10/11: Autumn State of Mind

Every time I walk into a store these days, whether it’s Target or Costco, I’m forcefully reminded that Halloween is just right around the corner.  Time to load up on those jumbo bags of candy corn and mini Snickers.  But it hard for me to get a sense of the autumn when it’s 70 degrees and sunny outside.  The neighborhood produce market still has nectarines and plums on sale for crying out loud!  Of course some of it probably tastes crappy.  It’s their mere presence at the fruit stand, intruding upon the first crop of pomegranates and persimmons that throws me off.  I need to get my fall groove on!   It’s time for me shift gears and think pears, apples, pumpkins…

If there is one single dessert I can make to get me into an autumn state of mind, it’s Sticky Toffee Pudding.  Yeah, I know the English eat it all year round.  In fact, I think it might actually be the national dessert of Great Britain, sort of the way the pavlova is to the Aussies.  But to me, it has always represented the fall, with all it’s wonderful rich, dark flavors.  My version–or I should say one of my many versions–includes not only the traditional sticky dates, but crystallized ginger, espresso, and Guinness.  I bake mine in a water bath to insure the proper degree of gooey goodness. This is what I want to tuck into on a chilly day…or night.  Once I make the first batch, I’m on a roll.  Then it’s maple pumpkin cupcakes, sweet potato pie, pear bread pudding, Halloween sugar cookies…..Let the autumn carb loading begin!

Posted October 11th, 2010

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