spoon: issue no. 6 - oct/nov 2011
DESCRIPTION
Welcome to (the final) Issue No. 6 of Spoon! Spoon is a bi-monthly, digital zine based on the little things that make life awesome: inspirations, experiences, and simplicity... a virtual pot pie of art, photography, food, travel, events, and life in general. Dig it.TRANSCRIPT
(spoon)
No. 6oct - nov 2011
Scooping up life’s little bits of awesome.
life awesomeness community share in-spiration experiences happiness sar-casm old-school holidays seasons good trivia new fun simplify indie diy hand-made pictures photographs words sto-ries food travel eat shop art vintage memories friends be do make learn live artisan entrepreneur music blog enjoy live laugh create love play his-tory passions cook read book movies quotations how-to color mail explore celebrate childhood draw paint relax
Welcome to the final issue of
(spoon)
Boo.
life awesomeness community share in-spiration experiences happiness sar-casm old-school holidays seasons good trivia new fun simplify indie diy hand-made pictures photographs words sto-ries food travel eat shop art vintage memories friends be do make learn live artisan entrepreneur music blog enjoy live laugh create love play his-tory passions cook read book movies quotations how-to color mail explore celebrate childhood draw paint relax
Hey, Spooners!
Well. That was fast. Seems like only a couple months ago that I sat down and planned out all the things I wanted Spoon to be; watched some web tutorials to try to cram in a decent understanding of Adobe InDesign; pulled an all-nighter trying to get my first issue out.
Spoon started as an experimental project for me, and, though I decided to put a time frame on how long it would last, I don’t regret doing it for a single second. It’s taught me a lot about magazine publishing, graphic design, writing, and even myself. Whether you have been a faithful reader since Issue No. 1 (thank you!!), or whether you came across Spoon after the last hurrah, I appreciate all of you.
This zine was started because I wanted to share my little view of the world. To some, it may seem a bit childish or ridiculous. To me, it’s this view that constantly reminds me that, regardless of what current events may throw in our paths, or how much we may disagree with our neighbor, in the end, we are ALL simple creatures who just want to be happy. I choose to seek out my happiness in the world around me, or the one I create. To quote a sign someone once posted on a telephone pole, “For one minute please, stand here in silence and look at the sky, and contemplate how awesome life is.”
Until we cross paths again, may you have an awesome Halloween, a yummy and reflective Thanksgiving, a warm, happy yuletide season, and a 2012 packed with everything you dream about. Life IS awesome. Enjoy the crap out of it.
air guitar ‘77
Snail MailP.O. Box 580844
Elk Grove, CA 95758
Website/Blogwww.spoonzine.com
Facebookwww.facebook.com/spoonzine
Twitter@spoonzine
Writer/Editor/Publisher Photography, Art & Illustration Tina Jett
Contributor Michael Jett : Bacon Fat & Butter
© 2010-2011 Spoon - For comments or inquiries, please contact the Spoon haus via one of the means listed above.
Opinions expressed in the zine, on the website/blog, or in any other social media format are not necessarily those of the editor, contributors, advertisers, or affiliates.
holla!
Michael Jett spent close to fifteen years in the restaurant industry before escaping in 2006. Though he lives the life of a culinary refugee, he still burns a candle brightly for his love of food. This makes his wife very happy. In his spare time, he dabbles in sports like basketball and Australian Footy, enjoys a fine wine or two, smokes the occasional pipe while contemplating the universe (usually when campfire is involved), and listens to old-school rap.
Tina Jett is a maker of pictures, liker of vintage, and constructor of sentences. She runs: a blog called Scatterbox via her website, tinajett.com and two shops on Etsy: Scatterbox for art and photography, and Monday Pie for vintage goods. She has: a weekly column on Scoutie Girl, done some freelance writing for Trazzler, and knocked ladies down for fun with the Carolina Rollergirls. She is: a big fan of sarcasm, travel, movies, stuffing her face with good eats, and works hard to keep her sailor mouth in check.
Join me on my new adventure!
