Autumn is my favorite time of year. The fading flavors of summer combine with the oncoming flavors of fall, leading to a wonderful marriage of taste sensations and possibilities. My creativity seems to increase a thousand-fold this time of year! Last week there was leftover apple cider (Zieglers – my favorite) in my fridge, and I wondered what I could do with it. I perused my liquor cabinet – my fully stocked liquor cabinet – and found a bottle of Canton Ginger Liqueur I had special ordered last year. It is a bit sweet and I had not yet figured out how best to use it. I thought it would taste nice in the apple cider. There actually is a recipe that came with the Canton bottle that mixes equal parts Canton to apple cider. That was a bit too sweet for my taste buds. After tasting I decided to mix in the juice of about ¼ of a lemon…PERFECTION!! I think I have found my new fall cocktail!!!

Gingered Apple Cider Cocktail

•  2 parts apple cider
• 2 parts ginger liqueur (such as Canton)
• Squeeze of lemon
• Candied ginger

Pour apple cider and ginger liqueur over ice; add lemon juice and stir. Garnish with candied ginger and enjoy!

This pumpkin soup is my own recipe. I created it when I discovered my older son, who did not often eat healthy at that time, loved pumpkin. He also preferred Indian-style flavorings, so I experimented until I came up with this result. Although I consider pumpkin soup to be an autumn dish, I have made this in every season. The main ingredients can be kept on hand in your pantry, and the perishables are basic and may be items you already keep stocked…they should certainly be easily accessible year-round. This soup can start off your Thanksgiving meal; however, I like to make it the day before Thanksgiving – I will have a pot of this on the stove while I am baking my 12 pies and smoking the turkey breast…and it is a healthy meal to have the day before the big feast.

INDIAN-STYLE PUMPKIN SOUP

• 1 T Olive Oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 apple, peeled/diced
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 tsp Cumin (or to taste)
• 1 T Curry              
• 2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 – 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1-2 bottles Hard Apple Cider (optional) – my (now-not-so) secret ingredient!! 🙂
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth – 4 cups
• 1 14.5 oz can pumpkin (I use organic) – you can also use fresh pumpkin which has been roasted in the oven
• 1 can Coconut Milk – NOT Lite!!
•  garnishes at end (feel free to use any combo, all, your own or none…): goat cheese, smoked chicken, honey

 **I also like to serve it w/ the prosciutto-pepper baguette from Central Market…but I have also used cranberry bread, bleu cheese bread w/ walnuts, and just plain old regular bread…

 TO PREPARE: Sauté carrots, apple and onion in the olive oil on medium heat until softened. Add salt and spices and stir for about a minute. If using, add the hard apple cider and bring to a boil. Let reduce to about half. Add in stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes. Using an emulsifier, puree the ingredients (alternately, you can use a blender or food processor). Add the pumpkin and coconut milk and cook on low for another 15 minutes.

 NOTE: You may want to sample a bite after adding in the pumpkin and coconut milk to assure the spices meet your taste preference. I sometimes find the need to add in extra curry or garam masala, especially if my spices have been in the cabinet for awhile. You can experiment with what works for you and your family/friends.

 How I serve it: I ladle some in a bowl, mound smoked chicken in the center, and then crumble on a bit of goat cheese. Next, I drizzle the soup with a bit of honey – I use Tupelo, but any will work. Sometimes I sprinkle in cooked black beans for extra texture/protein. The Indian spices give it a different flavor than the traditional ‘pumpkin pie’ soups I have had in the past.

 It is great served with the baguette I mentioned earlier and a salad of Arugula, Red Onion or Shallots, Sliced green apple, walnuts, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette…

Elvis has officially left the building…or at least this house. I did my best to bring that starter back to life, but alas, it seems it could not be resuscitated. There was no rise at all in the pretzels I attempted, so I scratched the project for now. I will make a new batch of sourdough starter soon, but first I am doing my research…I need to figure out where it went awry.  

I’ll make sure to post any future results -good or bad…

For the past couple of years I have been trying to ‘find myself’ and figure out what path I’d like to wander around on during the next phase of my life. I’ve considered many options, from accounting (my college degree – hated it) to working in a restaurant (too physical for me at this point). Some of the in-between options I’ve considered range from copy-writing to opening a new-age exercise studio to creating a website. I have even thought about a business grocery shopping for others…there is a real need here, and who is pickier than I am when it comes to food??? I did sign up for a local photography class which begins in about a week. Perhaps Foodography is in my future? All I know is that I need a much better answer to the question “And what do you do?” It is a bit awkward telling others I am a stay-at-home mom when my boys are 19 (and not even home) and 16. Basically, I have now become a ‘stay-at-home-wife’. This is not so glamorous as one might imagine. One, I am not popping bon-bons one after the other all day long with my soaps running in the background. And two, I do still have a 16 year old at home…’nough said!!

Yes, I know how fortunate I am to be able to stay home, especially in these times of a possible double dip recession. But the grass is always greener…so I’ve heard it said. And what does any of this have to do with a food blog? Well, I suppose it has to do with the hunger of wanting more out of life, of wanting to make one’s life the best it can possibly be. Sure I have a terrific life. I am most thankful for that. Truly! But that doesn’t mean I can’t want to enrich it further. I want to know that I have made a difference in this world, that I have helped in some small (or large) manner to make the universe a better place.

So my question remains: How??? I welcome your answers…..

And until next time….Namaste!

There is something so special about food. We all must eat, breath and sleep (oh ok…and pay taxes and die). Breathing is involuntary, and sleeping – well, that’s a whole other can of worms for me! But eating, even though we all must do it, is done in so many ways. We have a choice in how and what to eat…well, in many cases we do. I believe that when you understand what and how a person eats you have a much better sense of who the person is. One of the first things one is faced with when traveling to another country is eating: where to eat, what to eat, when to eat (we discovered it’s very important to know when to eat in Europe).

There are so many aspects to food. It can be sensual and romantic, fast and processed, wholesome and comforting – or any combination of these. A shared table is often the place of many heated discussions, proposals, intimate conversation and family updates. A table for one can be lonely, or it can mean finally having a relaxing moment to oneself. It really all depends on the day and the person. I love a family meal when the television is turned off and everyone is seated around the table enjoying not only the food but also one another’s company. This is unfortunately a rare occurrence for us these days. During the week my ‘family’ often consists of only my younger son and me…on weekends my husband is present, and during the summer my eldest returns home to join our feasts.

What I wish is that you all take the time to learn how others eat. Perhaps this will lead to a deeper understanding and acceptance of one another’s cultures and differences, which could even lead to world peace! (I can dream, right?) I raise my glass to good food, and more importantly, great family time. Bon Appetit…and Peace Out!