What season is it again?
thoughts on seasonal eating & an autumn recipe fit for your Thanksgiving table.
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Brisk turned frigid
It’s a brisk day here in London. I use the word brisk, but what I really mean is…it’s frigid. So let me rephrase that sentence…it’s a frigid day here in London. The low last night was 35°F. That is winter, my friends, not autumn. While I am embracing all things fall, I would’ve much preferred to ease into the seasonal change. The clocks jump forward soon which means the dark winter days are creeping in. It’s all happening at once and while I must accept the grey days and 3pm sunsets that lie ahead of me, I can’t help but dream of the picture perfect fall day. Not too cold, not too hot…a light sweater would do. But no. I’ve, in fact, taken my winter coat out of storage. Which, granted, I would have been taking out soon anyways, but I’m not fully ready for it. And as I type these words, I’m not fully ready for it, I’ve had to switch the heating on.
But with all the moaning and groaning comes a very welcomed autumn/winter inspired menu. I do love cozying up with a warm soup or letting a pot of stew simmer the day away. Nothing better than a slow and low cook in my opinion. I’m a seasonal eater so as we fade (or abruptly) shift out of late summer and into early fall, it’s time to shift our eating habits. That means, the last of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers…it’s a sad realization that they’ll be missing from the shelves. But then I think, oh wait, we live in globalized London and eggplants will most likely be plastic wrapped and on the shelves throughout most of winter. Another sad realization. You see, the beauties of eating with the seasons, in my opinion, boil down to a few things. First, the fruit and vegetables just taste better. This is a fact. When the fruit and veg are enjoyed in the season they’re supposed to be grown and harvested; and when they’re not wrapped in plastic and shipped in a container from a place unknown, they just simply taste as they should. Second, eating seasonally gives you an appreciation and new found excitement for the food that’s grown. The growing anticipation as we wait for artichoke, tomato, or puntarelle season in Italy is a very special feeling - it marks a moment in time. It’s similar to marking the first and last swim of the summer season. Eating food, in this way, allows you to take note of your surroundings - the people you’re eating with, laughing with, caring and cooking for. The notion that food can offer and play this role in our lives, is something special.
So, as I sat here (in my white fluffy writing chair) last week to come up with a seasonal menu for a group of 20 hungry lunch guests, I thought of what I’d seen at the market. Usually it’s a great indicator for what I want to cook, but sometimes the shelves all look the same. Because London - being the large city that it is - deems that people want to eat whatever they want, whenever they want it, there ends up being confusion in seasonal eating. But it’s not just London who sells aubergine in the dead of winter, this is true for most of the places we shop in the world. However, there are still lots of exceptions to the unsustainable year round fruit and veg offerings. We see those exceptions often throughout Europe - in smaller villages where the emphasis is based on hyper local and seasonal eating. While it may still be offered in your local grocery store, there are ways to combat the “whatever I want, whenever I want it” menu planning loop hole. I started by writing down all the vegetables that we should be eating as per the “normal” seasonal food calendar. Then, I thought back to the market and what was in abundance; thus the recipe for this week’s newsletter was born. Carrots. Kilos (or pounds) of carrots were made for 20 hungry guests - and yes, they were thoroughly enjoyed.
Honey roasted carrots with toasted almonds and whipped ricotta
This recipe could be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving tables (it’s never too early to start menu planning). It’s sweet with some crunch - allow the carrots to caramelize a bit for a burnt-ish toffee like coating. Adding whipped ricotta is an added bonus and pairs nicely with focaccia or bread.
4-6 people
Ingredients
Carrots
1kg of carrots (approx.. 10-12 carrots)
50g of honey (about 1/4 cup)
4 tbsp of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Whipped ricotta
250g of ricotta (approx. 2 cups)
2 tbsp of olive oil
Salt to taste
Garnish
Chives, finely chopped for color
2 tbsp toasted flaky almonds (whole almonds roughly chopped will work as well)
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Peel the carrots and if they are very large, slice them in half. In a bowl or directly on a baking sheet, toss and coat the carrots in olive oil and honey. Season with flaky salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Roast for about 25-30 minutes or until carrots have taken on a caramelized burnt-ish color. While the carrots are cooking, whip the ricotta and the olive oil in a food processor or work the olive oil into the ricotta by hand with a whisk. Season to your liking with salt.
To assemble, layer the whipped ricotta on a platter, followed by the roasted carrots, flaked almonds and sprinkled with chives. Drizzle with a bit more honey, flaky salt and a crack of black pepper.
Until next time at a standing reservation…
With love & snacks,
Paige
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Need a happy moment?
Now this…is a fall day. Sun shining, pizza and a pint. Our local pub. Can you name anything better?