A curation of all things creative and swell.
www.dandyville.com
COMING SOONLike Dandyville on Facebook to stay on top of the
progress. That would make you swell, too.
www.facebook.com/dandyville
(contents)
7 Flicks in Review
8 Artisan Spotlight: Coombs Family Farm
10 Leaf Matching
12 Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival
14 Voodoo Vibes
16 Halloween
17 Candy!
21 Spookify Your House with Jeffery Rudell
22 Salem, Massachusetts
24 Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Patches 28 Bacon Fat & Butter: Autumnal Thanksgivingness
31 The Big Quote
� : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
My two cents on newer and older movies I’ve seen lately.
Because you were just dying to know.
“I regret the day I came up with them. I really do... It’s ruined my life.” This is the opening line to the documentary about the creator of Jelly Belly jellybeans. The imaginative and eccentric David Klein knew he wanted nothing more than to be in the candy business. His product revolutionized the variety, production, and personality of candy confections. On the brink of explosive success, one bad deal, and his giving nature, changed the course of David’s life forever.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)Captain America tells the tale of Steve Rogers. It’s a classic story of the little guy with a lot of courage who, along with the help of science and a splendid physique, is called upon to help save the world. The movie is solid from beginning to end, nothing mind-blowing, but a good cinematic escape that helps set the stage for next year’s big popcorn flick, The Avengers. One impressive production note: That’s actually Chris Evans’ body in the beginning, shrunken down by Mr. Computer.
In what was likely a cinematic high from seeing Chris Evans as Captain America (I blame it on the lab reveal scene. Amirite??), I watched Push, undoubtedly being broadcast to ride the coattails of CA’s release. Push has a decent storyline in theory (sci-fi/mental powers), but seemed like it didn’t dive into the characters as much as it could have. I love watching Djimon Hounsou act, though. He brings his pimp style to the villan this time. Dakota Fanning is also going to have a great career.
I really wanted to dig this movie because it seemed like Green Lanterns had some pretty cool powers. In general, it’s... ok... but by the final scene, I was left with an “Oh... That’s it?” sort of feeling. It seemed like there was a whole lot more to know about the Green Lanterns’ history that might have enhanced it. Another problem I had was with Blake Lively, who I do like, but who I think was miscast in a role that was older and more experienced than she could portray.
FLICKS
Oct/Nov 2011 Spoon : �
The storyline behind Raising Helen isn’t a new one, which might explain why it didn’t fare very well. Sister dies, leaving selfish sister to raise her kids. (Think No Reservations with Catherine Zeta Jones, or it’s inspiration, the German flick Mostly Martha.) I do seem to be drawn to watching every movie Kate Hudson does, though, and John Corbett, who seems to essentially always play the same character, made this one pretty safe and enjoyable for an afternoon of channel surfing.
(It apparently was Chris Evans and Kate Hudson month.) Combine my draw to Kate Hudson (see above) with Ginnifer Goodwin (who does well with cute, innocent characters) and you’ve got your standard-issue, chick flick. Add in John Krasinski, who is great at comedy and completely steals every scene he’s in, and it makes it even likeable for a guy. It also didn’t have as predictable of an ending as I would have thought, which was nice. Side note: I’m glad to be out of the dating scene.
Candyman: The David Klein Story (2010)
Green Lantern (2011)
Push (2009)
Raising Helen (2004)
Something Borrowed (2011)
There’s “maple syrup” and there’s maple syrup. Coombs Family Farms specializes in the latter. Arnold Coombs is a seventh-generation maple farmer that practices the art of sugaring.
Not only am I a fan of what the Coombs group does behind the scenes, I am a big fan of what they put on the shelves. Even the dearly departed Gourmet magazine voted their brand the best of the best for maple syrup. If all you know of maple syrup are the more commercial brands that are excessively thick and overly sweet, I implore you to seek this stuff out. Keep in mind that it is gourmet, but for something this good, you don’t throw it around all willy-nilly. You savor it and you treat it like the delicacy it is. Yes, ma’am, it’s that good.
One of the best aspects of the Coombs business is their advocacy for organic and sustainable production. They firmly believe in giving back and protecting the land that provides them so much. Andrew Coombs is leading the charge in his industry, speaking out on the importance of taking the work to heart. It is this attention to quality that is also found in the hundreds of small family farms that supply syrup for the company, which reciprocates with tools and skills to help them thrive.
