Of course, the real beauty of cooking like I did yesterday is that I can have a hot baked apple for breakfast today, with zero effort!

I love food history. I collect old cookbooks--not the real oldies, but the early 20th-century ones, which I love because you can ever-so-gradually see modern cooking taking shape in them. Today I adapted two great recipes from a surprisingly modern 1940s tome called the Women's Home Companion Cook Book. I also spent a bunch of time reading the book, especially the parts about creating menus and serving dinners. I really like the old-fashioned multicourse meal thing, and I wish we did more of it nowadays.

SPLIT-PEA SOUP
1 lb. green split peas
2 1/2 quarts water
a ham bone with some meat left on it
1 bay leaf
leaves from a few sprigs of thyme
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped carrot
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbs. sugar

Bring the split peas, water, ham bone, bay leaf, and thyme to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer.
In a separate pan, heat the oil and sizzle the onion and carrot in it for 10 minutes, or until limp but not browned. Add the contents of this pan to the simmering pot of split peas.
Cover the pot and cook it on low heat for about an hour and a half.
Remove the ham bone and cube the meat. Mash the split peas and other vegetables coarsely with a masher (they should be falling apart by now anyway). Add the cubed ham back in. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and sugar.*
Cook 20 to 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 1/4 to 1/3. Serve with crusty bread.

*At this stage, I added about half a cup of leftover mashed potatoes to the soup. If you have such a thing, you might want to do the same.


BAKED APPLES
4 medium apples (I used organic Galas)
brown sugar
raisins
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
4 thin pats of butter
boiling water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Wash and core the apples. Place them in a dish that will hold them snugly, such as a small souffle dish. Stuff the insides of the apples tightly with brown sugar and raisins, sprinkle the apples with lemon juice, and place a pat of butter on each. Add just enough boiling water to cover the bottom of the pan.
Cover with foil and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until very soft and steamy.
Serve warm. (The cookbook suggests pouring the apple-y, brown-sugary juice into a separate pan and boiling it down into a syrup, which you then serve atop the apples. I was lazy and used the juice unboiled, and I thought it was very nice.)

Austin, Texas is one of my favorite towns in the whole U.S. of A. (Granted, I've been smart enough to stay away from it in the summertime, when the heat is nigh unbearable.) When I think of Austin, I picture myself wandering from venue to venue during the madness that is South By Southwest, or eating Tortilla-Fried Queso Catfish at an outside table at Shady Grove, or poking around in a cool vintage shop where I find the most perfect pair of cowboy boots. Austin is not like the rest of Texas. Austin is mostly ashamed of George W. Bush, but prefers to spend its mental energy on beer and live music and Roller Derby. It's where Whole Foods Market was founded. It is taquerias and student radio and not-so-secret swimming holes.

Austin has its own Perfect Hangover Food. This is it, and I made it today despite neither of us having a hangover.

MIGAS
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
one or two green onions, chopped
half a jalapeño pepper, minced
4 eggs, beaten
1 small to medium tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
a small handful of cilantro, chopped
two generous handfuls of salted corn tortilla chips, lightly crushed
about 1/2 c. tangy cheese, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, shredded
tomato salsa, warmed

Have all your ingredients ready beforehand, because the cooking process is very time-sensitive.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Quickly stir-fry the green onion and jalapeño pepper until the green onion is limp. Then add the eggs and start scrambling them.
When the eggs are about halfway cooked, add the tomato and cilantro, and keep scrambling.
When the eggs are 90 percent cooked, add the tortilla chips and scramble them in.
Now reduce the heat to a very low flame, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the scrambled mixture, and slap a cover on the pan. Cook it just long enough to melt the cheese.
Serve topped with warmed salsa. Optional but very desirable side dishes, if you happen to have them: warmed flour tortillas and spicy black beans.

A soul food dinner

I owe a great deal, cooking-wise, to an author named Sheila Ferguson. Her book, Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South, contains coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad recipes that have become the gold standard in our household. It also describes a vegetable known as "creasy greens," which is something like giant wild land cress. It's available canned from one or two of the soul-food canning companies, but imagine my surprise when I went to the grocery store this week and saw it fresh for 79 cents a pound. I bought two big whorls of it (nearly a pound total) and brought them home.

Below is tonight's meal, loosely adapted from Ferguson's book and (in the case of the oysters) James Beard's classic fish cookbook from a few decades ago.

COLESLAW
4 heaping Tbs. mayonnaise (low-fat is fine, but fat-free is not)
a 1- to 2-inch piece of onion, grated finely
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 heaping Tbs. sugar
about 3 Tbs. white vinegar
half a head of green cabbage, shredded finely
1 carrot, grated

Combine the first five ingredients in a large glass bowl and whisk together. Refrigerate 1 hour and taste, tweaking the proportions to your liking.
Stir in the cabbage and carrot (and some minced green bell pepper and celery, if you like it, but these are extraneous) and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.


