There’s a lot to love about fall. You have the changing tree colours, the crispness of the air, the cozy clothing, and, best of all, the delicious seasonal foods.

Fall is all about putting together hearty and wholesome meals that will help you warm up after coming in from the cold. Cooking with fall produce and trying out some popular seasonal trends can really help you expand your culinary repertoire. The easiest ways to make your meals more seasonal is to use pumpkins, apples, and seasonal herbs and spices.

Cooking with Pumpkins

Pumpkin is a healthy and tasty squash with a sweet, rich flavour that you can use in all sorts of soups, stews, pies, and other baked goods. If you are up to doing some baking, then consider using pumpkin puree, as it can be easier to work with. When baking with whole pumpkins, make sure you save the pumpkin seeds. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre, pumpkin seeds are great when roasted.

Note that the larger pumpkins usually used for carving are not really the best for eating because they are very fibrous. If you want to do some cooking with pumpkins, then use smaller, thinner-skinned varieties such as sugar pumpkins and pie pumpkins. These pumpkins are grown specifically for their flavour and sweetness.

Cooking with Apples

After pumpkins, no other fruit or vegetable says “fall” quite like an apple. Crisp, tart, sweet, and juicy, an apple is the perfect healthy snack. Of course, apples are even better when used in cooking. Apple pie is a quintessential fall dessert, but you can also use apples in desserts such as apple crisp, apple turnovers, and apple cobbler. Alternatively, apples can be used in more savoury dishes. For example, apple is a fantastic complement to the richness of pork.

When looking for apples to use in your cooking, select the ones that have a bright, shiny skin and a firm feel and avoid those that have any soft spots and bruises.

Seasonal Herbs and Spices

Certain herbs are strongly associated with fall cooking, including rosemary, basil, and sage. Rosemary pairs wonderfully with bread and with mashed or roast potatoes, while basil is perfect for infusing vegetable soups and pasta dishes with a sweet, aromatic flavour. You can use sage to bring out the flavour of just about any meat, including chicken, pork, beef, and turkey.

Some of the most popular spices to use in seasonal fall cooking are pumpkin spice, ginger, nutmeg, coriander, cardamom, and peppercorn. These spices can give any dish a nice kick and an enhanced depth of flavour.

General Tips and Tricks

To round out your fall food prep, here are some additional tips and tricks that you may want to incorporate into your cooking:

– Prepare more warm and cooked foods during the fall. For example, consider making a casserole rather than a salad.

– Create hearty and wholesome meals by using more healthy fats and oils.

– Offer your guests a selection of warm drinks, such as coffee, hot chocolate, and hot apple cider.

– When planning meals, focus on creating bright and vibrant dishes by using ingredients of many different colours.

– Use more foods with sweet, salty, and sour flavour profiles.

As you can see, fall food is all about creating the perfect combination of comfort and flavour. Next time you head to the store to pick up your usual groceries, consider saving some room in your cart for fall-inspired ingredients to brighten up your meals.