If you’re really into environmentally-friendly practices and sustainability, or if you’re just a super-fan of maple syrup, definitely check out the Coombs website to learn much more about how they are doing their part to protect Mother Earth. There’s even a handy run-down of the syrup grading system, which will help you choose the right kind for your baking and noshing needs, and a blog full o’ recipes. The Coombs Family Farm story is just a great example of how caring and success can go hand-in-hand.
www.coombsfamilyfarms.com
Coombs Family Farms
� : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
artisan
spotlight
Images via www.coombsfamilyfarms.com
leaf matchingash • beech • birch • elm • maple • oak • poplar • walnut • willow
1. 2.
5. 6.
10 : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
leaf matchingash • beech • birch • elm • maple • oak • poplar • walnut • willow
Sure, they make pretty colors in the fall, but can you identify them by shape?
Match the nine species on the left with their leafy counterparts below. Answers on page 17.
3.
4.
7.
8.
9.
Oct/Nov 2011 Spoon : 11
One of my favorite aspects of all things Disney-verse has nothing to do with a mouse or a ride. It’s all about stuffing my pie hole.
The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is held every fall in the Orlando park, with this year’s dates being September 30 - November 13, 2011. The Epcot park is divided into two segments: Future World in the front and World Showcase in the back. World Showcase houses Pavilions for eleven different countries, featuring replicated landmarks, restaurants, attractions, and gift shops, set up so meticulously, you feel like you’re traveling the world in one day. The cast members you encounter in each are actual residents of those countries, adding to the ambiance.
For the festival, food stands are set up in front of the pavilions, lining the ringed walkway around the lagoon in the center of World Showcase. Featured are not just the 11 main international lands, but a total of 29 food stops, including additional countries, and themes with names like Brewer’s Showcase, Cheese, Craft Beers, Desserts & Champagne, and Hops & Barley. Offered at each are a small sampling of foods and beverages characteristic of the culture or cuisine, set at just a few dollars a piece. In addition to the eats and drinks during the event, there are culinary demonstrations, seminars, and events to make a foodie squeal.
The best way to enjoy the festival is to go with a friend or three and eat your face off as you share multiple plates and sips. Current and former cast members can also make you familiar with the not-so-published, self-explanatory sub-event of “drinking around the world”.
Visit the festival home page to get all the information to plan your visit. You can even click on the flags to see a listing of all the food and drink you can consume!
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/
Disneyland in California hosts a sister event, Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival. This year’s spring shindig in the Anaheim park was cancelled,
however, due to construction, and will continue to postpone the event through 2012. Keep your eyes peeled for its return in spring of 2013.
Cursed - 9: Mini art feeling– by ArtMind, €41
Mini New Orleans-inspired voodoo doll sugar cookies– by Cookie Mamas, $20
Part of an amazing 99-
piece art project. Check it out!
COOKIES.
NOMMMS.
Voodoo, oil painting– by Doug Bloodworth, $8,500
Linen voodoo doll: 7 deadly sins– by Ivan and Lucy, $39.50
Voodoo VibesVoodoo doll-inspired art and munchies
Voodoo, oil painting– by Doug Bloodworth, $8,500
Voodoo doll iPhone case– Bamxoo, $34.99
My EX: magnetic paper doll– by Melly Mo, $12
Linen voodoo doll: 7 deadly sins– by Ivan and Lucy, $39.50
Voodoo VibesVoodoo doll-inspired art and munchies
HEY, PORTLAND!
Made with bamboo!
Lots of other designs, too.
Be sure to check out Melly Mo’s other awesome
cutouts!
I have more friends in the shop that look
like me!
Barb, 1972.Sweet orange & wood kithcen.
Nick, 1981.Pretty cute
crayon.
Cathy and Todd, 1972.That clown costume
looks like it should come with a van.And a warrant.
Josh, 1990.A wrestler then,
and a wrestler now.
Your editor...
1979: Kooky Spooks. Not sure who thought a giant, inflatable pumpkin on a kid’s head with face paint and a smock made
for a good costume. These were actually quite popular. 1982: A bag of
jellybeans. That apparently moonlights as a
hobo.
1986: The infamous and awesome handpainted box o’ dental floss.
Complete with flip top and cutter. Horrid 80s hairstyle
concealed for your protection.
COSTUM
E
FLASH
BACK!
