Pumpkin Spice Season

2022

Early Autumn is my favorite time of year because all the best qualities of late summer and fall come embedded with a deep sense of nostalgia. Last leaps into the lake, back-to-school shopping, and spotting that first red maple leaf all remind me of childhood. I love to call this time my Pumpkin Spice Season. From Labor Day’s buzzing heat through the first hint of cranberries and snowflakes, the bounty and physical transformation of this spicy stretch boggles the mind. We may return to routine, but our gardens continue to party with tomatoes and squash of every shape and hue, and pepper rainbows burst forward to awaken our palates that now crave heartier foods.

We bounce between chilly bike rides, soccer schedules, and dressing for every kind of weather as a wild effervescence reboots our spirits—everything feels illuminated! I think the sunlight is the most spectacular part of this season—brilliant afternoons that dapple riots of color against cobalt blue skies. And then, without much preamble, the light retires—earlier and earlier—coaxing us inside for soups, stews, and the aroma of pumpkin spiced (nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, clove) goodies, always the hallmark of this splendid season.

Pumpkin Spice Carrots (V)

These sexy, sweet and savory carrots come with a chef’s secret. The trick here is to first bake the carrots, foil-covered in a hot oven, with one-third cup of water at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the carrots from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Next, heat a cast iron pan on your stovetop with some olive oil, and saute a large chopped onion for 10 minutes. Place the carrots into the hot pan, drizzle some maple syrup, a pinch of pumpkin spice, and some salt all over the carrots, and roast at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes in the oven. Gently turn the carrots so they are burnished on several sides. Finish the dish with a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper.

The action of baking the carrots first breaks down their tough fiber and releases the sweetness of the carrot. For cooking nerds, this maillard reaction is a form of non-enzymatic browning that occurs in foods when proteins and/or amino acids chemically react with carbohydrates of reducing sugars. This principle works for all kinds of squash, potato, parsnips and cauliflower, as well.

Tuckie’s Apple Pie (V)

This pie will bake off a with a duller sheen, but the flavor and flakiness more than make up for it!

My middle daughter is an accomplished vegan cook. She can take the simplest of ingredients and make magic, all the while protecting our health and good humor. If you are tired of overly sweet, heart-clogging pies, try this one—the fruit flavors will deeply reflect their essence. It is absolutely delicious.

3.5-cups white all-purpose flour

1-cup olive oil 

8-T ice water

Pinch of salt

Combine ingredients by mixing with fingers. Pat dough into two disks and chill.

Fruit Filling

Combine fruit filling of choice (@3 pounds of a variety of peeled and sliced apples) and 10 chopped dates; 1-T lemon  juice; plus 1-T flour to thicken; and 2-t pumpkin spice.

Roll out crust and add filling. Bake at 400 degrees 45-60 minutes.

Teta’s Pumpkin Spice Bread

This easy and unbeatable classic was adapted from my dear friend Judith’s original recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine in a bowl, blend with a wooden spoon:

4-eggs, pre-blended with a fork

¾-cup avocado or mild oil (or equal parts browned butter and oil)

1.5-cups sugar

16-ounces of canned organic pumpkin,

1/2-teaspoon salt

3.5-teaspoons pumpkin spice

1-teaspoon baking soda

2-teaspoons baking powder

2-cups white whole wheat flour

1-cup crushed walnuts

1-cup shredded coconut (optional)

Pour among three prepped cake pans or multiple loaf pans. If baking loaves, and not using frosting, sprinkle with sugar-in-the-raw, and pumpkins seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Use a cake tester or until cake spring back to the touch.

Cream Cheese Frosting

5-ounces of cream cheese, 6-Tablespoons of soft butter, 1-teaspoon of milk, 1-teaspoon of vanilla. Beat together, then add 2-cups powdered sugar. Add more sugar for volume or sweetness as desired.  Cool cake and frost just the tops of each tier, the sides should remain brown. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

PS: Swimming in zucchini? Try my Quarantine Cake and add some extra pumpkin spice to this moist chocolatey cake!

I’d love to hear from you—feel free to send your comments to me. Please share this post with a friend :) and thank you for reading!