Autumn is an ideal season for cooking, with milder temperatures and nature providing an abundance of ingredients. The market is adorned with precious produce: mushrooms, game, chestnuts, and new wine. It is also the perfect time for preparing preserves for the winter. Traditionally, our grandmothers made delightful homemade jams.
Welcoming the Season Change
Once again at La Laguna Ahora, we bid farewell to summer and welcome autumn. Evenings are becoming cooler, especially at night, prompting the desire for hearty dishes suitable for dinner and overcast days. We crave warm and filling dishes that help to warm our bodies. However, daytime temperatures remain warm, still inviting lighter meals.
Preserving Nature’s Bounty
This is the time for making preserves and freezing surplus produce to stock up for the year ahead. We dive into the realm of chestnuts, cabbages, and cauliflowers. The first spinach, watercress, and celery are starting to sprout, and soon we will have quinces, chestnuts, pomegranates, and the early citrus fruits that will help us avoid colds during winter. In the meantime, we can enjoy the last of the pears and the reineta apples from Esperanza.
A Season for Rich Meats
The season for meats has begun, adding substance to our stews and casseroles on rainy, cold days. We are entering the season of black pork, making it a great time to indulge in its various preparations. Soon, we will be able to create delicious pâtés and sausages, but for now, we can start enjoying the hams before Christmas arrives.
Adapting Our Diet
As you can see, there are changes in the pantry and consequently in the kitchen. This should not mean abandoning the good habits of summer, such as the abundance of salads and fish. Instead, we will complement our diet with more elaborate warm dishes, adapting to the natural cycle.
We wish you a wonderful autumn.
