Enjoying the Flavors of Fall

Last Updated on October 2, 2021 by Diane Hoffmaster

Growing up in New England, fall was always my favorite time of year.  The colorful leaves falling off the trees, the crisp feeling to the air, and the warm and inviting smells and flavors that just screamed 'winter is coming!'.  Here in Georgia I don't get very many pretty leaves and we don't really hit 'crisp' weather until December but food and flavors I can do!  I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite flavors of fall and some easy ways to incorporate them into you diet.

Enjoying the Flavors of Fall

Photo courtesy of MorgueFile

Maple:

How many of you buy maple syrup that comes in a plastic bottle with a cabin on the front?  That is NOT maple syrup.  That is an abomination and does not belong anywhere NEAR a pancake.  Go get a glass jar or metal tin of actual Vermont Maple Syrup and make some homemade pancakes.  You will be amazed at the difference in taste and real maple syrup actually contains trace amounts of Iron, Zinc, and Calcium...unlike that artificially flavored corn syrup that most people buy!

Apples:

I am very picky about my apples.  They should be firm, juicy and lightly sweet.  If you are looking for the perfect apple you need to find one that seems very heavy for it's size.  Light weight apples will be mealy and dry.  Those are no good for anything except possibly a mildly dangerous projectile.   Try making homemade applesauce or a simple apple crisp with a crumb topping. Chop up apples to put in homemade oatmeal or make this fall harvest cake.    Apples pair very well with cheddar cheese if you are looking for a simple snack idea that highlights the flavors of fall in a simple way.

Ginger:

Ginger seems to be one of those ingredients that goes well with a lot of the common flavors of fall.  Gingerbread houses and ginger snaps are also great dessert ideas for fall.  Grind up ginger snaps and use them like you would graham crackers for a crust to your homemade apple pie.  Ginger is also incredibly good for your health as an immune booster and a soothing stomach remedy.  Keep a chunk of fresh ginger root around for adding to stir-fries or even to herbal tea.

Sweet Potatoes:

I recently harvested dozens of sweet potatoes from my garden so I will be hunting for sweet potato recipes for a while!  I grew up with them baked in foil in the oven just like a regular baked potato but this isn't my kids favorite way to eat them.  They much prefer when I pan fry them in butter, brown sugar and a touch of nutmeg.  Hmmm...I wonder why, right?  Sweet potatoes can be baked into muffins, blended into pancakes and topped with maple syrup, or even pan fried with a bit of onion.  They are loaded delicious flavor and are very nutritious.  I only hope I can find enough recipes to use up what I grew before they go bad!

Pumpkin:

One of my favorite flavors of fall is pumpkin.  I love toasting the pumpkin seeds when we carve our Jack-O-Lantern and always buy several cans of pumpkin puree to bake with.  Yes, I know I SHOULD be cooking and pureeing my own.  I have done that in the past.  Seriously, though...it is a lot of work!  I think it tastes better eaten straight than the canned stuff does but baked into breads and pies I'm not sure I can really tell too much of a difference.

The other way I love indulging in the flavors of fall is by putting many of these flavors in my coffee. I am a sucker for a flavored coffee beverage, especially during the chilly months of fall.  If you are just as addicted to flavored coffees as I am, did you know that you can get flavored coffees at McDonald's?  Yes, you can satisfy your craving for the sweet flavors of fall at your local Golden Arches for a limited time!

Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.