HalloweenOctober 31, 2011
The origins of Halloween have been traced back to the Celtic druids 2,000 years ago and their festival of Samhain (pronounced SOW-in (with sow like cow). October 31st marked the end of their year and the harvest, and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. It was also believed to be when the separation between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest. It was thought that dead souls would come back at this time to inhabit the bodies of the living and destroy crops. To fend off this act, the Celts would wear animal skin costumes and light bonfires to ward them off, in addition to burning crops and telling fortunes about the future.
For many Celts and Europeans, Halloween was also a time to remember and celebrate the lives of departed loved ones, often by putting out a meal or lighting a candle to guide them home. This is similar to the three-day holiday of Dia de los Muertos in Mexico. When the Romans ruled the Celts for 400 years, they incorporated their festivals of Feralia, celebrating the passing of the dead, and Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees (believed to be the origin of bobbing for apples). Early Christian celebrations for the dead, beginning in the 7th century and stemming from the festival of Samhain, became All Saints’ Eve (Oct. 31), All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1), and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2). Collectively, they were known as Hallowmas, the early form of the term “Hallowe’en” or “Halloween”.
Trick-or-treating stems from general pranking (the “trick” part) on the holiday, and souling, which was the medieval Catholic practice of going door to door, begging for treats called soul cakes, in exchange for saying prayers for that person’s loved ones. It was believed that a person’s soul stayed in purgatory for a year after death, so any prayers for them would ease them on. In later years, it would be a way for children to get treats from people in exchange for not having pranks played on them.
Here are some ways to celebrate the day:
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Even without Dolly Madison commercials or the bongo-backed, spiralling “Special” CBS logo it’s the must-see backdrop for our annual pumpkin carving festivities.
Pumkin carving & seed roasting: A little Googly search will yield tons of inspirational designs and tasty seed-baking recipes (It’s like popcorn! But not as good.) to make the most of your gourd.
Haunted houses: If you ask me, haunted houses can suck it. I was taken to one when I was four years old and apparently never recovered. Now there are even haunted hayrides, haunted forests, and the worst of all, the haunted corn maze.
Fortune telling: Visit a psychic, get your cards read, or consult your Magic 8 Ball. Have fun with it.
Leaf Matching (page 10): 1. Beech, 2. Willow, 3. Ash, 4. Maple, 5. Poplar, 6. Walnut, 7. Oak, 8. Birch, 9. Elm
Childhood Candy Favorites
The Delicious Art of Margaret Morrison
Longing for your favorite sweet treat from the good ol’ days? Check out these online vendors and unearth some memories.
www.oldtimecandy.com
www.hometownfavorites.com
www.nostalgiccandy.com
www.thepennycandystore.com
www.retrocandyonline.com
Maybe you only had it when it landed in your trick-or-treat sack or got poured into the special dish at Christmas. Maybe it was the reward for finally cleaning up the tornado in your room. Maybe it was the one only your grandmother seemed to have around the house. It’s your favorite childhood candy.
Each generation seems to have a new one pop up here and there, but there are classics that go on forever. Names like Abba Zabba, Chick-o-Stick, Good & Plenty... or that sheet of candy buttons (pretty gross, if you ask me). We remember them fondly, having consumed them at a time when we still knew that playing was just as important as eating, and you certainly weren’t watching calories.
Margaret Morrison graduated from the University of Utah in 1986 with an MFA in Drawing and Painting. Today, she lives in Athens, Georgia, painting and teaching
art at the University of Georgia. The subject of her repertoire largely includes figures and still life, and it’s her oil paint
interpretations of everyone’s favorite snacks and childhood toys that completely suck
me in. Margaret is exclusively represented by Woodward Gallery in Manhattan.
To learn more about her work, visit www.woodwardgallery.net/morrison/html
1� : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
The Delicious Art of Margaret MorrisonCandy Corn. Word to yo momma.~ Tammie, carolinarollergirls.com
Fun-sized anything.~ Serene, blockhousemodern.com
Nerds... :)~ Heather
Midnight Milky Ways!~ Rachel
The little sugary Brach’s pumpkins.
~ Abby
Sixlets.~ Michelle
Mini Heath. Yum.~ Donna
Reese’s PB Cups shaped like pumpkins!!
~ Jennifer
Starburst.~ Jacqui
Those peanut butter bars that have the white outside.
