Autumn musings and a breakfast recipe

When does autumn begin in your part of the world?   September, October, and November are traditional months for autumn weather in the Northern Hemisphere, but here in the Southwestern part of the United States, summer lingers with a vengeance throughout the month of September. All hopes are on October to bring relief from mind-numbing heat.

October is my favorite month in El Paso, Texas. my home town.  We can’t boast about leaves changing to red and gold, because trees, plants, and grass are all still green, even enjoying a growth spurt in the cooler weather.  But weekend outdoor festivals are on everyone’s calendar where you can listen to music, eat, drink, and be very merry with family and friends. 

The neglected pots and pans in the kitchen beckon because we can now cook without heating up the house.  This is the season that will end with Thanksgiving Day, much celebrated with traditional home-cooked dishes. Winter with its cold and dark days is too far away to worry about. This is the season of harvest and plenty.  

Here is one of my favorite autumn morning breakfast dishes, made with cranberries.

Salado Berries  This recipe brings back Thanksgiving memories.  For many years, my husband Wayne and I traveled to Central Texas to celebrate the holiday with members of his family, the Calks. Often his brother and sister-in-law, Max and Jeannette, would meet us in Salado, Texas, a delightful town several miles north of the capital, Austin. One year we stayed in a bed and breakfast where we were first served this breakfast dish.

One bag fresh cranberries (I buy them in season and freeze for use all year.)

One cup white sugar (or Splenda)

Mix the above ingredients together and microwave for five minutes.

Then mix the following ingredients and crumble on top of the fruit mixture.

One cup flour

One cup oatmeal

One-half cup brown sugar (or one-fourth cup Splenda brown sugar blend)

One-fourth cup butter

One-half cup chopped pecans

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes at 325 degrees.

Great served with bacon and eggs or an omelet.

.

Autumn- A Bittersweet Season

I think autumn is a bittersweet season. It's the comfort of harvest abundance tinged with more serious thoughts of the season to follow.   In the US Southwest, an occasional cool breeze in late September brings relief from the scorching temperatures of summer.  But the leisurely pace of summer is beginning to fade away.  It’s time to get on with life – school, work, house projects, holiday plans.

Farmers' Market, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Southwesterners often have “see the colors change” on their bucket list, and my husband and I were no exception.  In the desert southwest, I have to search for signs of autumn- one lone tree turning yellow or red or a few pumpkins piled up for sale at supermarkets.On a recent trip to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, I experienced what a full blown autumn season can look and feel like.




But in Cape Breton, there was no doubt that the fall season had arrived.  There were miles upon miles of dazzling colors, light orange, golden yellow, deep red (my favorite), all on a contrasting background of brilliant green.  We drove the Cabot Trail and lost ourselves in those wonderful palettes.

Can you spot the fly fisherman?

Warm days and cooler nights greeted us in the Canadian Maritime province.  Everyone, almost without fail, commented on the (unusual) temperate weather and abundant sunshine.  “Nice weather we’re having, eh?”  seemed innocuous enough, but I caught a faint reminder that soon winter would be closing in.

On our travels around Cape Breton, I saw giant woodpiles stacked by neat cottages.  The marquee at an automotive shop reminded car owners to be sure to winterize their vehicles  (a task I could put off in El Paso, Texas, but not in Nova Scotia).

 

Wayne and I shared a porch dining area at the Dancing Goat Bakery and Café in Margaree NS with a foursome who were trying to convince each other that they really did enjoy the winter season.  I think it was just tough talk to dispel the specter of autumn abundance giving way to a chilly, snow-covered landscape.

Another group at a fish and chips restaurant in Truro, NS, was discussing the upcoming winter season.  “Are you going away for the winter?”  one elderly gentleman asked another.  Interesting, I mused.  In the desert Southwest, we dream about escaping the dog days of summer or the gale force winds of spring, but we would never leave our cold but sunshiny days of the winter season.

I loved the experience of a picture book autumn in Nova Scotia and returned home to El Paso wanting to pile up mounds of orange and white pumpkins on the front porch (I have three lone pumpkins to date), stock wood for the fireplaces, and prepare harvest dishes.

One idea I got at the Rusty Anchor Restaurant in Pleasant Bay, Nova Scotia was so simple that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it myself.  Being a fan of meatless dishes, I ordered a grilled sandwich made with cheese and sliced apples.  Apples are crisp and abundant everywhere in fall.  And their nutritious addition to the sandwich gives me a momentary relief from the guilt of enjoying a calorie-laden grilled cheese sandwich.

I also picked up a recipe for a cranberry pie.  If I make it successfully, I’ll include it in the next blog. 

Do you have a favorite fall recipe to share?