There's something about autumn that inspires to me to cook. Sure, summer has the fresh veggies and fruits and so on and I always greet warming weather with a resolve to act as if I live in one of Peter Mayle's books but the problem is that I actually don't live in one of Peter Mayle's books and while all those fresh, minimally-treated veggies and fruits are lovely they don't offer much in the way of comfort. Plus, when it's 9,000 degrees in one's kitchen making a tian or some other summer dish isn't so appealing. Hence, my predictable tiring of sauteed green beans and salade caprese.

But fall....now there's some comfort, food-wise. You've got your squashes (so far we have seven - ! - butternuts growing), your cabbages, your kales and chards, not to mention apples and pears and nuts. With a few roasts in the freezer and the addition of some hearty grains, well, I feel cozier just thinking about it.

Our daytime temps haven't fallen all that much but there is an overnight chill and slight zip to the air that tells of the coming changes. Along with those changes my thoughts move to pot roasts, macaroni and cheese, apple crisp and mulled cider. My body might be healthier in summer what with the extra daylight for outdoor activity and the sheer variety of fresh produce available, but come fall my soul revives. Perhaps it's a kind of reverse seasonal affective disorder?

I'll finish canning the peppers and tomatoes like a good girl, all the while looking forward to the first pumpkin I'll smash up into butter (lots of brown sugar and candied ginger with this - oh, how lovely to think about it) and the first big pot of bigos. And I'll need to check up on my supplies of cocoa powder (hot chocolate), molasses (gingerbread) and cinnamon (baked oatmeal).

I'd better start today. There's another flock of geese overhead and there's not a moment to lose.