Nippy Nights and Autumn's Approach

It kind of creeps up on you, sneaking in from behind, startling you when you least want it to. The signs are blatantly obvious, but you don't want to acknowledge them. Fall, with all its implications, is just around the corner. You will still insist on wearing your shortest shorts and barest top at the mere hint of warmth, but as soon as the Sun hides behind a cloud or the rooftops, out comes the sweater and jeans. The light definitely slants at a different angle, its heat still intense, yet less enduring. A jacket is now de rigueur when leaving for work in the morning. Windows are shut at night, because the brisk air is no longer refreshing, but downright chilly. September harbours the beginning of the end...

Yet, not all is doom and gloom at this time of the year. There will still be a few days just hot enough for a last hurrah at the beach. And with September arrives a bounty of foods that are just perfect for staving off the cold. While you may be squirrelling away hoards of tomatoes, peppers and other remnants of summer, the hearty roots and squashes are a welcoming sight. The cool nights give apples a crispness that cannot be equalled in August. And if you happen to reside near wine country, September is when the bulk of the harvest happens: drive along a 'wine route' with the windows down, and the air will be heavily laden with the scent of ripe grapes and fermentation. 

Just picture a sunny picnic in an orchard or vineyard: left-over roasted roots, a stuffed squash, a bushel of apples and a bottle of wine... What more can you want?

Bon app'!