~ Daxx
What’s your favorite Halloween candy?
Margaret Morrison graduated from the University of Utah in 1986 with an MFA in Drawing and Painting. Today, she lives in Athens, Georgia, painting and teaching
art at the University of Georgia. The subject of her repertoire largely includes figures and still life, and it’s her oil paint
interpretations of everyone’s favorite snacks and childhood toys that completely suck
me in. Margaret is exclusively represented by Woodward Gallery in Manhattan.
To learn more about her work, visit www.woodwardgallery.net/morrison/html
Oct/Nov 2011 Spoon : 19
Spookify Your House...with a little help from Jeffery Rudell
Jeffery Rudell is well-known in the art and craft world as being a master of paper creations. His work has been seen in the windows of Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, The New York Botanical Garden, on CraftStylish.com, and in numerous other publications, both online and in print. He also happens to be one of the most creative and inspiring people I’ve ever encountered.
What began as a holiday project for a private residence in New York one year has become the inspiration for his new book, Spooky Halloween Silhouettes: Punch-out Window Shadows for a Haunted Home.
Included in the book are 28 classic Halloween images to help you make a big impact with little effort. Just pop them out of the book and pop them onto your windows, or use a photocopier to enlarge them for even more of a realistic effect. I say there’s nothing wrong at all with having your neighbors wonder about the bits of flesh and weaponry peering out from your home the darkness of night. Stoke that suburban rumor mill!
For more on the story behind the original house project, as well as PDF tutorials for making life-sized silhouettes like the ones on this page, click HERE to check out Jeffery’s post on the website CRAFT. To purchase the book, click HERE to visit Amazon, or contact your favorite book seller.
All images via Jeffery Rudell
The inspiration! The Victorian-style house makes for a perfect setting.
Put this sweet little lady in
your home!
MassachusettsSalem
When most people hear of Salem, Massachusetts, the 1692 witch trials are usually the first things that come to mind. While they are a very important part of Salem’s past, the area is also a wonderful place to experience New England and its maritime history in all its glory. Autumn is known for drawing crowds out to these northeastern states to get a visual dose of fallish goodness, and this little hamlet
in Massachusetts is no exception.
October is, as one might guess, the busiest time for Salem. Mother Nature puts on her most colorful display and Halloween is celebrated all month long. For some, like Robot in Bloom’s Sandy Ervin, it’s also a honeymoon destination. Sandy and her husband Josh spent their post-nuptial vacay in Salem
in March 2008. Despite not always having the best weather, they had a great time. Sandy shared with me her personal take on two things that would be tops on my Salem travel to-do list: food and
witches. Hover over the text and click on each highlighted attraction to learn more.
Friendship, the resident
sailing vessel
22 : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
Food-wise, we really dug the food at the Hawthorne Hotel. The Tavern is very cozy and convivial. Nathaniel’s is mega yummy, but nicer than I’m used to, so I was scared the whole time of being an eff-up. (Nathaniel’s head chef at the time, Jennifer Normant, was on this past season of Hell’s Kitchen and made it all the way to being one of the top five finalists.) Diagonally across the street is a pub called The Old Spot, which had curry fries to die for – I still think about them over 3 years later. We’ve tried to recreate the yumminess, but it’s impossible. The Boston Hot Dog Company was also really good.
Witch attraction-wise... Well, we were there in March, so it was the off-season for most of the attractions (museums, ghost tours, etc), but we still saw enough to satisfy us. It’s kind of weird there because about half the population is all about the kitschy witchcraft angle, but the other half are very respectful of it... A lot of the people running the exhibits are kind of ashamed of the town’s history and really strive to keep it serious. They encourage visitors to remember that these were actual women and men who lost their lives because of discrimination and intolerance, and one of the exhibits even had a bit at the end about current discrimination of Wiccans, homosexuals, etc. That means you should probably wait a bit before you bust out with a “LULZ! Witches are totes awessssomeeee! Harry Potter and Bewitched FTW!!!!” around certain people.
The hard part, though, is that most of the museums are made up of life-sized dioramas, which generally can be funny in and of themselves; but you have to remain respectful... which, in turn, can make it even funnier because you can’t laugh.