CREASY GREENS
wild land cress, rinsed in two changes of cold water, leafless portions of stems removed, and chopped coarsely
a few small hunks of ham, a hambone, or a few pieces of lightly cooked bacon
water
red pepper flakes
salt
coarsely ground black pepper
hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco or Texas Pete

Place the greens and ham in water to cover. Toss in a few sprinkles of red pepper and a couple dashes of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and keep at a brisk simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the stems are tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hot pepper sauce.


FRIED OYSTERS
fresh shucked oysters
several Tbs. of cream (milk will do in a pinch, but the breading won't stick as well)
saltine cracker crumbs (roll these to a fine texture with your rolling pin; you'll need more than you think)
oil for frying

Dip the oysters in cream, roll them thoroughly in crumbs, and fry them in batches in a couple inches of hot oil, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels.

Serve plain, or with tartar sauce, or on po-boy rolls with mayonnaise and lettuce.

PERSIMMON PUDDING
My holiday favorite, discovered thanks to Deborah Madison.

about 5 completely ripe, jellylike persimmons
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. golden raisins
3/4 c. chopped pecans
whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large souffle dish or a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish.
Break open the tops of the persimmons and use a spoon to scoop all the pulp into a blender. Discard the skins and any seeds you find. Puree the pulp. You should have 2 cups.
In a bowl, mix the pulp with the brown sugar, eggs, baking soda, melted butter, and vanilla. In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until smooth, then fold in the raisins and nuts.
Pour the batter into the dish and bake until browned and set, about 1 hour. Time may vary depending on depth and width of the dish.
Serve with whipped cream. If you happen to have any leftover slices, they freeze well and can be reheated nicely in the microwave.

Today I made a batch of my usual creamy Indian eggplant stuff (baingan ka shahi bhartha), which I am sure I've blogged on here at some point. It, along with a nice steamerful of basmati rice, accompanied the following recipe, which came from my BRAND SPANKIN' NEW copy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Meat Book. I love this book already. With every page I read, I feel like exclaiming "Brilliant!" like the cartoon guys in the Guinness commercials.

I have translated ingredients, measurements, and temperatures into American.

This is delicious and really bad for you, like a buttery, spicy cream of tomato soup with big chunks of bone-in chicken. But worth it, yes?

MURGH MAKHANI (Butter Chicken)
2 to 3 lbs. chicken pieces (all legs, or a small disjointed chicken), skin removed
tikka marinade, below
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
5 cloves
pinch salt
1 stick (1/4 lb.) unsalted butter
2 tsp. ground cumin
4 tsp. honey
1/3 c. heavy cream
1 Tbs. ground fenugreek seed
1 Tbs. lime juice
a grind of black pepper

In a baking dish, combine the chicken pieces with the marinade. Rub the marinade into the chicken with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate for several hours or overnight, chilled.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Take the plastic wrap off the chicken and replace it with a sheet of nonstick-sprayed foil. Cover tightly and bake 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 400 degrees F. and bake 25 minutes more, or until done all the way through.
Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cayenne, cloves, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large, deep skillet (big enough to hold all the chicken plus the sauce), melt the butter. Sizzle the cumin in it for a minute or so, then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer 10 minutes.
Add chicken (and whatever marinade clings to it). Cook another 10 minutes to meld the flavors. Serve with rice and/or naan.


TIKKA MARINADE
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. plain yogurt
1 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. garam masala
1 to 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. good curry powder
2 tsp. ground fenugreek seed
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
a mildish green chile, minced, with seeds and membrane

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

TANGY BARBECUE CHICKEN
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 large cloves garlic
3 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 Tbs. lemon juice
8 meaty chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, etc.)
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. cider vinegar

Pour the salt into a little pile on your cutting board and mince the garlic into it thoroughly. You should end up with a grainy paste. Combine this with the oregano, paprika, and lemon juice. Rub the mixture all over the chicken pieces. Brush with 1 Tbs. oil.
In a small saucepan, saute the onion in the remaining oil. Add ketchup and vinegar. Simmer 15 minutes.
Grill chicken 4 to 5 inches over hot coals, turning as needed to cook evenly and prevent charring. When chicken is nearly cooked through, spoon sauce onto it and grill 5 to 10 minutes more.

Better late than never, right?

CHICKEN WITH SRIRACHA SAUCE
Adapted from one of those healthy-cooking magazines, but I don't know which one because I clipped it out and stuck it in my recipe box. If anyone recognizes it, please let me know, because I'd like to give them their due. This is a keeper.

