In summer my weekends usually revolve around being outside, eating brunch in the sun or going for long hikes. But when the temperatures shift, and the light turns that golden autumnal color, my weekends consist of setting time aside to bake. And bake. And bake again.
If you’ve been following my rantings for long you know that I have an issue with salads that leave you hungry after an hour. This salmon and potato salad will not only fill you up and keep you going as the fall chill sets in, it’s also loaded with Vitamin D thanks to the salmon.
Let’s see if I can put everything fall-related into a batch of granola! There are spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. There are pumpkin seeds. And there are apples, though not fresh; they’re freeze-dried. Feel free to add fresh slices of apple or pear if you like. The only thing I’m missing is pumpkin, which I tried to incorporate but I came to the realization that freeze-dried pumpkin tastes like green tea to me. Seriously, not pleasant.
After reading the name of this dish you’d be forgiven if you were expecting a crispy skinned roast bird. Hen of the Woods (a.k.a. Maitake) are a variety of mushroom with a robust earthy aroma and caps that fan out like a feathered plume. These thin caps make them perfect for roasting, which concentrates their bold flavor and renders the tips golden brown and crisp.
I’m what you call a “pancake enthusiast.” I have consumed and made a ton of variations on this breakfast-favorite. So, I guess you could say I’m a bit picky. For one, I don’t like them too fluffy. I know that may be an abomination to some, but I like them to be on the thinner side yet moist, tender and soft inside. My favorite stack always uses buttermilk; I love the tang it gives! And when fall is in the air, I like to fold in some of my favorite fruits and spices.
Farro, is an Italian word used to describe a variety of ancient grains including Einkorn, Emmer and Spelt. Before the invention of milling techniques that allowed wheat to be transformed into flour, whole wheat was eaten like we eat rice today. Whether it’s a mushroom pilaf or warm salad, Farro works in almost any dish that can be made with rice. It has a marvelously firm texture that doesn’t go mushy, and a mild nutty flavor that makes it a perfect base to build other flavors upon.
Have you been apple picking before? When I first moved to Los Angeles, it was fall. I piled all my friends in a car and we drove east for an hour to a small town near Palm Springs. There were groves and groves of apple trees where you could get a basket and pick whatever your heart desired.
Kabocha, which literally means “pumpkin” in Japanese is a variety of pumpkin with sweet flesh and a starchy texture that’s closer to sweet potatoes than the pumpkins we carve for Halloween. The creamy orange flesh is contrasted by a forest green skin, both of which get incredibly tender as they cook.
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