We went to the Salem Witch Village and the Salem Witch Museum, and we took the tour of the House of Seven Gables house which was sweet. There was much discussion about whaling and literature and how rich people lived (and decorated). There was kind of a secret passage up to the attic where the indentured servants lived that made me claustrophobic, but it was worth it. There were some pirate museums that were closed, but looked cool. OH! And there’s this little courtyard thingy near the main old cemetery that’s a memorial for the people killed. It’s enclosed by a low stone wall, so it’s kinda easy to miss, but it’s a wall with these bench-like forms sticking out of it (but I can only imagine you’re not supposed to sit on them) and they’re each engraved with the person’s name, death date, and how they were executed.
*****
Though the witch trials are certainly a defining part of Salem’s identity, this infamous town has something to offer everyone. To learn more about what to see and do, visit the official travel and visitor site, www.salem.org.
To learn more about Sandy and to see her amazing, handcrafted paper flowers and bouquets, visit her site at www.robotinbloom.com.
(images via Sandy Ervin)
Bench stones from the witch trial memorial
Diorama figures from the witch museum. Below
is Giles Corey.
House of Seven Gables
Oct/Nov 2011 Spoon : 23
Do you smell that? Autumn is here!
Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, apples... and pumpkins. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin bread, muffins, cookies, beer... You get the
picture. It’s an exciting time for my nose and belly.
I have only recently become enamored by the “other” pumpkins, though. Not the big, rotund ones that are fun to carve and scrape out while watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (mandatory tradition), but the odd guys.
The green, white, and salmon-colored ones. The flat, wart-covered, and tiny. Ones with names like Baby Boo, Jarrahdale, Apple, Blue Lakota, and Tiger.
You can find pumpkins almost anywhere these days, even while you’re putting gas in your car, but the truly unique ones usually come from the mom-and-pop farms, and supporting them is another reason they’re our go-to vendors. Traveling to a
pumpkin patch, picking your very own from the ground, covered by a sea of twisted vines and leaves, is the way to go. Lots of farms offer extra goodies, too, like hay
rides, games, playgrounds, hot chocolate, and even a corn maze or two.
Recently, a couple that made the news for calling 911 from a corn maze, after they found themselves stuck in the middle of one, at night, after the farm had apparently
closed down. I have to say that after going through my first one recently, and the world’s largest, no less, a) I can’t imagine how much harder it is to find your way through when it’s dark, the stalks are a few feet over your head, and you have to use a flashlight, and 2) if I’d been lost inside the one I went through, in pitch
darkness, I be a little wigged out, too. Though, there is a highway right next to it...
I’m still mesmerized by how they’re able to get the stalks organized to make all the different designs. GPS? I have no idea. Surely corn
mazes have been around much longer than satellite technology. What did they use before? Aliens? Has to be the aliens.
Enjoy these photos from Cool Patch Pumpkin Farm, home to the world’s largest corn maze!
Corn Mazes & Pumpkin Patches
24 : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
Today was the day – the first cool autumn afternoon here in Northern California. It tapped me on the shoulder, subtly reminding me that we are transitioning into my
tastebuds’ favorite time of the year.
I’m not sure what it is about fall, but I have to believe that Freud would point to my childhood and my relationship with my parents. The kitchen has been the soul of my family for generations. (For proof, I will inform you that I was actually “handed down” my great grandmother’s biscuit cutter... and not without controversy or angst.) Growing up in the upstate of South Carolina, we would take weekend trips into the Cherokee mountains every autumn, as the leaves began to change, just to stop at some roadside stands for baskets of apples. This meant one thing to me: my mother’s apple pie. And while my mother’s apple pie was literally a blue ribbon award winner, her crust was actually my grandmother’s recipe. And while I “earned” my great grandmother’s biscuit cutter by having my biscuits approved by my grandmother, I still refer to Granny for the pie crust recipe. Every year. Without fail. And this is possibly why I look forward to cooking in the fall more than any other reason.
Apple pie is the embodiment of what fall means to me, culinarily speaking. It is a recipe that is remarkably simple, yet literally layered with generations-worth of handed-down traditions and well-guarded secrets. A dish that can be made practically any time of the year, but only feels right during a two-to-three-month window. It’s a dessert that can be found in almost every freezer or bakery department of every grocery store in America, but none of which can even come close to one made by the hands of someone who cares, in their own kitchen. Sometimes it feels like we do not think of food romantically anymore. Many foods have lost their soul.
