In October autumn truly arrives. A chill pricks the evening air and the trees silently turn to vivid shades of saffron and scarlet, their last days full of colour. On the best days there is a mellow brightness that calls you outside into the clear, crisp air to rustle through the fallen leaves. Yet as the writer P.D. James reminds us, these perfect autumnal days ‘occur more frequently in memory than in life’, and more often than not the creeping cold draws us inside, and into the kitchen.
Halloween provides a sweet end to the month, an excuse for garish excess and fanciful feasts. The origins of All Hallows’ Eve are unknown to most, but its traditions hark back to ancient Celtic harvest festivals. And so, as well as the thrill of guises and ghouls, it’s an excuse for gathering together and revelling in the abundant riches of autumn.
Extracted from The Food Almanac: Recipes and Stories for a Year at the Table by Miranda York.
