Despite a cold, I woke up feeling energized, positive and full of life today. I realized that the sun was shining on this crisp, cool and invigorating fall day and I was ready to head out in to it. I just love fall. Something about it reminds me of my childhood: those first weeks when the leaves change, the air turns to sweater weather, and the cooking of delicious and hearty food ensues. Everything about it just seems warm and cozy, and the nurturing, womanly side of me comes out and says, "Hey! It's time to prepare for cold weather!". Of course I am always a willing participant :)
Most of the food I like to make in the fall comes from old family recipes of my Mum's, Grammie's and Nana's. There are a lot of root veggies involved, as well as rich spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and roasted aromatics like onions and garlic. Not a lot of fancy difficult stuff, but nonetheless super delicious. I also like to dry my herbs at the end of September so that they don't go to waste, and we can enjoy them throughout the fall and winter. Below is a list of how to get ready for fall, and what to stock your pantry with so that you don't have to go out on those not-so-nice rainy fall days that we seem to get here in Vancouver (or as a visiting relative recently renamed it: Raincouver). Please feel free to add to the list in the comment section with your own fall pantry secrets!
Spices:
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Cloves (ground and whole)
Cardamom
Thyme
Rosemary
Savoury
Sage
Oregano
Cumin
Turmeric
Yellow curry powder
Red curry paste
Pickling Spice
Grains/Seeds/Flours:
Brown Rice
Quinoa
Barley
Wheat Germ
Millet Flour
Rice Flour
Tapioca Starch
Potato Starch
Corn Meal
Corn Flour
Almond Meal
Flax Meal
Flax Seeds
Chia Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Oat Bran
Oatmeal
Oat Flour
Dried Beans (of all kinds)
Root Veggies (remember to always store in a cool, dark place for maximum freshness and long life!)
Potatoes (I like to have red skinned on hand as well as Russets. Russets are best for mashing and soups, while red skinned are good for salads or just on their own)
Yams
Sweet potatoes (yes, there is a difference between yams and sweet potatoes)
Beets (for pickling and eating fresh!)
Turnips (just try them, they're awesome!)
Parsnips
Carrots (I put carrots in the fridge in the crisper because they don't fair as well in the pantry)
Squash (of all kinds!)
Canned Goods (try to go for the organic and non-sodium varieties. And pick things that are veggies only rather than an already prepared sauce or "mixture" of some kind...not so good):
Tomatoes (plum, stewed, sauce, paste, diced etc.)
Beans (whatever kind you like :D)
Coconut milk
Pumpkin (and other squash like yumminess!)
Soup base (lets face it, sometimes they provide a good base. Just buy the higher quality ones to avoid eating a bunch of unnecessary crap!)
Broth (fish, chicken, beef, vegetable...whatever!)
Beets (great for quick meals)
Corn niblets (try and find non-GMO. Whole foods has quite a wide variety)
Fruit (for those delicious fall pies you may not be able to find fresh fruit for!)
***These are just my suggestions. There are endless options available so just use your imagination and choose things that suit you and your family's tastes.
Baking Odds and Sods and Misc:
Brown Sugar
White Sugar
Molasses
Baking powder
Baking soda
Shortening (yes, I am aware of the non-health benefits of shortening, however, some holiday baking calls for it and it should not be replaced!)
Baking Chocolate (high quality for best results)
Nuts (whatever you like, but try to avoid peanuts and anything else that it extremely processed or salted)
Nut Butters
Vinegar (white, rice, balsamic etc.)
Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but I guarantee if you have a fully stocked pantry this fall, you will never have to run to the store in the middle of a rainy Vancouver evening. Just open the pantry and let your imagination run wild!!!
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