“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” – Lauren DeStefano The arrival of apple cider doughnuts at our local farm stand marks the unofficial start of the new season for us. With their sugary crumb and warm aroma, it’s always contenting to see them stacked in their little containers on the market’s counter. It’s been years though since we’ve bought any. My youngest has a nut allergy and baked goods from outside of our home is usually off limits since we can’t verify with certainty the ingredients used…
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Panzanella. A robust, yet simple dish with humble beginnings. Heirloom tomato and peach panzanella is a respectful twist on a classic favorite. The flavor combination is simply gorgeous, and while heirlooms certainly take the lead here, they give a slight nod to their stone fruit friend of summer, the peach.
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What’s a flummery, you say? Aside from being a fun word, flummery is a sweet, fruit, pudding-like dessert that has been mostly lost to history and time. A quick Google search will bring up a few recipes here and there, though certainly not a mainstream dessert like in the days of old. While thumbing through a colonial cookbook I have on hand, I came across a recipe for raspberry flummery. Seeing as though our raspberry season is nearing its end here in New Jersey, and I still have a good amount of locally-picked fresh raspberries on hand, I sought to honor this dessert of yesteryear.
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This strawberry season let me take you beyond the obvious sweets of jams, ice creams and baked goodies for something a little bit more unexpected and savory. It’s that time of the year when the fields are abundant with sun-warmed and fragrant strawberries. Since the season is quick to come to an end, I make sure to pick plenty for the anticipated homemade jam and ice-cream. Today though, I want to take you beyond the expected sweets and give you a delectable recipe for a savory roasted strawberry BBQ sauce. Yep, strawberry BBQ sauce! You’ll want to slather it on just about everything you’ll grill or roast.
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Have you ever caramelized oranges? It’s one of my favorite ways to cook with citrus. When drizzled in quality olive oil and roasted just right, their sweet flavor deepens beautifully and intensifies. A dark sticky-sweetness cloaks the fruit and enhances the flavor profile of the entire dish. Blood oranges are among my favorite for their dark crimson flesh and tangy sweetness. However, don’t mistake this for an orange-y flavored dish. Rather, when paired with roasted chicken, Italian olives, red onions and the heat from dried chile peppers, this Spicy Blood Orange Chicken makes for a savory and robust weeknight dinner in just over 30 minutes.
