The other night I made Ina’s pappa al pomodoro soup and that amazing buttery, oniony mac and cheese. Basically, the weather had turned, hardly below 70 (perhaps not below 70 at all, actually) but it was just enough for my comfort food wheels to start turning. It happens involuntarily. The moment a scarf is not just a fashion statement but maybe (a small maybe!) a necessity I am dragging the crockpot from its dusty resting place on the lowest pantry shelves, pinning chili recipes, and finally giving into William’s request for the month of August: can you make fettucine alfredo please?
My friend pointed out, and she is absolutely right, that my dinner meals are in direct correlation with the weather. Summertime, for the most part, I’m feeling pretty uninspired. First, we have no A/C on the first floor so who wants to be working over a steamy stove on an already steamy evening? Not I. And more often than not, kids are off playing into the evening, we’re wrapping up sandy days at the beach or the playground until sometimes 7:00. Now some big dinner? No. Plus, heavy foods in the summertime make me lethargic. Lethargy’s already a summertime problem. That and sweaty armpits. Who wants to add a three hour digestion-slumber because of some heavy pasta meal to the list? But wait, as I write about heavy foods I’m reminded of burgers. Burgers are no light food and please, I’ll take one July or February, come hail and frost or sunstroke and lethargy. Burgers always win. Cheese on mine, please.
So, my summertime meals are something like this: salad, salad, nothing, burrito bowls, hummus and various crudités, salad. Looking back I can barely even remember what I cooked this summer, but I know I didn’t go three months straight without cooking. Remember those restless natives?
Thus, every fall, without a doubt, I get really excited about food. Just this morning I ran down to the basement freezer to see about a frozen chicken. There isn’t one. It’s on my grocery list. There’s nothing like putting a whole chicken in your crockpot, a little water, and cooking it all day. That meat falls off the bone, so tender and flaky, perfect as an addition to so many recipes, not just chicken noodle soup (though did that really deserve a just in front of it? Chicken noodle soup is amazing.) And then you’ve got the bones and fat with which you can make the greatest stock ever. Your home’s never smelled better as when a broth is cooking away in it. Throw in your otherwise discarded celery leaves, some peppercorns and garlic; it’s not just full of flavor but nutrients too (broth-scented kitchen for days? Check out bone broth!).
It’s really true though. On tonight’s menu is that chicken parmesan over linguine fini (which is weaseling it’s way to being my very favorite pasta type) and a salad. There’s something so incredibly satisfying about putting a hot meal on the table and sitting around it, debriefing the day and breaking bread. I love food in this season. I really do.
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I'm with you on this one. For me, summer's all about grilling- delicious, but fast and easy and pretty light when all you grill are veggies. Now that things are getting cooler, though, I'm all "bring on the stove! I want to make some comfort food!"
Happy cooking!
p.s. I'm pretty sure I need to make that pappa al pomodoro soup ASAP.
the ciabatta croutons that go along with it are amazing. just try not to eat ten of them before you even begin eating the soup.
So glad your posting all things fall lately…I kind of felt like I was jumping the gun when I went ahead and cooked a whole crockpot of chili last night {with cornbread of course!}. But it is fall, right? Because I'm freezing and wearing real shoes.
i told myself not to do it but i can't help it! hats come out and so do the fall posts! 🙂
You're making me hungry please bring me some chicken parm. And we're planning to cook up some chili which is like the ULTIMATE fall food. Nom.
I totally agree when we lived in Arizona it was like we never wanted a heavy meal, basically because instinctually we didn't need it. Then moving to Georgia with even more heat in the summertime once the weather started to cool off it was all about the comfort food. But now…now… living in Alaska I feel like I want meat and potatoes ALL the time.The weather is just never warm enough for me to feel otherwise. I tell my husband I am just packing on the pounds before I hibernate!
Sounds amazing, Bridget. I hardly cooked at all this summer, and found myself craving lighter foods, cold fruit, and fresh produce. I think that's a good sign that we listen to our bodies and their intuitive needs, like lightening up when it's warm, and putting a little padding on when it's cold (or at least give the body more energy to heat us up!). Spencer and I sat down for dinner last night, like, actually sat down – and it just felt like fall. So exciting!
it's weird how prepared we are for the changing seasons, isn't it? after wanting summer, having it, now being excited for fall… it's nice the way you're prepared for the change.
I've been waiting for some yummy soups and feel as though its perfect weather now!
it is! (haven't the last two days in the area been amazing?? took a walk today and leaves were falling!)
we have been wearing out our dutch oven this week! a bit pot of stew, soup, casserole… you name it. I agree abotu summer, who wants to cook! we grill out nearly every night during the summer months.
I'm so with you. Summer calls for all the easy peasy meals. Fall is where it's at when it comes to food 😉 Even down here in Florida, I'm already craving soups and stews and homemade perogies and pasta dishes. Gotta fill our tummies up when it's cold out I guess!
I envy people with 4 seasons, I live in a tropical country so we only have rainy/sunny weather. On rainy season though more often than not I prefer warm and soupy meals.
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So true! My husband has declared October 1 through February 28 "chili season." We are not allowed to have it before or after that! So it is quickly approaching and I am stocking up on Tomato sauce and chili powder.