Welcome Fall colors menu

The weather for the past few weeks has just been spectacular. I find that I enjoy the wet and cold days as much as the crisp blue sky days, and both kinds of weather make me want to cook!

The menu for the past week was especially suited to the changeable mood of Fall, providing enough soothing creaminess to warm the chill away, and ginger and spice to go with sunnier days. The pumpkin spice bread was a hit with everyone, and I loved making multiple batches of risotto. The butternut squash was sauteed in olive oil with just a dash of salt and pepper before going into the risotto. The caramelized squash added depth to the tang of wine and Parmesan in the rice and lent a sweet dimension to the flavors.

Did I mention that the rolls were fabulous? I love to make bread because of all the amazing smells at each stage of the process. Am I weird because I love the smell of yeast? The smell of bread rising and baking in the oven is one of the best things in life. I also enjoyed making the pear crisp with its triple punch of ginger and sweet almonds in the topping. I could not resist packing some freshly whipped cream to go with the crisp --- oh well, a dollop of whipped cream judiciously applied and enjoyed adds longevity and joy to life.

I am excited about planning more Fall menus. Look for Daube Provencal, Braised Lamb Shanks, and Osso Bucco in the coming weeks. I am also excited to try some new grain dishes to balance some of the richness of these traditional stews. I hope I can talk some of my clients into trying the individual chocolate souffles --- I have been dying to make them, but they have to be baked just before serving (they are made ahead and frozen). We'll see. But they would be REALLY perfect with the Daube...