Fall Begins

Labor Day has come and gone, and school is back in session. The maple leaves are slowly starting to change their shades and flutter to the ground, the first breaths of autumn before it awakes.

The change from summer to autumn is a bittersweet time of year. We start to give way to our shorts and beach trips for sweaters and raking leaves. I start to say goodbye to my beloved summer fruits: the juicy hunks of honeydew, the sweet flesh of peaches, and the fragrant strawberries. There will be no more free-form blueberry tartlets or Sharlyn melon agua frescas.

The shadows begin to lengthen, and the air gets a little chilly. The skies become a canvas of vibrant oranges and pinks at sunset.

Every Wednesdays while I was in culinary school, I would pass by the farmers' market. I found the best plums and peaches here for a great price. I became hooked on dried mission figs. Over time I would notice the changes in produce as fall came around. The change was subtle as the quality and quantity of summer fruits began to fade and make room for apples, pears, and persimmons.

Autumn is that time of year for candied apples, poached pears, and everything pumpkin. It's that time of year for cranberry compote, roasted figs, and maple pecan pie. And as much as I love the summer, autumn is my favorite time of year as it alludes to the holidays. The weather is cool, yet we still catch one last hint of summer heat as Indian summer makes it way through. There is nothing like having a hot cup of coffee with apple cranberry muffin, scooping out pumpkins seeds as the rays of the setting sun pour into my kitchen, or walking outside on my way to work and seeing puffs of breath as I exhale.