1/4 c. finely chopped onion
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. fish sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 lb. boneless chicken pieces (thigh and leg meat, breasts cut in half, whatever; they should be about 2 oz. apiece)
3 Tbs. ketchup
1 Tbs. Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong brand)
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger root
4 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
rice to serve

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a container or freezer bag large enough to hold all the chicken. Add chicken, mix thoroughly, and marinate, chilled, overnight.
Combine ketchup, Sriracha, honey, ginger, and rice vineger in a bowl. Whisk.
Heat 1 tsp. sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, discarding the marinade. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.
Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 8 minutes or until done, turning once.
Serve chicken on rice with dollops of ketchup-Sriracha sauce.


CUCUMBER & BEANSPROUT SALAD
This strikes me as an Asian equivalent of an Israeli salad. I adapted it from the Chinese volume of the Cookshelf series.

8 oz. fresh beansprouts
1/2 large cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1/2 large green pepper, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks or shaved with a peeler
1 stick celery, cut into matchsticks
1 large tomato, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
dash of Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil

Blanch the beansprouts in boiling water for exactly 1 minute--no more. Plunge them immediately into ice water to stop the cooking. Swish them around to cool them, then drain thoroughly.
Combine beansprouts, cucumber, green pepper, carrot, celery, and tomato in a bowl.
Mix together the garlic, Sriracha, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Pour this dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Serve immediately (the beansprouts lose their freshness if you try to store it).

I made a pie over the weekend using Crisco's new "No Trans Fats" shortening. It was appalling. Horrific. It tasted chemical-y and rancid. I was embarrassed to have made that pie.

Never again. I threw out what remained in my pantry and I'm going back to the old heart-attack-inducing variety. Pie is meant to be a treat, after all.

More recipes ASAP. I made some very nice Chinese food on Saturday and will be sharing it with you.

TURKEY BURGERS
These don't taste like beef hamburgers; they're actually a lot like meatloaf. Really delicious in their own right, either eaten plain with a fork or served on a bun with mustard, ketchup, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

1 lb. ground turkey
a handful of fresh parsley, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. onion, chopped fine
1/4 c. whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. ketchup
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
pinch of garlic powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce

Combine turkey, parsley, garlic, onion, breadcrumbs, ketchup, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Knead together with hands until ingredients are uniformly distributed. Form the mixture into four large, flat patties.
Cook under the broiler or on the grill. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to each patty after you flip it the first time. Cook until completely done in the center.

THAI BEEF CURRY
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
2 tsp. to 1 Tbs. red curry paste (depending on how much heat you can handle)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs. cheap steak for braising
3 Tbs. lime juice
1/4 tsp. dried curry leaves, crumbled
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1/4 green bell pepper or a small hot pepper, chopped fine (depending, again, on how much heat you can handle)
1 baby eggplant, cut into half-moons
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
rice to serve it with

Pour the coconut milk into a large skillet or a wok pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 10 minutes to reduce it somewhat. Stir in the red curry paste and garlic and simmer 5 more minutes.
Cut the beef into 3/4-inch chunks and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil again, stirring. Lower the heat and add the lime juice, curry leaves, fish sauce, green bell pepper, eggplant, turmeric, and salt. Cover and simmer briskly 20 to 25 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Stir in the basil and cilantro, and serve over rice.

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After dinner I went on a cookie-baking bender. The chocolate shortbread cookies are good but not spectacular; they'd be very nice with tea or coffee, though. The oatmeal-cinnamon chip cookies are beyond good. They are everything an oatmeal cookie should be. I am usually wary of gimmicky baking ingredients such as cinnamon chips, but I will make an exception for them.

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
(adapted from the Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking)
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. shortening*
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a mixer bowl, beat sugar, butter, and shortening until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and mix well. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, and mix well.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and flatten into thick discs with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake 10 to 13 minutes, or until firmly set.. Cool one minute and remove to paper towels.
Makes 3 to 3 1/2 dozen cookies.


OATMEAL-CINNAMON CHIP COOKIES
(adapted from the Hershey's Cinnamon Chips package; I cut the recipe in half and used old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats)
1/2 c. salted butter
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/6 c. sugar (use half a 1/3-c. measure)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 c. old-fashioned oats
5 oz. (half a package) cinnamon chips
1/4 to 1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add flour and baking soda and beat well.
Stir in oats, cinnamon chips, and raisins. Batter will be stiff.
Drop by spoonfuls (whatever size you like--I wanted mine fairly large) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned (10 or 11 minutes).


*This, by the way, was my first attempt at using the new "No Trans Fat" Crisco. But these cookies didn't prove anything one way or the other. Only a pie crust can tell me what I need to know, which is whether it works exactly like regular Crisco when it really counts.

