Welcoming a change of season

AS I SIT amongst the condensation steaked windows, I gaze upon the Autumn confetti of leaves littering the grass. A faint scent of cinnamon wafts past, lulling me into a sense of comfort and home.

This.  Is.   Autumn. The most necromantic of seasons. Sugar, Spice, Baking and Cheese… all link us to fond memories of days gone by. It gives us a sense of belonging in our place, and a feeling of longing. Longing to recreate a time passed, a time of comfort and ease.

It’s at this time of year that I prepare for the Hunger Gap. Preservation of foods to see me through the Winter Months. Pickles, ferments, infusions, and tinctures occupy my time so I can enjoy the fruits of my labours in the dull months to come.

I also bake. Not because I necessarily crave sweet foods, but because in the act of baking and giving, I can share the joy it brings me. It is a way of linking to others when it is all too tempting to isolate. It is also a way to share love and define your identity

So, I am using this as an opportunity to implore you to ‘let go’. Allow the magic power of food and ingredients transport you to a different time and place. Be it some preserved tomatoes to conjure the summer months in the midst of winter, or the scent of Apple Pie, heady with cloves, just as if your grandma was baking it beside you.

I will be continuing to add inspirational recipes to the recipe section of my site, so keep checking, something might just pop up that is the hug you crave from a lost love, or that bubbling cheese to cure even the heaviest of hangovers…