I suspect that many of you, like myself, eagerly await fall weather like a kid waiting for Christmas. Of courses we are, most of us anyway, no longer children, and fall isn't Christmas. We don't go to sleep in late summer and wake up to autumn. Instead we must wait out the interminable period of changeover from one to the other. In and of itself this time would seem to be quite nice. The days temps are in the 80s and the nights are cool. But for those of us who are sitting around with a six pack of stout and a pile of chili ingredients it feels like clock-watching. And so I find myself asking (myself) what does one properly cook, and drink, during this in-between period? What should I make that is satisfying enough for the cool evening but not so heavy that you feel disgusting in tomorrow's heat? And then what do I serve to drink with it?
The answer to the second question is probably easier. In terms of beer I have been leaning towards a rotation of oktoberfest and pumpkin beer. As you're probably aware, true Oktoberfest in Munich begins in late September and runs 16 days, only ending on the first weekend of October. That festival is probably best known for its massive beer consumption, and that has lead to just about every brewer in the United States attempting to cash in with their own themed offering. The beers of the true Munich festival are brewed by only six official Munich breweries and are Marzen lagers that must adhere to strict regulations. Here in the US the styles tend to vary a bit more. In my experience they range from awful to quite good, but my favorite so far this year is from Schlafly in St. Louis. Being a St. Louis native I should always champion this hometown micro staple, but that isn't always the case. While I tend to love their draft offerings, particularly at their downtown St. Louis Tap Room bar and restaurant, I don't always love the bottled beers. This is a pleasant exception. It is a fairly heavy style for an Oktoberfest, and it is billed as a Marzen, but this means that it will weather the transition into crisper autumn temperatures well, and that is a plus.
As for the pumpkin beer, I can't decide if it is a guilty pleasure or actually good, but I do like it. The Schlafly version is an imperial and is rather high gravity. Its flavor profile is also fairly heavy or strong. I liked it but found it best in small doses. O'Fallon Brewery makes a somewhat easier drinking style of pumpkin ale. The alcohol is a bit less and the overall effect is a bit more crisp, making it easier to drink two or three. Having tried each I preferred this one, but I thought both were pretty good. I've seen a variety of others on the market but many seem too cartoonish and I'm afraid they'll taste like something you'd find served on a train to Hogwarts.
The still-warm temperatures seem to make beer a better choice, particular for day-drinking. However one thing that excites with the coming of fall is red wine weather. Well, it excites me anyway. In fact, these in-between periods are well-suited for some of my favorite styles of red wine. I'm thinking Pinot Noir, particularly from Burgundy; Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, and Gamay from Beaujolais. I'll hold off on the Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah for the time being. Or I won't, but for the purposes of a thematic discussion I'll leave them for the cooler weather to come.
Food can be a bit more problematic. I fought off my impulse to make a large pot of chili this weekend, and I'm glad that I did. I'll enjoy it more once the weather is really chili-appropriate. In the meantime we went with a large pot of tuscan bean soup. I started by rehydrating dried red and black beans with a bit of ham and some herbs. Then I added those beans to a jar of roasted tomatoes, two quarts of chicken stock, a can of Cannelini beans, a bit of olive oil, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. All of this was put on a low heat to simmer for a few hours. For the last hour, kale and collard greens from our garden were added. It was an excellent soup and is hearty enough to make well into the winter without being overwhelming now. Top with grated parmesan.
Meal planning remains a challenge at this point. When thinking to the weeks ahead there is some real head-scratching involved. This week calls for rainy days too, making the grill a questionable option. It appears that this is the time to improvise. Summer recipes will make one last appearance before being retired for the season. That last ripe tomato will be put to use in BLTs one more time, and herbs will be gathered for a light thai salad. On cooler days I will roast the squash that are now standing by, or make middle weight pastas.
Before we know it true fall will be upon us, and with it the opportunity to break out the soups and braises and stews, and all of the other wonderful things that home cooks wait so patiently to start making. So, what are you all having to eat and drink on these in-between days and nights?
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