I love the fall. I love everything about it. The changing foliage, the cooler weather after a long, hot summer, and most of all fall food. It’s one of the reasons I love to host Thanksgiving dinner at my house.
Here’s just a few of my fall favorite ingredients:
APPLES
I live in an area surrounded by apple orchards. Fall apple picking is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. Even though they are teenagers I can still get them to humor me every once in a while and come along for the “ride”. They are never sorry they did. There are over 7,000 different apple varieties. A bit about a few of my favorites:
History:
* First apple – Eve’s, Garden of Eden
* Ancient Romans and Greeks grew and loved the fruit
* Apple remnants traced back to Stone Age
Health Benefits:
* Aids in prevention of Alzheimer’s and cancer (antioxidant properties)
* Shown to decrease wheezing in children with asthma
* Helps in management of diabetes
* Helps with weight loss
* Lowers cholesterol
* An apple a day…
Storing:
* Bruise easily so need to handle gently
* Store in crisper section of your fridge to maintain juiciness and crispness
* Store away from foods with strong odors such as onions
* Never store next to cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, pears, kiwi, peaches, plums and spinach. That’s because apples give off an odorless (& harmless) gas called ethylene. This gas accelerates the decay of these vegetables. Melons and tomatoes also emit this gas.
Types:
Gala: Has a distinctive red and yellow stripe and is heart shaped. Originated from New Zealand and is a cross between Golden Delicious and Kidd’s Orange Red variety. They are usually small in size, very sweet and mellow in flavor. Their skin is thinner than most apples. Excellent for eating and baking.
Fuji: Developed in Japan and is very sweet and crisp. They are a combination of Red Delicious and Genet varieties. Great for eating, salads and they are the best applesauce apples.
Rome (Red Rome or Rome Beauty): Is firm, glossy, red and thick skinned. Not a great eating apple but is delicious in baked goods.
Eating:
*Salads, desserts, pies, applesauce, eating
POMEGRANATES
If you happen to be in the New York area this time of year, I hate to tell you, but there is a shortage of pomegranates. That’s because my 11 year old son has eaten virtually all of them. He is beginning to turn red, just as Violet did in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
History:
* Originated in a region spanning from Iran to the Himalayas
* One of the oldest fruits known to man
* Grown in warmer climates
Health Benefits:
* Low in sodium and calories
* Beneficial in fighting different cancers (antioxidant properties)
* Improves cardiovascular health
* Has anti-inflammatory properties
* Helps keep me sane by keeping my 11 year old busy
Storing:
* Like apples, they have a very long storage life. In fact, they become juicier and more flavorful when stored at 32 to 42 degrees F range.
* Are good for up to 6 months if kept this temperature
Eating:
* Eating pomegranates is hard work but is well worth the effort. They are best eaten at room temperature
* Can eat as is
* Add to a salad with spinach, walnuts and feta with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing
* Pomegranate seeds or juice are great with roasted chicken
* Add to a martini (pomegranate martinis are very popular)
FIGS
There’s nothing better than a fresh fig in the early fall.
History:
* Grown for thousands of years on ficus trees. Were cultivated in ancient Greece and Egypt. Came to the U.S. in the 1500′s
Health Benefits:
* High in fiber, minerals, natural and simple sugars
* Contain Vitamins A, B, and C
* Contain good levels of magnesium, iron and potassium (regulates blood pressure)
* Good source of antioxidants so helps fight cancer
* Help fight heart disease and diabetes
Storage:
* Deteriorate rapidly and are very delicate so need to be handled with care
* Will last in fridge for about 2-3 days. Store in tupperware lined with paper towels and cover with plastic wrap
* Do not store in plastic bags. If you do you might as well throw them out
* Best eaten at room temperature within a day or 2 of purchase
* Keep away from direct sunlight
Types:
Smyrna/Calimyrna: Have a golden skin and nutty flavor. They are larger than most figs. They are among the best figs to eat fresh but are also often dried and used in pastries.
Mission: They are a deep purple color and are very sweet. These are great with cheese and yogurt.
Eating:
* Should not be washed until ready to eat
* Use in salads
* Jams
* Add to oatmeal
* Serve with cheese. Try fresh figs with goat cheese, chopped almonds and honey
* Delicious in savory and sweet dishes
* Add fresh figs to couscous, rice or quinoa
* Great in lamb dishes or served with cured meat
CHESTNUTS
Chestnuts tend to be more a winter produce, often associated with the holidays but I had to include them as winter is fast approaching and I love them. One of the reasons I love chestnuts is the memories I have of them growing up in South Africa. We had a huge chestnut tree in my backyard. It was one of my favorite places to escape, climbing high as I could to hide from my annoying older brothers.
History:
* Dates back to Roman times
* Native Americans feasted on chestnuts
* Called marrons in France
* Used as a substitute for potatoes in Europe
Health Benefits:
* Low in sodium, fat and cholesterol
* High in Vitamin C (helps body resist infection and speeds healing time of wounds)
* High in Vitamin B (promotes normal appetite benefits for vision, colon, memory, eases muscle stress and provides energy)
* High in Riboflavin (helps with metabolism of food)
* Good source of dietary fiber
* Rich in saponins which are beneficial to vascular system and connective tissue
Storing:
* Contains about 50% water so very perishable
* Cooked chestnuts can be frozen and stored in freezer for up to 8 months
* Once shelled and cooked they should be covered and kept in fridge for up to 3 days
* Dried chestnuts can be stored in airtight container for 2 months. Can also be frozen
Eating:
* To remove the shell, make an x with a sharp knife on the flat side before boiling, roasting or microwaving
* Boil – for 15 to 25 minutes, remove shell, and then can be mashed or pureed
* Roasting – Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on baking sheet for about 15 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time. Remove shell. Serve hot.
* Roasted on open fire
* Microwaved for 3 minutes prior to removing shell
* Great in soups
* Substitute for potatoes
* Try in stuffing
* Make a chestnut cream and add to your next chocolate dessert or souffle
* Puree and use in crepes or pancakes
Try these fall seasonal ingredients the next time you entertain, with your Thanksgiving dinner or just experiment with them at family dinner. You, your guests, and your kids will all be pleased that you did. Please let me know how it goes. I love the feedback.