It's a well known fact that I heart autumn but I've really noticed that my tastes have changed this year. While in the past, I was happy to eat ratatouille all year round, I really savoured my last batch as I'm aware that aubergine and courgettes won't taste as good again for a while. But more than that I have really been wanting food containing squashes, corn on the cob, carrots and kale. Alice's photos of her new vegbox have been haunting me, as have Katie and Kate's allotment shots and its the Flower and Produce Show on The Archers. It appears I am obsessed with autumnal produce and am itching to get my container kitchen garden up and running so I can have my own veggies next year. I like to think that I will become south-east London's Alys Fowler ;)
Today, my meals have all included foods that I think taste of autumn. (As I write this, I can smell a bonfire, whoot!)
Breakfast
Plum jam on toast. I made the jam last week from this recipe which I can vouch for as being excellent. I hadn't made jam before, marmalade and chutney had been the extent of my endeavours so this was new ground for me. I used two punnets of plums, no vanilla, and made one and half jars which tastes lovely and gives me a boost every morning on my toast. (It won't last long, I may have to freeze more plums)
Lunch
My first batch of soup for ages, Potage Bonne Femme by Elizabeth David, I love how luxurious it tastes when it is so easy to make and basically carrots, potatoes, leeks and stock with a touch of creme fraiche. It is probably a bit wintery for today but I really fancied it and will take leftovers to work which is always a bonus. Also even though I think it translates as Housewife's soup, I do love the idea that this is soup for the good women because I think good women always deserve excellent soup!
Finally, dinner — apple crumble!
For the last few weeks, I have been (virtually) skipping to the farmers market for the last couple of weeks on an apple quest. Every week there seems to be new varieties available at farmers market and I have been sampling them all. All my apples come from Chegworth Valley who are opening a shop (in Notting Hill naturally), and are either organic or apples from land that is still in conversion. Most of all, it makes me very happy that they are a range of sizes and tastes from sharp small red apples to lovely Coxs. I always come away with a pick and mix selection and then get surprised at work with the variety of tastes and textures. Like many people, I like the section of Little Women where Jo is sitting in the attic, reading and eating a bag of apples and I'm determined that one day soon, I'm going to find me a sunny spot and read a trashy novel with apples on the side. Anyway, that was a long way of saying, I made crumble and it was tasty.
Completely unrelated: I went to see Emiliana Torrini last weekend at the Southbank and she was great. It is safe to say that previously I had been an unbeliever and thought she would be quite wispy and annoying, but she was really funny and witty and excellent live. Listen to her latest album, "Me and Armini"; I love the optimism of "Big Jumps" and defy anyone not to wiggle their hips to "Jungle Drum".
I know just what you mean about the jam. I have become addicted to some fig and rhubarb jam I made a few weeks ago. Great with plain yoghurt.
Don't leave it too late to get hold of some more plums.
Posted by: colleen | 09/21/2009 at 12:26 AM