Pumpkin Time!

I love this time of year! The weather is starting to get colder, the leaves are changing and instead of spending our Sunday afternoons playing frisbee in the front yard, we curl up in our living room with a cup of tea and perhaps a good book. The event that inspires the intense happiness that this time of year brings me, is when I first spot Pumpkins at the grocery store. I don't really know why, but I cannot contain my joy when I spot the pile of huge round orange squashes piled near the front of the store, each one a different size. So, for the last week, pumpkin fever has settled into my house. My husband laughs at my addiction to bringing home at least one pumpkin every time I visit the grocery store. So far, I have made a delicious pumpkin-yeast bread, and pumpkin bars while the other two pumpkins sit on my counter awaiting their fate...pumpkin soup, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice cake...yum!

Good Foodie Reading...

It's been a while...I've still been cooking as much as usual, but I didn't feel like there's been any one experience with food that has been a worthy writing topic. Oh, there have definitely been some successful meals around here-food network's spin on mexican meatball subs(yum!) and a delicious chicken, leek and apple stew, for example-but for whatever reason, there haven't been any interesting stories surrounding these fabulous meals. What I'm writing about tonight is not about my discoveries in the kitchen, but rather a new book. I was at a book store in the mall with my hubby the other day and, as usual I bee-lined to the cookbook section, but before I got there, my attention was drawn to a book sitting in the clearance bin entitled "The School of Essential Ingredients." Hmmm. I picked it up and skimmed the back of it...it's about a lady who teaches a cooking class in her restaurant. Intriguing. Then I saw what one critic said about it: "Food Network fans will devour this novel." I was sold. I've just started reading it and I've only just reached the second chapter and let me tell you...it's excellent. This woman is such an amazing food writer! Anyway, I'm gonna go read some more, but I just wanted to post about it b/c I felt it a culinary discovery, even if it is a novel!