Tuesday's Ten: Fall Favorites

I'll take my cue for this week from you, Jill!

The weather here has taken a brisk turn, and temperatures are generally in the 30-50s. The trees dotting the Taunus mountains have relinquished their greenery and adopted the more majestic hues of orange, russet and gold. Because I have no yard, it's easier to appreciate the leaves when I don't have to rake and bag them. Autumn leaves are just one reason I love this season. Here are a few more:

1. Most of the homes in our village are heated by wood-burning stoves, and on any given evening I can open the door, step out onto the loggia and inhale the earthy smells of hardwoods burning. Our flat doesn't have a fireplace as our landlord chose to convert the one time hearth into a washer/dryer nook (in most German flats, the washer is located in the kitchen and there are few dryers as racks are used). Henri Bendel's Firewood candle is the next best thing to having a fireplace; it smells like the real deal.
2. Federweiss. Prior to moving to Germany, I'd not heard of this seasonal wine but have come to enjoy it. The literal translation is feather white or white feather, and it refers to the feathery shapes made by the fermenting wine in the glass. Federweiss is a young wine that is not fully fermented that has a fruity and bright flavor.

3. Scarves and mittens. I haven't been able to find a hat that works for me, but I love to wear scarves and mittens: in fact, I have three drawers full of scarves in various colors most of which I bought in Paris for a song. The French have myriad ways to tie a scarf, but I usually stick to the fold it in half and loop the loose ends through the middle method. The scarf below (made by Boopiecreations on etsy.com) takes all of the guesswork out of the tying ordeal; no French not required.

4. Pumpkins! I don't necessarily like carving them, but I do love to eat them. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors, and I'm always sorry that Log is allergic to it as I'd otherwise make all sorts of pumpkin-flavored confections like these:

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

and

Pumpkin Risotto

Since I can't eat pumpkin at home, I have to content myself with using pumpkin scented products like this pumpkin cheesecake cream soap by YouStinkSoap on etsy.com.

5. Soups! Cold weather lends itself to eating soups which I love to make mostly because dinner can be made in one pot. Here are some of my favorite soup/chowder recipes:

Tomato Soup. I like to roast the tomatoes first. Sometimes, I add a bit of sun-dried tomato puree for a livelier flavor. A dollop of aioli or sprinkling Idiazabal cheese really sets off the flavor of the tomatoes.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Soupe au Pistou. Ina Garten has a wonderful recipe, too.

Any soup recipe by Martha Foose, whose Chicken Noodle Soup is divine.

Soup tastes even better when you eat it out of cute mugs like this one from anthropologie:

6. Luckily, there are no apple allergies in our home. When we lived in the Hudson Valley, we were surrounded by apple orchards and often picked them ourselves from a local farm. Apples generally come into season in late summer, but I don't seem to crave them until the weather cools. One of the ways I prepare them as part of a main course is to peel them, slice them, coat in brown sugar, and stuff them (along with some caramelized onions) into a slit cut in a lightly herbed (rosemary, salt and pepper) two inch center loin cut pork chop. Grill the chops until cooked through and finish off with a brushing of apple butter. J assures me that they're good. I've yet to find an apple dessert recipe that I didn't love, though this rustic apple tart recipe comes closest to being my favorite. Let's not forget apple cider either.

7. The colors, chiefly orange. The Hudson Valley and the Berkshires, in my opinion, showcase the colors of fall most beautifully.

8. One of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving (the other being Christmas), occurs during this season. Thanksgiving is also the hardest holiday to bear in Germany for a number of reasons: a) it's not a holiday here, b) we don't get to share it with family, c) I can't seem to produce a sweet potato souffle as delicious as the one my sister makes, and d) my European stove is far too small for roasting a whole bird.

9. It used to be that I loved Fall because the TV lineup (Seinfeld, Friends) would switch gears from reruns to new programming; however, we've opted not to have television in Germany and hulu isn't available overseas. In lieu of all the new episodes I may have watched at one time, I now look forward to the occasional movie whose subject matter typically is more heavy weight than those released in the summer. This year, I'm looking forward to 'The Young Victoria' and Disney's 'A Christmas Carol.'

10. Fall is the time of year I get to wear big, comfy sweaters and boots which is convenient considering I typically gorge myself this time of year! This is also the season where I don't have to concern myself with slathering sunscreen on my fair skin every time I venture outdoors.

These ruffled boots from Brazil are on my wish list this year!