I am proud to see where we have come as a country regarding our passion for food. Great chefs are sprouting up all over our nation, each with a new-found respect for fresh, local ingredients and entire concepts of great, simple food. We have followed suit at home, running away from the “faster means better” / “I don’t have time to do that myself” mentality that slowly caused us to disconnect from our food. We plow through the year making a handful of recipes over and over again, while relying on our deli counters and bakery departments for our “special events”.
However, the fall-to-Christmas holiday season has always been the occasion when we slowed down. We re-connected with our food, with the intent of celebrating our connection with each other through the traditions we each have held close to our hearts. Somehow, for some reason, it is the recipes of fall that connect me to my childhood. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that our sense of smell is the most closely connected to our memory, and autumn recipes usually contain some of the most easily identifiable spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice... Or maybe it’s just because the act of making these dishes each year makes me want to be with my family, and appreciative that they passed this love of food on to me.
In the true spirit of passing on holiday traditions, I present you with some of the autumn musts in our kitchen.
by Michael Jett
2� : Spoon Oct/Nov 2011
Seasonal BeersMy rotation of seasonal beers are as follows:
First comes the Octoberfests. Because Tina and I made it over to the actual Octoberfest in Munich, I am partial to the originals: Spaten Oktoberfestbier, Beck’s Oktoberfest, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier
There are many craft Octoberfest beers and Marzens that I am a big fan of, but since I am a romantic, I love the tradition of the Germans.
Then comes the heavier fall beers for the cooler weather. While the beers themselves are less of a tradition for me, there is no denying that I go through the same process for filling my late Autumn void with beers like:
• Big Boss Harvest Time (Raleigh, NC) – My local fav when we were back in North Carolina• Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (Milton, DE) – A beer-lover cult brew in the fall• The Bruery Autumn Maple (Placentia, CA) – Go find this beer... Immediately. Then tread lightly.
Finally comes the cold reality of winter, and long with it...the heavily spiced, high alcohol winter warmer ales and Belgian Noels that are some of my favorite libations on the planet:
Locals: Anderson Valley Winter Solstice, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Lagunitas Solstice Lagunator
Belgians: Any Noel or Christmas ale will knock your socks off...but I could not live in good consciousness if I did not mention St. Bernardus Christmas Ale.
Bitter GreensI absolutely love the use of bitter greens to balance the richness of many of the autumn proteins. Kale, collard greens, broccoli rabe and Brussels sprouts all find their homes in some fashion on my dinner table during the holiday season. I have been recently introduced to the use of fava greens in complex cassoulet dishes, or served under a rich confit.
GameWe get too attached to turkey and ham for all fall occasions. While my traditional side yearns for these for one of the biggie (Thanksgiving and Christmas day) meals, I like to use the other dinners throughout the fall to explore whatever meals I can get my wife to try. I absolutely love rabbit and duck (probably in that order), as well as many other game birds that we just don’t cook enough here in the states. I challenge you to try at least one dish this year using a protein you have never cooked with before. I guarantee you will uncover a whole new world.
BakingI don’t know where to begin here. Throw anything seasonal into a pie crust, and you’ll have me at hello. Yams, berries, apples and other stone fruits... it doesn’t really matter to me. Add some homemade bread or rolls into the mix, and the ballet of bread loaves and pie tins in and out of the oven create an aroma of home for me. Matter of fact, take almost anything mentioned above, and if they make a “(fill in the blank) latte” at your local coffee house... I’ll have one of those too.
After reading this, I hope you take a couple moments to contemplate what the tastes and smells of fall mean to you. I hope you reflect on why certain seasonal foods and drinks hit home with you. I hope you get to enjoy them this year with the ones you love. I hope you appreciate the bounty of autumn.
BF&bOct/Nov 2011 Spoon : 29
Not what we say about our blessings,
but how we use them, is the true measure of
our Thanksgiving.
~ W.T. Purkiser
A book of quotations I’ve compiled since my
freshman year of college.
Oct/Nov 2011 Spoon : 31
Spoon : the e-zine*
www.spoonzine.com
(*It’s got a little poo in it!)
Thank you!