Just Cook It!
It’s very true — pumpkin spice is taking over the world. My question is simply — Why? Why are we letting things that are pumpkin spice related get so crazy? When pumpkin spice potato chips are available (which they are) I say things have gone too far. Where do you personally draw the line?
“But Mario,” you’ll say, “We look forward to the fall season all year long just so we can gorge on all things pumpkin spice and everything nice.” Well, if that’s really how you feel, enjoy your pumpkin spice perfume, laundry detergent and chewing gum, but I am moving on, and I only hope that you’ll come with me.
Pumpkin will always be the undisputed king of fall, but there is still way more to the fall food scene than pumpkin. With everything pumpkin spice popping up everywhere I fear that we are missing the prime season for some other outstanding foods that we should also be enjoying. Let’s have an abundance mindset and explore some other foods that make their peak time of the year during the fall season.
The first fall food I think of after pumpkins are apples. Nothing really says fall to me like a glass of cold or warm apple cider. When picking out your apples, be sure they are bruise free and also contain no mushy spots. Look for the characteristic color of the particular apple you would like to purchase but don’t worry so much about a few rough brown patches.
Also in peak season during the fall are pears. Pears are another delicious fruit that, like apples, come in many different varieties. Most pears are not fully ripe when you buy them and they don’t change color as they ripen. The best way to tell if a pear is ripe is to “check the neck” or the area just below the stem. Press the neck area and if it gives slightly your pear is good to go.
Another seasonal fall food is grapes. You could argue that grapes are great all year long as long as you are careful to not get any cork in the bottle when opening, but we’re talking fresh grapes, not fermented. When picking out grapes, you should always look for fat berries on healthy looking stems. I prefer grape jelly for my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and if you do, too, then this is the time to make and jar it for the rest of the year.
Leafy greens such as spinach, chard and collards are also in peak season in the fall months. When selecting greens, avoid leaves with brown spots, large tough stems, and wilted edges. Select crisp greens that look fresh and vibrant. Collard greens should be cooked but other greens can be eaten either raw or cooked.
One of my favorite root vegetables this time of year is the extremely underrated parsnip.
Lookswise, parsnips kind of resemble a larger gnarled funky looking carrot — even though they are a pale yellow color. Parsnips are great for roasting, simmering in soups, braising and even cooking and mashing right along with mashed potatoes. Parsnips can even be substituted for carrots when baking — try making carrot cake with parsnips if you really want to taste the fall season in all its glory.
Some other fall foods to take note of are potatoes, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips and rutabagas to name a few.
As you can see, fall food is much more diverse and fun than just pumpkin spice flavored everything. Pumpkin spice may be something you look forward to all year long, but don’t let it steal your attention from all of the potential that other fall ingredients have to offer. Diversify your fall foods portfolio and the only way to do that is to – Just Cook It!
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Send me all of your food/cooking questions by e-mail to hsfeatures@heraldstandard.com!
Mario J. Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, author, and the host of Just Cook It on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.JustCookIt.net.