This is really wonderful, although it is kind of a no-brainer; obviously if you put together all the ingredients of a BLT in salad form, it will taste a lot like a BLT in salad form. But that shouldn't detract from its wonderfulness.
I got this from one of those healthy-eating type magazines, probably Cooking Light. I have made some changes. The original was too diet-y (fat free mayonnaise?!) and didn't look nearly as appealing as my version.
The s.o. says he could eat this every day!

BLT SALAD
4 c. white bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
cooking spray
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1 Tbs. water
3 Tbs. Miracle Whip Light
pinch of sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 c. chopped Romaine lettuce
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped coarsely
2 Tbs. thinly sliced green onions
5 or 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place bread cubes in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Lightly coat bread cubes with cooking spray. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden, stirring once.
Combine vinegar, water, Miracle Whip, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk them together. Add the lettuce, tomato, and green onions and toss.
The moment you're ready to serve the salad, toss in the bread and bacon.

This spaghetti sauce is probably the best I've ever made. It's loosely modeled on Jamie Oliver's "Spaghetti with Salami, Fennel and Tomatoes" recipe, which appears in Happy Days with the Naked Chef. And in fact, it's especially good served with sprinklings of fennel fronds and pangritata (crispy rosemary and olive oil breadcrumbs), just as he suggests. But mine substitutes sausage for salami, making it more like the sauce I grew up with in heavily Sicilian and Calabrese northeastern Ohio.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND FENNEL
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 links mild Italian sausage
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
a couple pinches of red pepper flakes
1 fist-sized bulb fennel, halved and sliced thin
1 medium tomato, chopped
14-oz. can diced tomatoes
8-oz. can tomato sauce

Heat a large, deep skillet over a medium flame and add the olive oil. Squeeze the sausage out of its casings and into the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
When the sausage is almost cooked through, add the garlic, red pepper, and fennel. Cook 5 minutes uncovered, stirring often, then reduce heat slightly and cover for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the fresh tomato and cook 5 minutes more, covered.
Now add the can of tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Stir it all together and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes to half an hour. Stir it every so often. When it's cooked down a bit and the flavors have blended, it's ready to use.

Indian Dinner
Both recipes are adapted from Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes.

ZUCCHINI WITH FRESH GINGER
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. black mustard seeds or 1/2 tsp. powdered mustard
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp. kalonji seeds
2 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 Tbs. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 lbs. zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 Tbs. fresh mint leaves, minced
1 tsp. salt, or to taste

Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender. Drain and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok over medium-high heat. Add mustard, cumin, fenugreek, and kalonji. They should sizzle in the hot oil. Stir a few times, then add ginger, garlic, jalapeño, coriander, and turmeric. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
Add onions and potato and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add a little more oil if the wok is dry. Add zucchini and cook, stirring, about 4 minutes. Add tomato, mint, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes.
Stir in potato and onion mixture and cook another 5 minutes, covered, to blend the flavors.


KASHMIRI KOFTA ROLLS IN CURRY SAUCE
1 lb. ground lamb
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. water
2 black cardamom pods
1 small stick cinnamon
3 whole cloves
2 tsp. ground fennel
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. kala jeera (black cumin) seeds*
heaping 1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. nonfat plain yogurt
1 Tbs. heavy cream
3/4 c. water

Place the ground lamb in a bowl and add 2 tsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. garam masala, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Work the seasonings in thoroughly with your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, chilled, for at least an hour.
Divide the meat mixture into about 10 portions and press each into a fat elongated ball shape in your palm. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes more to ensure that they hold their shape when cooked.
In a large skillet, combine 1 c. water, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, fennel, and ginger. Bring to a boil and cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the kofta rolls in a single layer, not touching each other. Boil again, shaking the pan and turning the kofta rolls occasionally, until water is mostly evaporated and koftas are golden on all sides.
In a separate small nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbs. oil. Throw in the kala jeera and let it sizzle for a moment. Quickly add this mixture to the kofta pan, along with the heaping 1/2 tsp. garam masala, 1/2 tsp. cayenne, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Then stir in the yogurt and cream. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes.
Stir in the final 3/4 c. water and simmer briskly until the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes.

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* Regular cumin isn't a good substitute; kala jeera has a distinctive smoky flavor that's central to this dish. You should be able to find it (and the kalonji seeds for the previous recipe) at a good international grocery.

Top five food-related things I love about autumn

1. Being able to really, really enjoy a steaming-hot cup of coffee again.

2. Gallons and gallons of apple cider.

3. Hubbard squash.

4. Introducing new people to the wonders of persimmon pudding.

5. Planning Thanksgiving dinner -- the ridiculous excess of it all.