Fall is in the air. It's not just the weather, sunny days, cool nights and occasional red leaves on the trees. What's stirring is the desire to start to cook some comfort food AND talk politics. Oh yes, I'll be going there again to be sure.
It does create a couple of challenges for me around self-control.
My diet for sure. Fall cooking is hearty, the wine is redder, and staying inside cooking and drinking with friends and family is oh so attractive, especially when the rain starts. Also the need to control my frustration at the current trend of many wanting to give the political shovel back to those who dug us into this ditch in the first place.
But I'm going to start with the food first (of course!), after all, one will need some great new recipes and some old reliable ones to stomach the fall political season.
The temptations are great, and here in the Pacific Northwest the bounty is rich. Yesterday while shopping at one of our favorite neighborhood grocery stores Zupan's I picked up the latest issue of their complementary in-store magazine Indulge, which was filled with reminders why I love fall. Beautifully shot, on a paper stock that feels as if you should collect them, and packed with amazing recipes that inspire me to let go of the precious summer.
We're heading out to Cana's Feast winery in Carlton, Oregon today to pick up some of those reds that will keep us going too. Their Sangiovese Reserve is one of my favorites, paired with the Moroccan Chicken recipe from Zupan's, it might just be an alright fall. No tea parties planned here.
I do love Zupan's. Then again, I pretty much love everything about eating in Portland; it's my current favorite food city. And on your recent Top Ten list, if I were you and had your choices, #1 would be, I get to go grocery shopping in Portland (or go out to eat there...)
Posted by: Laurie Constantino | 18 September 2010 at 11:00