Autumn harvest is a special time of overlap in Maine when you can still enjoy the end-of-summer bounty as the Fall crops become available. With the cold setting in, our palates start to change. We crave richer, heartier flavors that mingle together to reflect the terroir of the season. Even better is after that first frost when so many fruits and vegetables develop their sugars and their flavors really shine.
For a simple soup and salad meal or a hearty starter to your feast, try the Hungarian Mushroom Soup from Rising Tide Co-op. The traditional Hungarian pairing of tangy sour cream and bright smoked paprika provides a rich and flavorful base to the savory, hearty mushrooms. The recipe calls for the traditional white button, but you may experiment with different varieties, such as shiitake or portabella, to provide a different flavor profile.
Picking from a veritable rainbow of winter squashes is one exciting part of cooking in autumn. In the Honeynut Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing, Belfast Co-op uses a squash variety developed recently in the Northeast. The honeynut squash looks like a shrunken butternut. The benefit is all the flavor of a full-sized butternut squash with a richer, more concentrated flavor. They bring a strong natural sweetness that caramelizes well while their thin skin means they don’t have to be peeled like a delicata. This roasted squash is the perfect foundation for the hearty wild rice stuffing that you no doubt will want to eat on its own.
The Fennel Roasted Chicken by Blue Hill Co-op is a unique take on a traditional dish enjoyed at dinner tables all over the region. The brightness of the fennel and lemon complement and highlight the time-honored and always loved roasted chicken. Roasting the chicken on the bed of vegetables elevates the meat off the pan so it doesn’t sit in its juices and stays crispy and flavorful. Find a chicken from a local farm and you’ll be surprised at the richness and depth of the meat grown on the bounty of summer.
Nothing makes a home smell like autumn more than the roasted and spiced apples used in the dish created by Portland Food Co-op, Whole Wheat Apple Crisp. Celebrate your love of
Maine by using a variety of unique local baking apples, such as Northern Spy or Cortland. Continue the theme with maple syrup from Maine woods, butter from a local dairy, and oats and flour from Maine farms to proclaim your love of Maine in the autumn. Top with a locally produced vanilla ice cream for a flavor combination that will be loved by all.
Autumn is the time when we think about home and getting ready for the winter to come. Make your home an inviting place by filling it with the smells and tastes of all the great local food from Maine farms and producers, brought to one place for you at your local food co-op.
