Autumn.

The days are getting shorter and cooler and there’s a whole load of new things ready to eat in my garden. I never really thought about eating seasonally before we had our own garden but when you grow your own it really comes to the fore.

Eating Seasonally – Autumn

Apples in season in Autumn

Apples

The main thing that we are overloaded with is apples. I love apples and we have so many trees that in a good year (like this one!) we are spoiled for choice. Apple cake, apple butter, pork and apple (especially yummy!). The possibilities are endless, and delicious!  My favourite apple recipe is an apple cake from the River Cottage Cake book. It’s a winner in our house, and with everyone I’ve ever made it for!

Pears in season in Autumn

Pears

Pears and apples are pretty well partners in when they ripen but pears really don’t last as well.  They can be used just in a myriad recipes but my favourite is now a curry from the Cinnamon Kitchen cookbook.  Roasted partridge and curried pears.  Sounds random but it was totally delicious.  In fact that whole book is full of amazing recipes – if you like spice you should check it out.

Broad Beans in season in Autumn

Beans

Broad beans, runner beans, French beans.  There are so many different types of beans out there and they are all ready now!  Young beans are great just lightly steamed and served with a bit of butter on the side of whatever your main dish is.  Broad beans & crispy bacon bits in a cheese sauce is one of my ultimate comfort foods.  Serve it up with some crusty bread and you’ve got an easy (if unhealthy!) Autumn dinner on your hands.

Beetroot in season in Autumn

Beetroot

I love beetroot and would happily eat it every day.  Beetroot and apple is an amazing combination and this soup is another well loved Autumn dinner in our house. Replace the sour cream with crumbled Feta for nice bit of bite. Strangely beetroot and chocolate is another brilliant combination of flavours and this cake is absolutely one of my favourites.  It’s so rich and gooey – you would never know that there was beetroot in it except for the fab purpley brown colour of the cake mix.

tomatoes

Tomatoes

The tomatoes are still growing happily away in our greenhouse although I think we are coming to the end of the harvest.  Definitely get some locally grown tomatoes if you can, before it’s all too late.  Home grown tomatoes have so much more flavour than the sad crunchy things you buy in the shops in the winter.  Sweet, squishy and delicious, fresh tomatoes are hard to beat.  Get a salad in before the weather turns a bit too miserable to contemplate eating cold food!

Hopefully, you can find some inspiration for the season ahead amongst my selection of Autumnal favourites. I am looking forward to sharing a series of posts about eating seasonally with you over the coming year. But in the mean time I would love to hear what your favourite seasonal dishes / ingredients are!

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